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Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui is reportedly one of the frontrunners to become the new Wolves manager but he could be a repeat of Bruno Lage should he make the move to Molineux.

According to the Telegraph’s John Percy, Lopetegui and Bo Svensson have emerged as “top targets” to replace Lage, who was sacked at the weekend after his side lost out 2-0 against West Ham.

The Old Gold currently sit 18th in the Premier League with just three goals in the top flight to their name, with a combination of negative tactics and injuries in the final third seeing Wolves’ goalscoring issues from last season continue to haunt them in the current campaign.

Any new manager in the dugout will have to change the way Wolves are set up if he wants to solve the problem of putting the ball in the back of the net, so a move for Lopetegui makes little sense when you consider Sevilla’s less than impressive start to the season.

The Spanish side currently sit 17th in La Liga after winning just one of their opening seven matches, with seven goals to their name.

They are also bottom of their Champions League group after losing 4-0 to Manchester City and drawing 0-0 with Copenhagen, with another tough game to come on Wednesday when they face Borussia Dortmund.

Therefore, despite possessing one of the top sides in La Liga, goalscoring is clearly an issue for Lopetegui’s side at the moment and there is little to suggest that he could turn Wolves’ current situation around.

The former Spain boss averaged a shocking 1.43 points per game during his time at Real Madrid, which is nearly as bad as the 1.29 points per game averaged by Lage at Wolves, despite possessing what was undoubtedly one of the top squads in world football during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A 5-1 defeat against Barcelona also led the Spanish media to describe Lopetegui’s time in charge as “awful” and while they would qualify for the Champions League last season, the 56-year-old’s current form makes it hard to make a case for him being a success at Wolves.

It seems clear, therefore, that Wolves should avoid appointing Lopetegui unless they want a repeat of Lage’s underwhelming spell at Molineux. Just like the Portuguese coach, he has been incapable of driving out any inspiration in the final third from his players. It seems like a recipe for disaster.

It was reported yesterday that there was concern surrounding Liverpool forward Diogo Jota’s fitness status after he was not seen in training on Thursday and was subbed off for Portugal, but now Jurgen Klopp has confirmed a triple boost after doubts on three players.

What’s the latest?

After returning late from international duty, the Liverpool manager has set the record straight on speculation surrounding Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, confirming all three will be in contention to start against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.

Klopp took to his pre-match press conference to settle the worries surrounding the South American players in the squad who were not seen in training on Thursday (via Liverpool Echo):

“Luis [Diaz] only landed yesterday morning. I heard he’s good. Darwin [Nunez], with caution after intense period. Same for Diogo [Jota].”

It’s great news for Liverpool

The Reds have had their fair share of injury problems over the season so far with several players picking up fitness issues and prolonged injury problems over the last few months, but it is finally looking promising ahead of their return to action against Brighton on Saturday.

The injury crisis at Anfield would have certainly contributed to the club’s worst start to a Premier League season during Klopp’s tenure so far, but with nine fixtures this month there is plenty of opportunity for the Kopites to pull back some much-needed points to climb the table.

Currently nine points off the top spot occupied by Arsenal, Liverpool will face both Manchester City and Mikel Arteta’s formidable side this month giving them the chance to close the gap between themselves in 8th and the top two positions in the Premier League.

Not only that, the Reds return to action in the Champions League and Klopp will surely be hoping the extended break will give his team the rest they needed to refresh and rebuild their confidence after a difficult start on all fronts.

With that being said, taking all three points when they host Brighton at Anfield will be non-negotiable for Liverpool if they want to get a good start in a very congested month of fixtures as they cannot afford to lose many more points if they want to be in contention for the title.

West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh have shared a behind-the-scenes update as manager David Moyes hatches a plan to tie down Craig Dawson.

The Lowdown: Dawson homesick?

Reliable reports near the end of the latest transfer window indicated that the veteran defender was eyeing a move away from east London.

Indeed, Dawson allegedly wishes to move further north in order to be closer to his family, with the 32-year-old making that crystal clear to West Ham, who remained desperate to keep the centre-half.

He ended up staying at Rush Green, however, even despite late internal talks with both personal issues and a reported offer from Wolves nearly resulting in an exit.

Losing Dawson would have been a blow for the Premier League side given their recent injury woes in defence, but now reports suggest Moyes could now attempt to tie down his man.

The Latest: Moyes hatches contract plan…

Club insider Claret & Hugh claim the Scotsman is personally ‘ready to try tempting’ the former West Brom star into signing a new deal at West Ham with his current contract expiring in 2023.

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Moyes is apparently determined not to lose Dawson, who was in great form last season and has just recovered from a thigh injury this campaign.

The Irons head coach is allegedly planning to offer the defender a year’s extension with an attached 12-month option with a C&H source telling the outlet it is a ‘more than probable likelihood come January’.

The Verdict: Get it done…

If Moyes and West Ham chiefs can convince Dawson to remain and sign a new deal, it would be a brilliant move.

The Englishman was an ever-present in the Irons starting eleven last year, playing the seventh-most top flight minutes out of any West Ham player whilst starting 30 games (WhoScored).

Dawson can also be a real threat when it comes to set pieces and Tomas Soucek is the only West Ham player to win more aerial duels per 90 out of their squad.

A no-nonsense centre-back, he made more blocks per 90 than any of his teammates over 2021/2022 and fell only behind partner Kurt Zouma in terms of clearances (WhoScored).

The numbers back why Moyes is keen to tie down Dawson and we believe it would be a major boost for West Ham.

Sunderland spent four years in the third tier of English football as they struggled to get out of League One following their relegation from the Championship in the 2017/18 campaign.

In the 2018/19 season, the Black Cats brought in a host of players as they looked to bounce straight back to the second division at the first time of asking.

They signed the likes of Tom Flanagan, Jon McLaughlin, Charlie Wyke, and Will Grigg and had mixed success with their business, although they failed to land promotion at the end of the season.

One of the players they snapped up that summer was central defender Jack Baldwin, who arrived at the Stadium of Light from Peterborough.

Jack Ross was the manager at the time and said: “Jack is proven in this league and he’s at a good age with his best years ahead of him, and he has a hunger to improve and do well. He sees this as a big opportunity and has the core attributes we have been looking for.”

He quickly established himself as a regular fixture in the team and played 34 times in the third tier throughout the course of the campaign, making 42 appearances in total, with journalist Josh Bunting once describing him as “outstanding.”

However, they then opted to loan him out to Salford in League Two, much to the frustration of some of the fanbase, before the Black Cats decided to release him in 2020, allowing the defender to join Bristol Rovers on a free transfer, as Phil Parkinson seemingly did not have the player in his plans.

After a year with Rovers, Baldwin sealed a move to Premiership side Ross County in the summer of 2021 and then-manager Malky Mackay claimed that he is in the “prime of his career”, which has been proven by his impressive performances on the pitch.

He averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.88 in his debut campaign as he played 30 times in the Scottish top-flight, making 5.2 clearances per game. This term, he has averaged a rating of 7.02 across six outings – making 4.2 clearances and 5.4 tackles and interceptions per match.

Meanwhile, no natural Sunderland centre-back with five or more appearances has averaged a score higher than 6.88 in the Championship this term and that was also the case in League One last term – with Bailey Wright leading the way on both fronts.

This suggests that Baldwin would be the club’s top performing central defender, or at least on par with Wright, in his current form, which is why allowing him to leave for nothing was a blunder by the Black Cats.

Sunderland could have held out hope for the 6 foot 1 defender until he hit the prime years of his career and then enjoyed his impressive defensive talents on the pitch. Instead, they received £0 for him and Ross County are now benefitting on the pitch in Scotland from their mistake.

They should regret ditching the enforcer and may be wondering how well he would be doing in the current team under Tony Mowbray.

West Ham United’s triumph over plucky Danish outfit Silkeborg on Thursday evening saw defender Craig Dawson make his first start of the season, with the Englishman having only recently made his return from a thigh injury.

The former Watford man’s sole outing prior to that had come as a late substitute in the win over FC Steaua Bucharest a week earlier, with it having been a welcome sight to see the 32-year-old come out unscathed during last night’s victory.

The typically reliable centre-back marked the occasion with a header late in the first half to put the Hammers firmly in control, with that effort eventually proving vital as the visitors were forced to hold off a late rally to claim a hard-fought three points.

Such an impact has seemingly become the norm for the old-fashioned “warrior” – as described by manager David Moyes – with the £2.7m-rated man having recorded an impressive haul of nine goals in 76 appearances for the east Londoners since his arrival just over two years ago.

While something of an unglamorous addition at the time, the £42.5k-per-week colossus has since become a real cult figure among the club’s support, having notably played a crucial role in the surge to the Europa League semi-final last season – earning a place in the UEFA Team of the Season as a result of that impressive form.

His importance to the side has also been illustrated as a result of his absence in the early weeks of the season, with the London Stadium outfit having picked up just four points from their opening six league games, with the defence having been a particular issue thus far.

An injury to summer signing Nayef Aguerd during pre-season left Moyes distinctly short of options at the heart of the backline, with veteran gem Angelo Ogbonna only recently returning from a long-term injury, while Issa Diop sealed a switch to newly-promoted Fulham.

Although Thilo Kehrer has somewhat eased those concerns after joining from Paris Saint-Germain, there still appears to be a real need for Dawson in the side, with it having been a wise decision from sporting director Rob Newman not to sanction his departure over the summer.

The one-time West Bromwich Albion man had seemingly been keen on a return to the Midlands and appeared close to making a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers on deadline day, only for West Ham to pull the plug after failing to secure a replacement in the form of Jan Bednarek.

That failed move has seemingly proved a blessing in his disguise, with Moyes badly needing a fully-fit Dawson back in his side on a regular basis.

Manchester United could be set to make a late move for Barcelona defender Sergino Dest, with Erik ten Hag keen on a reunion with the promising full-back.

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, who revealed that the Red Devils could swoop for the 21-year-old should £50m flop Aaron Wan-Bissaka depart, although will face competition from La Liga side Villarreal for the United States international’s signature.

Writing on Twitter about that interest, the transfer guru stated: “Excl: Sergiño Dest’s now considering a loan proposal from Villarreal, he’s open to discuss about it. Talks on with Barça — it’s up to the player. Manchester United manager ten Hag wants Dest, it’s a possibility but it can only happen if Wan-Bissaka will leave.”

Manchester Evening News have also reported that United have held talks regarding taking the highly-rated right-back on a season-long loan deal, with the Netherlands-born gem having worked under Ten Hag at Ajax.

There had been previous suggestion that a swap deal could be on the cards involving the 17-cap gem and Wan-Bissaka, with the latter man also attracting interest from the likes of West Ham United and former club Crystal Palace.

Hakimi alternative

While Diogo Dalot has been much improved in recent weeks – notably registering an assist in the 1-0 win over Southampton at the weekend – the right side of the defence remains something of a problem area for the Old Trafford outfit, hence turning to Dest as a solution.

The “special talent” – as described by broadcaster Ives Galarcep – is yet another name with an Amsterdam connection to Ten Hag, with the Dutchman having already brought in Lisandro Martinez and Antony so far this summer.

Indeed, the Dutch boss would surely love to sign him given the £16.2m-rated ace can help the 52-year-old smoothly implement his style of play, having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign under his former manager during the 2019/20 season at the Eredivisie outfit.

That form alerted the attention of those at the Camp Nou, with the 5 foot 9 menace having gone on to rack up 72 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan giants, scoring three goals and providing five assists in that time.

A forward-thinking, attack-minded full-back, the £99k-per-week sensation could well prove to be an astute alternative to that of another reported target, Achraf Hakimi, with the latter man likely to prove far more costly having signed for current club Paris Saint-Germain for £60m just last summer.

The pair are believed to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref, with Dest averaging 3.13 touches in the attacking penalty area and 3.43 progressive passes received per 90, with Hakimi almost mirroring that record as he averages 2.94 and 3.85 for the same two metrics, respectively.

Both clearly intent on impacting the game in the final third, the duo are also hugely comfortable in possession, with the latter man ranking in the top 1% for pass completion among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, while Dest is not far behind as he ranks in the top 5%.

It bodes well for those at the Theatre of Dreams to think that they could have a Hakimi-esque figure on their hands on a bargain, loan deal, with the PSG man having proven his talents at a string of top clubs across the continent – notably recording 13 goals and assists in just 46 games at the Parcs des Princes.

While Dest is still to truly hit those heights, the statistical evidence would suggest that he does possess a similar attacking quality, with his arrival in Manchester also potentially a better fit as Hakimi is typically at his best in a wing-back role.

It will require a lot of moving parts to get the deal over the line, although Ten Hag will no doubt love it if his new club can pull off a much-needed late addition.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon this summer and his arrival could see the Reds rectify their failed attempt to sign Alex Moreno from Real Betis.

Despite the summer additions of Harry Toffolo and Omar Richards, Steve Cooper is clearly keen to sign another left-back before the transfer window shuts later this month after the latter suffered a leg fracture in pre-season.

Cooper looked to have found his man when the Reds were in pole position to sign Moreno recently, but the 29-year-old rejected Forest to remain with Betis.

The Reds boss has since turned his attention to Reguilon, who looks surplus to requirements at Spurs after he was left out of the pre-season squad by Antonio Conte, who has Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon available as his first-choice left-back options.

Reports have suggested that Forest could look to bring the former Sevilla man in on loan as competition for Toffolo, the only natural left-back option in Cooper’s squad, with the manager seemingly unlikely to trust Jack Colback in that position in the top flight.

Reguilon was a regular for Spurs last season, making 25 appearances in the Premier League, in which he contributed two goals and three assists, averaging an impressive 6.95 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This was an improvement on the average ratings of both Toffolo (6.81) and Richards (6.54), despite Reguilon playing in a tougher league, and considering his experience in the top-flight, he could definitely be a solid addition to Cooper’s squad.

The Spanish full-back excels in an attacking aspect, as evidenced by his statistics from FbRef, which emphasise that he loves to get forward, as he scores above the 90th percentile for full-backs in expected goals, expected assists and progressive passes received.

Reguilon, who earns £53k per week at Spurs, was praised by Football.London correspondent Alasdair Gold when he first joined the club.

He said: “You don’t want to overshadow Sergio Reguilon, who I think is going to be one of the best left-backs in Europe – probably almost is. With Sevilla, he was phenomenal: had a great season, won the Europa League. He’s got incredible confidence. He’s come straight into the group and everyone loves him.”

At 25, Reguilon still has plenty of potential to improve, and regular football at the City Ground could see him rediscover the form that made him such a hit at Sevilla, where he excelled in the 2019/20 season, in particular, averaging a superb 7.10 rating from WhoScored.

Therefore, this deal makes sense for both parties, and Cooper will be hoping that Forest can put the Moreno disappointment behind them by bringing a fellow Spaniard in Reguilon this month.

West Ham United are among the teams interested in Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, according to French outlet Foot Mercato. 

The lowdown: Outcast

Dembele has been forced down the pecking order at the Ligue 1 outfit by the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette from Arsenal.

He’s into the final 12 months of his deal with the club, having joined from Celtic in 2018 for a fee of £19.8million.

Foot Mercato report that the 26-year-old was sent to train with Lyon’s academy players during pre-season.

The latest: Enquiry

If Dembele won’t sign a new contract and commit to Lyon, they will try to sell him in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer.

However, the player wants to be ‘master of his own destiny’ too and intends to take time to mull over the offer of an extension.

Dembele has suitors across Europe, but he’s valued most by Premier League clubs.

West Ham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Everton have all lodged enquiries.

It’s thought that the player’s response was not particularly ‘favourable’ as he pursues a project that suits him ‘sportingly and financially’.

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The verdict: Controversial

It looks like Dembele will take some convincing if he’s to join West Ham.

And this would be a controversial move for the Irons in light of the events of last season’s Europa League quarterfinal.

In the 1-1 first-leg draw between the two sides at the London Stadium, Dembele winked after drawing a foul from Aaron Cresswell that saw the West Ham defender sent off.

David Moyes warned him that he had to be ‘careful’ and that his behaviour might come back to bite him.

And sure enough, West Ham would win the second leg 3-0 and progress to the semifinals, with Declan Rice explaining that Dembele’s wink gave them an extra incentive.

The official Irons Twitter account even posted a video mocking the Frenchman after the game.

Manchester United view Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier as the successor for David de Gea, report The Athletic. 

The lowdown: ‘Keeper conundrum

United faced somewhat of a goalkeeping merry-go-round this summer as Lee Grant moved onto pastures new, Dean Henderson left for Nottingham Forest on loan and Tom Heaton arrived as a third-choice experienced stopper.

As a result, Erik ten Hag was understood to be on the lookout for an additional option between the sticks and the Red Devils were heavily linked with Watford ace Daniel Bachmann.

That move failed to materialise and Ten Hag was forced to name Heaton as the backup for the opening day and take young starlets Matej Kovar and Nathan Bishop on the pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.

The latest: Meslier on the radar

As per Dan Sheldon and Laurie Whitwell for The Athletic, Meslier is ‘potentially seen as a long-term replacement’ for De Gea at Old Trafford.

However, it’s claimed that Leeds have ‘no intention to sell’ the 22-year-old nine-cap France Under 21 ace this summer.

The report also states that in lieu of making a move for the ‘keeper once described as ‘fearsome’ by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino, United could consider a short-term solution in the shape of Southampton’s Alex McCarthy or Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow and Martin Dubravka.

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The verdict: One for the future

There can be no doubting De Gea’s supreme commitment since arriving in Manchester. Despite rare lapses in form, the 31-year-old Spaniard has been a brilliant servant to the club across 487 appearances and was once again named as the Players’ Player of the Year last term.

Additionally, given the longevity goalkeepers can enjoy, the ex-Atletico Madrid man still has time on his side when it comes to occupying the number one position, albeit the club will need to extend a contract that has entered the final 12 months (Transfermarkt).

If indeed De Gea does decide to move on after the expiry of his current deal, signing Meslier from bitter rivals Leeds would be a sensational coup for the United hierarchy.

Last season, the French gloveman made on average 3.8 saves per game and showed off his prowess with the ball at his feet, completing 85 per cent of all passes inside his own half (Sofascore) – something De Gea is often criticised for.

As Ten Hag attempts to implement his own style on the team, adding a goalkeeper of Meslier’s ball-playing abilities – Patrick Bamford said he’s ‘unbelievable’ – would be the next natural step in the process should a deal be possible further down the line.

Nottingham Forest made Morgan Gibbs-White a transfer target this summer, and a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player from a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Wolverhampton Wanderers reporter Steve Madeley, the Reds have had another bid rejected for the midfielder.

As per Madeley’s report for The Athletic, Forest have been knocked back yet again by Wolves, who claim that the player is not for sale and are preparing themselves for another bid to be submitted worth around £30m.

Evangelos Marinakis has intervened in negotiations and held discussions with senior figures at Molineux, and it is reported that the young talent is the number one target for Forest, who will continue to pursue the player over the transfer window.

Cooper must act fast

There is no doubt that the new knockback in their efforts to secure a deal for Gibbs-White will be frustrating for the powerbrokers at the City Ground, but it is clear from Madeley’s update that Forest have no intentions of cooling their interest in the player.

The 22-year-old has been going from strength to strength in his career, and most recently caught the eye with his impressive loan spell at Sheffield United last season in the Championship.

Gibbs-White scored 11 goals, delivered nine assists and created 16 big chances, making 1.6 key passes and 0.7 tackles and winning 4.9 duels per game over 35 appearances for the Blades, and his impact on the team led to the young talent being named Player of the Year at Bramall Lane.

The 22-year-old’s performances did not go unnoticed, especially by those who came up against him in the Championship last term.

Barnsley head coach Poya Asbaghi hailed Gibbs-White following the Tykes’ defeat at Sheffield United last season, saying: “He’s a really good player. I think Sheffield United have a lot of good players, but he is the most outstanding one.”

Steve Cooper, who has worked with Gibbs-White in the England under-17s and at Swansea City, has the experience with the player to get the very best out of him; and if the midfielder can emulate his form of last season in the Premier League, the Reds could strike gold in their pursuit to retain their top-flight status.

As a result, the Forest manager must act fast to negotiate a deal for the talented midfielder, as Wolves could find themselves even more reluctant to sell Gibbs-White if he puts in an impressive performance in the Premier League should he be selected to play this weekend.