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Manchester United are still eyeing exciting striker Jonathan David and he could leave Lille in January, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: David on World Cup duty

The 22-year-old is at the 2022 World Cup with Canada at the moment, as he looks to make his mark on football’s most global stage of all.

David didn’t manage to score in his side’s 1-0 defeat against Belgium on Wednesday night – he may have done if he had taken the penalty that Alphonso Davies missed – but he will be hoping to change that when facing Croatia on Sunday.

Away from the World Cup, David’s Lille future continues to be a talking point, and a move to United certainly doesn’t seem to be out of the question.

The Latest: Striker could make January exit

Writing on Twitter, Sky Sport journalist Plettenberg claimed that the Red Devils have scouted the youngster intensively and that he could be available in January:

“News #David: Another candidate of #MUFC is the 22 y/o Canadian striker. He was scouted several times and he wants to make the next step. We‘ve been told that Lille would release him in winter for around €50m transfer fee.”

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The Verdict: Superb long-term prospect

David is exactly the type of attacking player United are crying out for now that Cristiano Ronaldo has gone, given how much younger he is, and his ‘incredible’ finishing ability.

The Canadian would likely come straight in as a regular starter, having already scored 41 goals in 111 appearances for Lille, as well as netting 22 times in just 36 caps for his country.

Erik ten Hag needs to be building an exciting young side that can grow into a genuine force, much like Arsenal this season sitting top of the Premier League, and David would be a significant piece of the jigsaw if they could sign him.

Manchester City’s club-record signing Jack Grealish is reportedly worried that he could be sold in January as transfer news comes out of Eastlands.

The Lowdown: Grealish debate…

The former Aston Villa star has been central to plenty of debate since his £100m move to the Etihad Stadium in 2021.

Grealish has enjoyed some brilliant moments in sky blue, especially this season as the World Cup-bound England international has been praised for some truly influential performances.

However, despite being among City’s top ten performers statistically, a major point of contention consistently brought up by the media is his lack of goals and assists.

Speaking to the press, Pep Guardiola has repeatedly attempted to put that theory to bed by revealing he did not sign the playmaker solely for numbers, but also for what Grealish does off the ball and how he is perfect at playing between the lines.

Nonetheless, discussions continue to surround the 27-year-old’s suitability for the Premier League champions.

The Latest: Grealish fears Guardiola chop…

As per a fresh report, Grealish apparently holds a concern that Guardiola could decide to sell him as soon as January.

Football Insider claim that the England midfielder ‘fears’ his manager could wield the axe either next summer or mid-season and is ‘struggling to come to terms’ with his ‘second string status’ at the Etihad.

It’s added that Grealish is said to be ‘gutted’ and ‘devastated’ over not getting the nod against Liverpool during their 1-0 defeat at Anfield last month.

The Verdict: Pinch of salt…

We believe that this report should be taken with a pinch of salt, given that the player has enjoyed some exceptional moments this season and appears to be steadily gaining more of an influence when handed the opportunity.

Bar his few untouchables, Guardiola is famous for perpetually rotating his squad to cope with the demands of an intense and congested fixture schedule.

Grealish is no exception to this, and we believe that the 2-year-old can be a real asset to City when he’s at his very best, as already explained by none other than the club’s manager.

Aston Villa owners NSWE will back new manager Unai Emery with investment in the playing squad in 2023, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Emery announced

Villa officially confirmed on Monday evening that Emery will take over as head coach. The club didn’t reveal the length of contract for the 50-year-old, however, they did add that Emery ‘will take over from November 1st after his work permit formalities are completed’.

A move for the Spaniard has moved extremely quickly, and Romano has shared what he knows on the appointment.

The Latest: Romano’s post

Romano took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to share further ‘details’ on Emery following the announcement. He stated that it is a long-term project and that Villa paid Emery’s €6m (£5.2m) release clause to Villarreal.

The transfer expert stated that there will be ‘investments in 2023 to improve the squad’, with Emery set to pick up a yearly salary of around €7m (£6.1m).

The Verdict: Exciting

NSWE haven’t taken long to find Steven Gerrard’s successor, and Emery arrives off the back of a successful period with Villarreal, where he won the Europa League.

It is exciting to know that the owners are set to back the new manager in the transfer market even though they have spent over £400m since returning to the Premier League in 2019.

It will be interesting to see where Emery wants to strengthen in 2023, and he’ll have plenty of time to assess his new squad during the break for the World Cup which starts next month.

Glasgow Rangers will be grateful the international break arrived when it did, especially considering their previous two results.

Michael Beale has overseen two potentially season-damaging results recently, losing 5-1 to PSV Eindhoven that saw the Ibrox side miss out on the Champions League group stages, while a 1-0 defeat to Celtic in the Premiership was a major setback.

Despite nine summer arrivals, it appears the 43-year-old still doesn’t know his strongest starting XI or what system to operate with, which is slightly worrying.

There has been some good news recently with the return of Kemar Roofe and Tom Lawrence from injury and these two players could certainly add some attacking spark into the starting XI.

How long was Tom Lawrence injured for?

The Welshman was signed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst last summer after he departed Derby County, and it looked like an encouraging piece of business by the Dutchman heading into the 2022/23 season.

The left-winger played just nine matches for the Gers before suffering a season-ending injury against Ross County, however, which saw him miss a grand total of 49 games for club and country, even missing out on representing Wales at the 2022 World Cup.

He stepped up his recovery this summer under Beale and the signs were looking good for him to finally make an impression under the former QPR boss as the Light Blues looked to have a good start to the 2023/24 campaign.

How good is Tom Lawrence?

Prior to moving to Glasgow, Lawrence had shone for Derby in the Championship, making 185 appearances for the Rams, scoring 37 goals and registering 25 assists across those matches, which works out at roughly a goal contribution every three games.

The £22k-per-week dynamo showcased his attacking talents during his first few weeks at the Gers shortly after arriving last summer.

He was particularly impressive in the Champions League qualifiers, scoring once – a wonderful free-kick against PSV – as the club qualified for the lucrative group stages, while he also shone domestically.

His two goals and two assists across his opening five league matches suggested that Lawrence was going to be a key attacking outlet for the Gers. He also created one big chance, averaged 1.8 key passes per game and took 3.4 shots per game during those ties and the injury certainly derailed not only his momentum, but the team's in general.

Wayne Rooney previously described the 29-year-old as being “magnificent”, high praise indeed from arguably one of England’s finest-ever footballers, and it shows just how effective he can be when fit and healthy.

Rangers have scored just six goals in four Premiership matches, with four coming in one game against Livingston, and it's clear that Beale needs Lawrence back in the side to offer some added attacking dynamism.

The panic button won't need to be pressed just yet, but another one or two poor results against St Johnstone and Real Betis, once the international break is over, could potentially derail the season before it has even really started.

Lawrence should be given an opportunity in the starting XI and there is no doubt he could carry on where he left off before his injury woes.

While the majority of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ focus is on finding a new manager following the departure of Bruno Lage last weekend, the Old Gold must ensure that they are fully prepared for a tough game against Chelsea this weekend.

Lage was sacked after a 2-0 defeat against West Ham United saw Wolves drop into the relegation places and things don’t get any easier for the Midlands club, as they travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

If the Old Gold want to put memories of Lage’s dismal football, which resulted in just three Premier League goals this season, behind them, then interim management duo Steve Davis and James Collins must hand Diego Costa his first start in a Wolves shirt.

The Brazilian-born forward made his return to the Premier League in the defeat against West Ham and looked threatening, sending a late header just over.

The 34-year-old will no doubt be hungry to prove himself against his former side Chelsea, for whom he hit 59 goals in 120 appearances between 2014 and 2017.

It would be typical of Costa to score against his old side and given Wolves’ woeful record in front of goal so far this season, Davis and Collins must seek out any potential advantage they can utilise as they look to turn the Old Gold’s season around against Graham Potter’s side.

They also don’t have many other options in attack, as Sasa Kalajdzic is ruled out with an ACL injury, while Raul Jimenez and Pedro Neto are also sidelined, so Costa is surely in line to make his full debut.

To make matters worse, both Nathan Collins and Ruben Neves will miss the game through suspension, which leaves Davis and Collins with very few senior options, so the Old Gold will have to produce something truly special if they are to earn their second Premier League win of the season.

Costa is certainly capable of producing big moments, having done so regularly in his career with Chelsea and Atletico Madrid. During his time with the Spanish side, Diego Simeone sang his praises, saying:

“This was his best game since he came back with us, he’s a beast, he was running all the time, putting pressure on the opponent, breaking his mark.”

That is exactly what Wolves’ front line will need to do on Saturday if they are to cause Chelsea’s defence any problems, so Collins and Davis must hand the £50k-per-week Costa his first start in a Wolves shirt, in the hope that he can bring something back to a Wolves attack that was bereft of quality and confidence under Lage.

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.

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.

Former BBC pundit Noel Whelan has suggested that there is a ‘massive chance’ that Nottingham Forest are relegated from the Premier League this season after their extensive activity in the transfer market.

The Lowdown: Busy transfer window

Steve Cooper’s side recently confirmed the £12.7m signing of Orel Mangala from Stuttgart, with the club having now added 12 new players to the squad during the summer transfer window following their promotion to the top flight in May.

Following the Belgium international’s arrival at City Ground, Forest have reportedly brought their summer spend to more than £85m.

The Latest: Whelan’s warning

Whelan, who used to work as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, hopes that Forest can survive the drop this season, but he worries that it may take the squad too long to gel with one another.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed: “I do believe it will take time to blend these players and gel this group together. But they’ve got a very good manager in Steve Cooper, and he will give them the best possible chance.

“It is often the case that teams can sign too many players and it backfires – but Forest didn’t have a choice, they lost a lot of their best players after the play-off final.

“The owner has shown his intent and you just hope it doesn’t backfire. I think it would be great to keep Forest in the Premier League.

“They’ve got that history and that prestige. When you see them on the fixture list, it’s a game you look forward to.

“There is a massive chance that it could come back to bite them if these players can’t adapt to a new club and a new league. It’ll be intriguing and exciting for their fans to see how it pans out.”

The Verdict: Not a great start…

Embarking on a Premier League campaign on Saturday for the first time in 23 years, Cooper’s team were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

“Newcastle deserved to win the game,” the Forest manager told reporters. “They were the better team. We will always show respect to that.”

With so many new arrivals at the City Ground, this was always going to be a likely outcome at the beginning of the season, so it may take a few weeks or even months for the squad to settle in playing with one another.

Whelan is right to sound a warning that extensive summer spending does not automatically ensure a comfortable top-flight campaign, with Aston Villa scraping survival on the final day in 2020 despite spending more than £140m in the summer and winter transfer windows.

Glasgow Rangers got their 2022/23 Premiership campaign off to a solid start on Saturday afternoon, securing a 2-1 away victory in their opening game of the new season.

The Gers found themselves behind with just five minutes on the clock after Joel Nouble opened the scoring for Livingston.

Things were starting to look worrying for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s outfit as they were still without a goal by the 70-minute mark.

However, in the space of two minutes, Rangers got themselves ahead thanks to goals from Scott Arfield – after he replaced Glen Kamara in the second half – followed by a goal from captain James Tavernier, who saved the day for the Light Blues.

Despite the victory, there will have been aspects to the game and his side’s performance that Van Bronckhorst will not have been pleased with.

One example could be the performance of summer signing Antonio Colak, who made his league debut for the club following his £1.8m arrival from PAOK earlier this month.

Having played the full 90 minutes of this afternoon’s clash, the striker only managed to have nine touches of the ball in total, which is 20 touches fewer than goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin had.

In those nine touches, the 28-year-old could only register one shot at goal and complete three of the four passes he attempted.

He also managed to catch himself offside on one occasion and commit a foul that saw him pick up a yellow card.

Even though he’s a centre-forward, the Croatian didn’t make a single tackle, interception, block or clearance for his new side.

This debut display ultimately earned the summer arrival a disappointing overall match rating of 6.4 from SofaScore, making him the joint-lowest Rangers player to step foot on the pitch, alongside John Souttar.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the striker failed the first test given to him by Van Bronckhorst.

However, with it still being extremely early into the season and his time at the club, Colak has time ahead of him to improve and show the Rangers support why the club chose to sign him in the first place.

Although, if he continues putting in performances like he did today and barely gets a touch of the ball, he could well find himself out of the team.

AND in other news: “New deal..”: Reporter drops transfer claim that’ll leave Rangers supporters gutted

Sunderland managed to find their way back into the Championship at the end of last season following four years of competing in League One.

One figure at the Wearside club that played a big part in their recent campaign was Dan Neil.

With 39 league appearances to his name, prior to the play-offs, only four other Sunderland players racked up more minutes than the midfielder.

Having scored three goals and provided seven assists in the league, the 20-year-old also delivered 27 crosses, made 31 interceptions and won 31 tackles last season.

This highlights just how much of a well-rounded midfielder he is and how capable he is of being an attacking threat and a tough opponent when out of possession.

Now that the Black Cats have a Championship campaign ahead of them, they can use the summer transfer window to make sure their squad is strong enough to compete and avoid getting put back in League One.

In terms of incoming transfers, one figure that the Wearside club have been linked with that could give them a next version of Neil is Southampton midfielder Will Smallbone.

As a product of the South Coast club’s youth system, the 22-year-old has made a total of 116 appearances for the Saints across their senior and youth sides.

In those appearances, the Irishman has found the net 14 times and supplied 15 assists across all competitions.

As well as being a useful figure in terms of scoring and creating goals, Smallbone has also won 17 tackles and made 58 successful pressures, 17 blocks, four interceptions and seven clearances over his 16 Premier League appearances for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

This shows that he has some defensive talent in him as well and why he’d be a potential next version of Neil at the Stadium of Light.

To further highlight what sort of player he is, the Southampton boss had this to say about the £6k-per-week midfielder.

He said: “The whole package is strong, with a lot of potential in my view. He has a lot of things that really help a team, being good on the ball, covering a lot of distance, but also to work against the ball and win balls, this is very important.”

Moving forward, if the opportunity arises to secure a deal for the Saints youngster this summer, Sunderland should do all they can to get him.

AND in other news: Speakman eyeing SAFC swoop to sign “intelligent” £4.5m gem, imagine him & Roberts