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Everton have been gifted an injury boost as Sean Dyche has declared that Amadou Onana is ‘fit’ for their game at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Forced off against Leeds

Onana was forced off with a knee injury in Everton’s 1-0 win at home to Leeds United in the top flight last weekend.

Dyche admitted after the game that his injury has been a ‘niggly’ one, but believes that it is ‘manageable’.

The Latest: Onana ‘fit’

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match against Villa, Dyche has shared (via Birmingham Live) that Onana is ‘fit’ to play, as the ‘knock’ that he picked up against Leeds is ‘not serious’:

“Am [Amadou Onana] is not serious, more of a knock so we have been monitoring that, but he is training, but he’s fit.”

The Verdict: Big boost

It will come as a big boost to Dyche and the team to have Onana available to play after picking up a knock against Leeds.

The central midfielder was a standout player on the pitch before he had to come off, winning six of his duels and recording three shots, two clearances, two tackles and one key pass, achieving an 81% pass accuracy (SofaScore).

He has received praise for several of his performances this season, and even attracted interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window, despite only joining in the summer.

Nonetheless, if the Toffees are going to get another win at Goodison Park, then Onana will no doubt be key once again.

Leeds United cruised into the FA Cup fourth round with a 5-2 victory over Cardiff City at Elland Road on Wednesday evening.

Jesse Marsch’s side atoned for the first encounter nearly two weeks ago which saw the Whites need a second-half comeback to even grasp a replay, with a rampant showing in west Yorkshire – led by summer signing Wilfried Gnonto.

The young Italian’s wonderstrike after just 26 seconds set the tone for the night as he went onto notch a brace, with fellow forwards Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford also getting on the scoresheet.

In fact, it was the first sign that the latter had shaken off his frustrating injury problems in what was a striker’s masterclass up top. Indeed, he put in an absolute clinic in the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, having been subbed on at the break.

After replacing the aforementioned Spaniard, Bamford bagged a five-minute brace, starting in the 71st minute when he evaded the Bluebirds’ offside trap to slot home an impressive left-footed volley.

With club-record signing Georginio Rutter watching on in the stands, the England international then bagged an outside-of-the-boot effort after playing a neat one-two with Joe Gelhardt, who had come on in place of undoubted ‘Man of the Match’, Gnonto.

What was most remarkable was the fact that was seemingly business as usual for Bamford, who has missed so much game time over the past 18 months.

As per Sofascore, he had just 20 touches of the ball, in which he made nine accurate passes and had three shots. Both of his two attempts on target found the net.

Clinical.

Whilst Gnonto’s audacious effort and stunning display will be talked about for weeks – if not for the ages – the return of Bamford in this light is certainly a reasonable source of excitement as he has just proven that he still has a lot to give in Marsch’s frontline and in this system.

In the words of LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross, the 29-year-old talisman was “teasing what might be ahead” if he can remain fit and available.

Also lauded in the past as a “goal machine” by ex-Guardian journalist Charlie Phillips, both Marsch and the Whites faithful will be hoping that the 17-goal Bamford from the 2020/21 season is on his way back and Wednesday night was a little glimpse at exactly that.

AND in other news, Orta must land “exciting” Harrison upgrade in Leeds move for “unstoppable” 27 y/o…

Leeds United are concerned Patrick Bamford could be out for a further extended spell following a recent operation.

The Lowdown: Surgery in Germany

Bamford, hailed as a ‘hardworking’ player by former teammate Kalvin Phillips, has had plenty of injury problems over the past 18 months, missing games last season with ankle, hamstring and foot problems.

The 29-year-old has only managed four Premier League starts during the current campaign and recently underwent surgery in Germany prior to domestic football returning.

Reports suggested that the procedure went well and that the forward was set to return to training before the New Year, but a worrying update has emerged.

The Latest: Bamford update

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared news he’s heard out of Elland Road regarding Bamford in the last 24 hours.

He revealed that the Whites fear the forward could be out for an extended period in a new injury setback.

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The Verdict: New attacking addition crucial

Bamford just can’t remain fully fit for a period of time under Jesse Marsch, with this latest update seemingly another setback for both player and manager.

Therefore, it is even more important that the club bring in a new forward this month to help senior forward Rodrigo.

Failing to do so would be a huge worry ahead of the second half of the season, with Bamford potentially not returning to action for the foreseeable.

Leeds United remain in the hunt for Matheus Cunha, with one journalist’s assessment of the transfer rumour being a positive one for Victor Orta…

What’s the latest?

Transfer expert Dean Jones has said that the Whites’ pursuit will hinge on the actions of Wolverhampton Wanderers, after his claim on Sunday which noted that Julen Lopetegui’s side were in the “driving seat” for the 23-year-old.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT recently: “If Wolves can’t tie it up, then it will be one to look out for. I was sceptical of Leeds’ interest at first, but there are actually some interesting factors that could make this doable.”

Cunha joined Atletico Madrid from Hertha Berlin in a €25m (£22m) move in the summer of 2021.

A “doable” move

The final word in Jones’ claim will be a refreshing one for Jesse Marsch, who must be keen to reunite with the player with whom he worked at RB Leipzig at a time when Leeds most require an added injection of magic in the final third.

Sitting just two points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, they can be commended for their free-scoring nature as they boast 22 goals from 14 games.

However, having conceded 26 times during that period, it is clear that unless they tighten up at the back, they will need to add even more goals if they want to avoid a relegation scrap akin to last season.

Whilst this season has been somewhat unkind to Cunha, who is without a goal in 17 (mostly substitute) appearances, he has shown on numerous occasions that he can offer a consistent attacking threat to score or create goals.

The 2021/22 campaign saw him register seven goals and seven assists, following up on his eight goals and seven assists in his final season in the Bundesliga.

These performances led his former FC Sion coach Paolo Tramezzani to dub him an “extraordinary boy” with “incredible acceleration”.

Whist ranking in the top 2% for assists will have the likes of Rodrigo salivating at Leeds, what could please Marsch most is the fact that the 23-year-old  also ranks in the top 3% for tackles and the top 4% for interceptions among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022.

By adding this relentless wizard to his team, the Whites boss could end up benefitting at both ends of the pitch. Should the opportunity arise, it would mark a no-brainer to bring Cunha to Yorkshire in Leeds’ latest bid for Premier League survival.

Celtic defender Yuki Kobayashi ‘won’t be able to play’ for the club until January, according to journalist Sean Martin.

The Lowdown: Kobayashi announced

The Scottish Premiership champions announced the signing of the 22-year-old from Vissel Kobe on Wednesday after putting pen to paper on a five-year deal at Parkhead.

Ange Postecoglou has previously worked in Japan so will have a good understanding of the centre-back, and he is now set to link up with his fellow countrymen Kyogo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi and Daizen Maeda in Glasgow.

The Latest: Martin’s update

Taking to Twitter, Martin revealed that Kobayashi will officially make the switch next month, though won’t be eligible to participate in any games until the New Year as a result of having to wait until the actual transfer window opens before stepping onto the field. He wrote:

“Kobayashi won’t be able to play until January but club say he will join up with the team in December.”

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The Verdict: Jenz replacement

The Hoops are set to make a decision on the future of Moritz Jenz at the end of the season, so should they decide not to trigger his option to buy, Kobayashi could be a great long-term replacement.

The 6 foot gem has plenty of experience under his belt having made 123 senior appearances throughout his career and offers versatility having also operated at left-back (Transfermarkt).

Celtic have already kept a respectable six clean sheets this campaign, and that number is only likely to increase following Kobayashi’s highly anticipated arrival.

Aston Villa reportedly rejected the chance to sign Joao Palhinha during the 2021 summer transfer window before he eventually moveD to fellow Premier League side Fulham this year. 

The Lowdown: Villa’s transfer activity

The Midlands club have been rather busy during previous transfer windows in terms of the number of players who have moved in and out of Villa Park.

Looking back over the summer 2022 transfer window, Villa splashed the cash to bring in Diego Carlos, Philippe Coutinho and Leander Dendoncker, along with signing Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer and securing loan deals for the likes of Jan Bednarek and Ludwig Augustinsson.

However, it appears that the Villans turned down the opportunity to sign another player the previous summer who has now gone on to become a solid Premier League figure.

The Latest: Villa turned down Palhinha

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Palhinha had been lined up for a move to the English top flight for over a year before he joined Fulham, with Wolves reportedly having him on their radar in 2021 in addition to the player being offered to Villa.

The report adds that the Villans turned down the opportunity to pursue the midfielder.

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The Verdict: A mistake from Villa?

Since joining the west London club back rom Sporting Lisbon in July in a deal worth a reported fee of around £17m, the 27-year-old has settled into the Premier League with ease.

With only Tim Ream racking up more minutes in the league at Craven Cottage than Palhinha, who will be in action for Portugal during the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, this shows just how important he is for Marco Silva.

Across his 14 league appearances, the £60k-per-week midfielder has the second-highest number of passes into the final third of the pitch (55) at Fulham, as well as the highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (78) in the entire top flight.

This highlights what the Portuguese gem has been able to offer on and off the ball, and why his performances have been labelled “outstanding” by journalist Mark Carruthers.

Taking all that into account, there’s definitely a cause for regret as to whether Villa made the wrong decision by not looking to sign the player when they had the chance, given how impressive he has been this season.

Leeds United will be hoping to build on their sensational 2-1 win at Anfield against Liverpool as they host Bournemouth at Elland Road this afternoon.

The Whites host the Cherries and could move four points clear of the relegation zone in the Premier League with a win, after the three points they picked up last weekend kept them out of the bottom three.

They had lost four games in succession prior to beating Jurgen Klopp’s team and Jesse Marsch will surely want to head into the World Cup break, with one league match left after this weekend, on a high.

The Leeds boss will go into this game without summer signing Luis Sinisterra, though, as the manager has confirmed that the winger is set for a spell on the sidelines, saying:

“Luis has a foot injury that turns out to be more than what we originally thought it was.”He wasn’t making the progress that we were hoping him to make over the past ten days and so they did another scan and had the specialists look at it and they have started to worry about it being a rare injury that controls the movement of the metatarsals and when that is ruptured, it can be a long recovery.”We don’t believe it is ruptured, but partially torn, which puts him in a little bit of a grey area, but probably puts him out until after the World Cup break.”Marsch must now forget about Sinisterra and, instead, unleash teenage sensation Wilfried Gnonto against Bournemouth this afternoon, having signed the exciting talent for just £3.8m.The 18-year-old, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed “powerful” and “electric”, made an impact off the bench against Liverpool and could have played his way into starting against the Cherries.In just 18 minutes at a daunting stadium like Anfield, the forward completed 100% (1/1) of his attempted dribbles and won 100% (3/3) of his ground duels, whilst making two tackles and two clearances – as per SofaScore.It was his Premier League debut for the Whites and Marsch should now reward his impressive cameo with a place in the starting line-up. He is a versatile forward who can play on either flank or through the middle, which means that he could start on the wing or in a central position.The gem, who has scored 42 goals at club and international level combined, showcased his attacking quality for FC Zurich in the 2021/22 campaign as he scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances – including eight goals in nine starts in the Super League.Gnonto has the potential to be a match-winner, given his impressive statistics in Switzerland, and Marsch must now offer him the opportunity to show what he can do from the start, rather than restricting him to a cameo off the bench.Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison were Leeds’ two-worst performers against Liverpool, recording SofaScore ratings of 6.4 and 6.0 respectively, and the Italian teenager could come in to replace one of them against Bournemouth.Aaronson missed a ‘big chance’ and hit the woodwork in the win at Anfield and his lack of composure in the final third could cost him his place, with Gnonto ready to grasp his chance.

It’s safe to say that Everton have had a fair few transfer mishaps over the last few seasons. The likes of Allan, Andre Gomes, and Yerry Mina have all cost Farhad Moshiri and the club big transfer fees without ever contributing nearly as much as they should have.

One of the worst recent moves, however, came under former manager Rafa Benitez, who signed Salomon Rondon on a free transfer at the beginning of last season.

It might have looked like a relatively risk-free deal from the outside, getting a player who is experienced in the Premier League without paying any transfer fee, but the reality is quite different.

Rondon played 23 matches in all competitions last season and scored a measly three goals, hardly the return that was expected from a player the club were paying £80k a week for.

In previous spells with West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United, the Venezuelan hitman struck a total of 40 goals, but he has looked far from this form during his Everton stint so far.

In seven league matches this term, the 33-year-old has scored a grand total of zero goals, has enjoyed an average of just 5.4 touches and has won just 42% of his total duels per match.

Pundit Andy Hinchcliffe criticised Rondon following a poor challenge last season which resulted in him being sent off against Brentford, dubbing the striker as “reckless” while appearing on Sky Sports main event.

With his minimal contributions in an Everton shirt, it looks increasingly like he will leave upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the current campaign.

In his 60-week spell so far at the Toffees, Rondon has rinsed Moshiri of £4.8m in wages, with three goals to show for it.

It might not be a massive sum of money to Lampard, but it would have been better spent on other areas of the team, or to sign a promising youngster instead of an ageing forward whose best days are behind them.

Lampard appears to be a smarter operator in the transfer market compared to his predecessor and mistakes like Rondon’s don’t look likely to happen again.

The fate of Wolves’ season after Bruno Lage’s sacking could hinge on Diego Costa’s performances, according to reliable journalist Steve Madeley.

The Lowdown: Lage sacked as Wolves manager

Following Saturday’s disappointing 2-0 defeat away to West Ham in the Premier League, the 46-year-old has been relieved of his duties as Old Gold manager.

In truth, it was a decision which seemed to have been coming for a number of weeks, with performances and results simply not good enough over an extended period, having won just one of his final 15 league games in charge.

A new manager hasn’t yet been confirmed but the players may be rejuvenated under another boss, with Costa one of those hoping to fire this season after joining the club last month.

The Latest: Much depends on Costa

Taking to Twitter, Madeley claimed that the Spaniard’s impact in attack, or potential lack thereof, could define Wolves’ season, regardless of who the new manager is.

The Athletic reporter stated:

“I think much still hinges on Costa coming off, new manager or not.”

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The Verdict: Is he still good enough?

Costa looked lively against West Ham as a substitute, taking one shot and completing 10 passes after coming off the bench, and it should be fascinating to see how he performs between now and the end of the campaign.

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With Raul Jimenez once again plagued by injury, the 33-year-old is likely to earn plenty of game-time in the Mexican’s absence, and the hope is that he still has enough in the tank to be a hugely effective figure.

Costa might not be hitting the same levels that he notably reached at Chelsea in 2016/17, but if he can lead the line in his own inimitable way, scoring goals and being a nuisance, Wolves’ new manager will benefit greatly.

Tottenham Hotspur made multiple enquiries to sign AS Roma defender Roger Ibanez over the summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Conte’s defender search

The Brazilian has recently cemented himself a starting place under Jose Mourinho, and after a string of impressive performances, appears to have caught the eye of a couple of Premier League suitors, despite having three years left on his contract.

Antonio Conte was on the hunt for a new centre-back in the summer and ended up landing the services of Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan, though it sounds like the Serie A star was identified as a serious target before his arrival.

The Latest: Spurs’ Ibanez enquiries

According to Roma Giallorossa (via Sport Witness), Tottenham, alongside Newcastle United, were both ‘interested’ in a deal for Ibanez, with Fabio Paratici having ‘considered’ the signing.

It’s reported that the Italian giants placed a €80m (£69m) release clause on the player following advice from Mourinho, who had ‘the knowledge that interest would come from the Premier League’.

The Lilywhites are said to have made ‘more than one enquiry’ for the player, but the fee required ‘drove them away’.

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The Verdict: Correct decision

Ibanez is a 6 foot 1 physical threat who provides dominance in both boxes, having been dubbed a ‘danger’ in front of goal by sports journalist Josh Bunting, racking up seven goals already in his short career. However, Spurs made the right decision by not pursuing this deal any further.

Conte is clearly very fond of his first-choice back three of Eric Dier, Cristian Romero and Lenglet while Davinson Sánchez has been much improved in 2022, so there would be no point cashing out almost £70m for someone who’d be no more than a bench warmer.

With Lenglet’s deal being a loan, there’s next to no risk if the season ahead doesn’t go as hoped for him on an individual basis, which proves a much safer option than going all in on a player who wouldn’t necessarily perform to the standard required.