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Wolves fans will have been watching on with serious envy on Tuesday night as summer transfer target Goncalo Ramos fired in a brilliant hat-trick for Portugal at the World Cup.

The Benfica striker was heavily linked with a move to Molineux ahead of the season and had he made the move to the Premier League, then Bruno Lage might still be in a job.

His performances in the Portuguese Liga this season already suggested that Wolves made a big mistake in not bringing him in, as he has crashed in nine goals in just 11 top-flight appearances, averaging a superb 7.33 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Considering Wolves’ woes in front of goal so far this campaign, which have played a significant part in them being bottom of the Premier League, the Old Gold definitely would have benefited from a striker of Ramos’ obvious quality at Molineux.

Any chances of signing him in January now look to be over after he announced himself on the world stage in Portugal’s 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland in the round of 16 in Qatar.

Fernando Santos made the controversial decision to start the 21-year-old ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and it certainly paid off, as the youngster produced an incredible display, which suggests that he is now extremely likely to start when Portugal take on Morocco in the quarter-final at the weekend.

As per Sofascore, Ramos would earn a 9.8/10 rating for his performance, which unsurprisingly ranked him as the best player on the pitch.

Even without his three goals, the Benfica man was hugely impressive, as he registered five shots on target, two key passes and an assist for Raphael Guerreiro’s goal.

For context, Diego Costa has averaged the most shots on target per game this season for Wolves with 2.7, while Pedro Neto leads the way for average key passes with 1.6, which emphasises just how incredible Ramos was on Tuesday, and how much quality he could have added at Molineux.

After such a “remarkable” display in the eyes of Gary Lineker, Wolves fans will be left wondering where they would be in the Premier League had Lage not failed to bring Ramos to Molineux during the summer.

Leeds United are reportedly preparing a big transfer battle with Premier League rivals…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to David Ornstein, who claims that the Whites could swoop in should Wolverhampton Wanderers not meet the financial demands of Atletico Madrid over Matheus Cunha.

It is noted that there was an attempt to sign him before he left Hertha Berlin in 2021, and having managed him in the past, Jesse Marsch could play a big factor in this deal.

With the Brazilian’s game time having dwindled in the Spanish capital, he is expected to leave. Victor Orta will know the importance of pouncing on players before they surpass his budget, but will likely already have to battle with Everton and Aston Villa.

Their own Gabriel Jesus

Having enjoyed a blistering start to life at Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus’ recent form before the World Cup had somewhat diminished.

With nine goal contributions in his first nine Premier League games for the Gunners, he would not score in his last six before the break.

That’s not to say he hasn’t contributed massively to their imperious form, which sees them sat atop the Premier League table at Christmas.

It is clear that the 25-year-old offers far more than just goals, with his work rate and intelligent pressing making him the perfect spearhead for Mikel Arteta’s team.

His defensive statistics make for impressive reading, where he ranks in the top 7% for tackles and 3% for interceptions among strikers in Europe’s top five leagues.

The same could be said of Cunha, who made his €26m (£22m) move to Madrid in the summer of 2021.

This season has been disappointing, with him yet to score, but the 23-year-old still also remains in the top 5% for tackles and interceptions, and the top 1% for blocks.

Should he regain his form, there is a sensational all-around player to be had with the talents of a true “magician” – as his old club RB Leipzig dubbed him.

Last season saw him record seven goals and seven assists, and before his move, he had recorded a similar eight goals and seven assists in Germany too.

His former coach Bruno Labbadia was full of praise for the forward, claiming: “Matheus has something special. He can always produce something with a moment of individual brilliance.”

Clearly keeping him in the side breeds consistency in his creativity, which explains how he still remains in the top 2% for assists and 15% for shot-creating actions.

In fact, FBRef actually likens him to Jesus in their ‘similar players’ metric.

Should he have the same transformative effect that the former Manchester City man has had on his new team, at Elland Road, this could mark a brilliant signing to hopefully steer them to safety.

Everton have reportedly made contact with the representatives of Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha over a potential move in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Wolves were in driving seat

It was reported earlier this week that Wolves are ‘close’ to reaching a definitive agreement with Cunha over a transfer, as the end of his time with Atletico is said to be drawing near.

The final transfer fee and personal terms with the player still need to be agreed upon, but is thought that the Wanderers are in the driving seat.

The Latest: Everton contact

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit, as well as Aston Villa and Leeds United, have made contact with Cunha’s representatives over a move, and are ‘actively trying’ to strike a deal for him.

Cunha is interested in working with Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui, but ‘sources’ have claimed that he wants to explore all of his options before making a final decision on his future.

His entourage have also offered the Brazilian to Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United, and Atletico are desperate to offload Cunha’s wages, and would be prepared to sanction a loan move.

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The Verdict: Get it done

The Merseyside club are in desperate need of more attacking reinforcements, having only scored 11 goals in their opening 15 Premier League games, the joint-second worst in the division.

Hailed as a player who is ‘very fast’, with ‘great technical skills’, ‘unpredictable gameplay’ and an ‘excellent goal instinct’ by his former manager Maurizio Jacobacci, Cunha showed early promise as a teenager at FC Sion, where he managed seven goals and four assists in 15 matches under the Swiss (Transfermarkt).

Once dubbed ‘something special’ by former Hertha Berlin head coach Bruno Labbadia, he continued his impressive streak in Germany, managing 23 goal contributions in 40 appearances (Transfermarkt).

Cunha has not quite been able to hit the same heights at Atletico, failing to find the back of the net so far this season, but there is no doubt that the talent is there.

Nonetheless, the Brazilian has still not fulfilled his true potential at 23, and the Toffees could be the sole beneficiaries of that.

Newcastle United are enjoying a phenomenal start to their Premier League season and are currently third despite several injury issues already plaguing the squad.

Bruno Guimaraes, Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin, Emile Krafth, Jonjo Shelvey and Alexander Isak are just some of the key players who have suffered injuries over the campaign so far, but this hasn’t stopped Eddie Howe’s Magpies from flying high in the league.

Newcastle have only lost once in their first 15 top-flight outings, and even then the defeat was only recorded due to a controversial Liverpool goal deep into stoppage time at Anfield.

There is no doubt that Howe will be hoping that his team can retain their top-four status over the second half of the season, as qualifying for the Champions League would have been beyond the wildest dreams of even the most optimistic Newcastle supporters 12 months ago.

However, the Magpies have been dealt another setback ahead of their return to action on Boxing Day, when they will head to the King Power stadium for their clash against Leicester City.

Speaking on the NUFC Matters YouTube channel, journalist Ross Gregory has expressed concern about Isak’s slow return from injury, saying: “The fact that he didn’t play in the friendly and did some training off by himself still, it’s just a little bit of a concern that it hasn’t cleared up quite as quickly as possible.

“The way Eddie Howe was speaking, it was along the lines of he might not be fit for Bournemouth, he might not be fit for the Leicester game on Boxing Day.”

If the 23-year-old isn’t available to return for the upcoming fixtures, Howe will need to keep unleashing Callum Wilson in the hope that the English marksman can stay fit whilst Isak continues to recover.

The £46k-per-week goal machine has been enjoying an incredible season since regaining consistent fitness, and thanks to his exemplary form in front of goal he earned a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup England squad last month.

Over 11 appearances this season, Wilson – who was dubbed “unique” by former Newcastle interim boss Graeme Jones – has scored six goals and delivered two assists, also offering a selfless assist to Jack Grealish against Iran in England’s opening game of the World Cup in Qatar.

Indeed, the Magpies striker is no stranger to injuries himself and has been plagued with numerous setbacks at St James’ Park, but Howe will be hoping that he can rely on the talented 30-year-old to spearhead the team to further success over the remainder of the campaign.

With that being said, the manager will surely be closely monitoring Isak’s progress and looking forward to his eventual return to the forward line, but if Wilson can stay fit, his boss should not be too worried about Newcastle’s attacking threat in their upcoming fixtures.

Manchester City sealed their spot in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals as they knocked out holders Liverpool with a 3-2 win at the Etihad.

Erling Haaland marked his return to action with a customary goal from Kevin de Bruyne’s cross before Fabio Carvalho equalised for the visitors.

There was a crazy start to the second half as Riyad Mahrez curled in a wonderful goal to make it 2-1 before Mohamed Salah pegged City back just a minute later.

However, Nathan Ake was on hand to head in the winner from another world-class De Bruyne cross, with Pep Guardiola’s side now set to face Southampton in the quarter-finals next month.

While it was a promising return to domestic action for the Citizens, with many looking like they’d never been away, one man who disappointed was Manuel Akanji.

As per Sofascore, the summer signing would earn a shocking 6.0/10 rating for his performance at the Etihad, which was the worst of any player in blue, with City looking far more defensively secure once the Swiss defender was taken off just after the hour mark.

During his time on the pitch, the former Borussia Dortmund man was tormented by Liverpool’s attackers, as he failed to win a single ground or aerial duel, while he also failed to contribute a single tackle, clearance or interception.

Considering he has averaged 1.6 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and one clearance per game in the top flight this season, it was surprising that he didn’t register any of these in what was an end-to-end game at the Etihad.

His passing was also slightly poorer than usual, as he lost possession on five occasions and registered an 89% success rate, compared to the 94% he has averaged in the Premier League so far this campaign.

After an impressive performance earlier in the season, Guardiola dubbed Akanji “absolutely perfect” but if he continues to play as he did against Liverpool on Thursday evening, he will soon slip below City’s other centre-back options in the pecking order at the Etihad, as he nearly cost the Citizens with a woeful display in the Carabao Cup.

RB Salzburg defender Maximilian Wober has reportedly completed a medical ahead of a proposed move to Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Versatility

Wober shares the same agency as Pascal Struijk and is similar to the Whites’ defender as he is primarily a centre-back who can also turn at as a left-back when needed.

He has played 16 games as a full-back this season, contributing to seven goals in the process. The Austrian has also made more appearances under Jesse Marsch than any other manager, and it looks as if a reunion is on the cards.

The Latest: Transfer update

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from Friday’s print edition of Austrian outlet Salzburger Nachrichten regarding Leeds and Wober.

They claim that the defender, who is a ‘dream’ signing for Marsch, has had a Whites medical ahead of finalising a transfer to Yorkshire. The report added that a final fee still needed to be agreed between the sides as of Friday morning.

The Verdict: Matter of time?

It looks as if Wober is keen on a move to England, and with a medical reportedly sorted, it could be just a matter of time until a deal goes through.

The transfer window is now officially open, so Victor Orta and co may want to get a transfer finalised as soon as possible so the player can push for a spot in Marsch’s side.

It will be interesting to see where he would feature in the long run, but you’d like to think both Wober and Struijk would be regulars in a back four after the latter recently signed a new Elland Road contract.

Wolves youngster Theo Corbeanu has returned to Molineux from Blackpool because of injury, with his loan deal temporarily suspended.

The Lowdown: Corbeanu loaned out again

The 20-year-old moved to Blackpool on a short-term basis back in the summer, with Wanderers unable to promise him regular playing time this season.

Corbeanu has arguably been quite impressive during his time at the club, scoring three goals in nine Championship starts.

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by James Collins in the past, the young attacking midfielder ranks as the Seasiders’ sixth-best player this season (Whoscored).

Unfortunately, the Wolves youngster’s progress has now been hampered by injury, with a fresh update on his future emerging.

The Latest: Youngster makes Wolves return

On Tuesday, Wanderers’ official website confirmed the return of Corbeanu, whose loan spell at Blackpool has ended for now because of his ankle injury:

“Theo Corbeanu, Christian Marques and Lewis Richards have returned from their season-long loans to have injuries assessed.

[…]

“Corbeanu was enjoying a fruitful loan spell in the Championship with Blackpool where the winger had found the back of the net three times in 17 second tier appearances but now returns to his parent club for assessment of an injury before a decision is made on the next stage of his development later in January.”

It remains to be seen how long the winger is out for, however, or if a separate loan or switch back to Bloomfield Road comes before February 1.

The Verdict: Give him a chance?

This is a real blow for Corbeanu, who will have been enjoying the regular minutes and getting an opportunity to prove himself in a difficult division. Blackpool manager Michael Appleton has also praised his performances, saying he ‘knows where the goal is’ – sound like something Wolves could use right now?

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In truth, it is hard to see the Canadian’s long-term future lying at Wolves, with Julen Lopetegui possibly wanting his own players brought in, but it surely couldn’t hurt to give the youngster a chance if he can get fit soon.

Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur board are doing all they can do back Antonio Conte this winter.

What’s the word?

With the January transfer market now upon us, Spurs are widely tipped to be in the market for some new signings although no deals have been completed yet.

For instance, Sporting Lisbon duo Pedro Porro and Marcus Edwards have both been linked with a move but nothing seems close at this moment in time.

No doubt, manager Conte will be anxious to get a few deals done soon enough and it sounds as though the club fully intend to back him with a new wingback and a forward.

Indeed, when speaking on the Transfer Talk Podcast, Sheth explained: (43:48): “I think Tottenham’s board are doing everything they can to back Antonio Conte and I think they want to be busy in this transfer window.

“I think they want to bring in a couple of players. I think they want to bring in a forward and I think they want to bring in a wingback as well.

“I think Antonio Conte wants to strengthen all over the pitch, but I think in those two particular areas, he sees those two areas as not good enough for them to be able to compete for the top four.”

Patience required?

Spurs are currently just outside the top four – sitting one place and two points behind Manchester United in fourth despite having played one more game – and so it’s easy to see why Conte feels as though a few signings could help bridge the gap.

As mentioned before, Porro and Edwards are two names linked with a possible winter move and they both certainly fit the bill as a wingback and an attacker, which Sheth claims the board are targeting.

For those two players, there are buy-out clauses which can be triggered to get the deals done. And so, if Spurs really are serious about backing their manager, they may have to just bite the bullet and pay the cost.

Of course, though, Daniel Levy and co will be carefully surveying the scene in an attempt to try and scout out the best deal possible this winter and so Conte may well have to be patient.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Djed Spence has maintained a professional attitude behind-the-scenes despite his struggles under Antonio Conte.

What’s the latest?

Spence made the move from the Championship to north London in the summer in a deal which is believed to be worth in the region of £20m from Middlesbrough.

However, the right wing-back has had his struggles in N17 thus far with the Englishman only being able to rack up a handful fo substitute appearances under the Italian manager.

The latest came on the weekend in their FA Cup clash against the League One side Portsmouth where Spence was brought on for a 13-minute cameo.

Despite enduring a difficult spell at Spurs after a promising 2021/22 campaign out on loan with Nottingham Forest, Alasdair Gold has suggested the 22-year-old has not caused any issues at Hotspur Way:

“When I talk about training, the one thing I hear from everyone within the club that I’ve spoken to about Djed is that he’s been a model professional. And honestly, it’s been a difficult time for him. It has.

“He’s gone from a season where he’s playing week in week out. And now he’s made a big move to a club where he’s barely getting any minutes whatsoever.

“But I’m told that you know, he hasn’t really hasn’t complained, hasn’t dropped his efforts. He’s just kind of cracked on and tried to take everything on board from Conte and coaches that he possibly can.”

Big January decision

It has become apparent the 22-year-old is not favoured by Conte at all with the cup clash against Forest late last year and then the game on the weekend against Pompey offering the perfect opportunity to give Spence his first start.

However, instead, the wing-back came on from the bench in the second half of both games for Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal respectively.

There have even been reports suggesting that Spurs could look to sell the Brazilian right-back this month following an alleged bust-up at Hotspur Way with one of the coaching staff.

And yet, Spence still finds himself behind Emerson in the pecking order with the 23-year-old being picked ahead of the Englishman in a game against a side in the third-tier of English football.

Reports have surfaced in the past suggesting the defender has a poor attitude but it sounds, from Gold’s comments, as if Spence is doing all he can behind the scenes to earn himself an opportunity.

Given his lack of game time up until now, it is difficult to see where the next opportunity will come from with a seriously tough run of games ahead of Spurs against Arsenal, Manchester City and AC Milan all on the horizon.

And with some suggestions that there are clubs from the Premier League and leagues afar interested in Spence this month, we do have to wonder whether he is best leaving on a short-term loan just to get some minutes under his belt.

Southampton face Everton in the Premier League today and they must build on two excellent results in the previous week.

Nathan Jones’ men secured a FA Cup victory over Crystal Palace before stunning Manchester City in the EFL Cup in midweek, inflicting a 2-0 defeat on Pep Guardiola’s side and confidence should be a lot better than it was at the start of the month.

The Saints now need to carry this form into league duty, starting today away to the Toffees in what is a crunch match for both teams.

Southampton have scored just 15 goals in the league this term, the fourth-lowest total in the division and this is something that has to improve.

Jones has added Croatian star Mislav Orsic to his squad for a fee of £8m and hopefully, he can ignite a much-needed spark and the manager must unleash him this afternoon.

On the Chalkboard

The 30-year-old winger had an excellent season before making the move to England, scoring 13 goals and registering eight assists for Dinamo Zagreb, which included two goals in the Champions League group stages, underlining his pedigree at the highest level.

His form ensured a call-up to the Croatia squad for the World Cup and he scored the winner in their third-place playoff match against Morocco and his performances led to Southampton securing his signature.

Orsic achieved a wonderful Sofascore rating of 7.56/10 for his performances in the HNL whilst at Dinamo this season which ranked him as their second-best performer.

Across 15 games he amassed eight goals while taking 3.3 shots per match, with 1.5 of those on target. He is equally adept at generating opportunities for others too, with the winger grabbing five assists, creating two big chances, and making 1.7 key passes clearly underlining his attacking abilities.

In fact, compared to the whole Southampton squad, Orsic has more total shots per game, goals, and assists, suggesting that he should be unleashed from the start this afternoon.

Croatian journalist Izak Ante Sucic has lavished praise upon the player in the past, saying: “If they are trying to sign a good player who is capable of producing one piece of magic to do the crucial thing in a game, then he is the one.”

If unleashed against Everton, he has the ability to be the club’s saviour and if he can replicate his form for Dinamo during the second half of the campaign, Southampton could well maintain their Premier League status.