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Steve Howey has hailed Leicester City’s transfer strategy and tipped Patson Daka to be a hit in the Premier League.

While the majority of Premier League clubs have waited until the end of Euro 2020 before getting involved in transfer business, Leicester have already been hard at work.

Zambian striker Daka has joined in a £23million deal from Red Bull Salzburg and the Foxes also spent big on Boubakary Soumare, with them forking out a reported £17million to capture the Lille midfielder.

Left-back Ryan Bertrand has agreed terms with Brendan Rodgers’ side after seeing his contract at Southampton expire at the end of last month.

Leicester’s incomings are not done there, it would appear, as the club are looking to welcome Uruguayan defender Sebastian Caceres to the King Power Stadium from Mexican side Club America.

Howey cannot wait to see Daka in action and is pleased to see his former side on the front foot in the transfer market.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Howey said: “If you look at Leicester’s recruitment over the last few years, it’s been absolutely spot on.

“I think he’s a big signing for them and he’ll have a big impact in the Premier League.”

Aston Villa could launch a January move for Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.

The Lowdown: Romeu profiled

Romeu, labelled as ‘hard working’ by Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, emphasised by his desire to win the ball back by averaging the most tackles (2.4) per game out of his teammates in the Premier League so far this season, turned 30 back in September and is under contract at St Mary’s for a further 18 months.

The Spaniard has been a Southampton player since 2015 and has made 230 appearances for the club – 18 of which have come during the current campaign.

He’s primarily a defensive midfielder who can also occupy a central role and holds a Transfermarkt valuation of £5.4m.

The Latest: Villa keen?

Evans shared a transfer mailbag on The Athletic on Wednesday, answering questions from supporters ahead of the January window.

When asked what size the budget will be for Steven Gerrard in 2022, Evans said that Villa will be flexible. He then added that sporting director Johan Lange will present a number of midfield options to Gerrard following Marvelous Nakamba’s injury, one of which could be Romeu after the club tracked him over the summer.

The Verdict: Smart move?

For the right price, Romeu could well be a shrewd addition at Villa Park. He has bundles of Premier League experience and knows the defensive midfield role like the back of his hand.

Villa’s only available defensive midfielder is Douglas Luiz with Nakamaba now sidelined, and the Brazilian has been linked with a move away himself.

So, should Luiz depart over the next six months, more than one holding midfielder may be required in the Midlands, so signing Romeu for a relatively low fee from a Premier League rival could be a solid starting point.

He’d be able to help youngsters Jacob Ramsey and Carney Chukwuemeka in front of him, and you’d expect the Spaniard still has plenty to offer despite turning 30 earlier this year.

In other news: ‘Expected this’ – Many Villa fans react as Gerrard now wants ‘baller’ in January. 

Liverpool have been dealt a last-minute blow with Roberto Firmino a doubt for the title-deciding crunch clash against Manchester City.

What’s the news?

The Brazilian forward was not seen at Liverpool’s training ground on Friday ahead of today’s game which will be a worry for them, but Jurgen Klopp is still hoping he will have a fully fit squad available to him.

In his press conference the same day, the German manager said: “it looks like everyone’s available again”, with the other doubt being Fabinho who suffered a cut following a clash of heads in their Champions League game against Benfica midweek.

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Firmino vital to Liverpool

Bobby Firmino as he’s called has been a vital part to Liverpool’s success under Klopp, and although players such as Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz have shown they can fulfil that role, he would be a huge miss ahead of their biggest game of the season.

He has been involved in eight goals in 17 Premier League appearances for the Reds this term and has more combined goals and assists per 90 minutes compared to Jota at 0.82 to 0.73.

It’s not just a push for the title that the club need to maintain, but they are also still in the FA Cup and Champions League. A fit Firmino will be vital to any success Liverpool have this season.

Opponents City also boast an incredibly strong squad going into the fixture with Ruben Dias the only big miss for them.

With Firmino they could perhaps exploit this defensive weakness and he could link up with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané for a ruthless front three.

Another advantage to having Firmino over the other options available is the big game experience that he has. The forward has appeared in two Champions League finals for the Reds and played a key part in their last title-winning campaign.

His experience is extremely valuable and he has been described as “elite” by former Premier League striker Ian Wright.

Just a point separates the two sides and whoever claims victory will be in pole position to lift the famous trophy in May. It promises to be a game to remember, and the potential absence of Firmino could leave City with a huge advantage.

IN other news: Liverpool now plot bid for £101m machine, he could be better than Thiago – opinion…

Newcastle confirmed Steve Bruce’s successor as they officially unveiled Eddie Howe as the club’s new manager earlier this week.

The 43-year-old has taken over with immediate effect and will be in the dugout when the Magpies face Brentford in the Premier League on the other side of the international break.

He inherits a side 19th in the division and without a win in 11 games and could face a difficult settling in period as Newcastle attempt to close the gap between themselves and the rest of the teams outside of the relegation zone.

Wilson 2.0

One thing Howe could do to turn things around is place an emphasis on young players before he has the chance to make his own signings in the January window. The Magpies have some talented youngsters in their academy and he could potentially find Callum Wilson 2.0 in striker Dylan Stephenson.

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Not only has Wilson been a terrific player for Newcastle in the past 18 months, but he was also a key figure for Howe on the south coast over a number of years. He played 187 matches for the head coach for the Cherries, scoring 67 goals and providing 31 assists in all competitions. The centre-forward then signed for the Toon Army in 2020 and has since scored 16 goals in 30 starts in the top-flight.

In Stephenson, Howe could find Wilson 2.0 as he has shown excellent promise in the academy side this calendar year. Back in April of this year, Magpies youth coach Neil Winskill claimed that the youngster is ‘always top of the charts’ for physical data. He told the club’s official website:

“I’m thrilled for Dylan because he is such an honest, hard-working lad. He’s the type of player any team would like to have in their XI, who’s going to really put a shift in for you.

“Every game and training session, the physical stats come through and he’s always top of the charts but we had a chat during the week about the need for him to be consistent with his quality, and he spoke to me about how he thinks people will judge him on goals.”

This suggests that the 18-year-old gem has the physical capabilities to make the step up to senior level. Winskell’s comments indicate that he would not struggle with the intensity of the Premier League and the running demands that would be placed on him in Howe’s team, which is a promising sign for his chances of making the grade.

In terms of his football ability, he has caught the eye recently. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.77 in the EFL Trophy, scoring once and providing one assist in three games for the Magpies against first-team Football League outfits.

In the Premier League 2, he has scored seven goals in 10 matches for the U23 side. This shows that he already has the maturity and ability to score regularly at youth level, which is why, along with his physical attributes, he could have the potential to come into the first team and make an impact. It is now down to Howe to unleash him and craft him into Wilson 2.0.

AND in other news, “Still planning”: Fabrizio Romano drops key transfer update that’ll delight NUFC fans…

Glasgow Rangers return to action at Ibrox tonight as they look to make their way through to the last four of the Europa League.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s side are 1-0 down on aggregate heading into this evening’s fixture and will be hoping to turn things around to qualify for the semi-finals of the competition.

They head into the game off the back of a 4-0 win in the Premiership on Sunday, with Kemar Roofe’s hat-trick and Joe Aribo’s wonder strike securing all three points.

However, they will have to make at least one change to their starting XI from that match. Swedish international Filip Helander has been ruled out for the rest of the season and would be ineligible to face Braga irrespective of his fitness because he was left out of the Europa League squad.

This means that a spot has opened up at centre-back alongside Connor Goldson ahead of the clash with Braga…

Forget Balogun

Nigerian international Leon Balogun started in the first leg in Portugal but Van Bronckhorst must leave him on the bench this time out. Instead of going with the experienced battler, he must start Calvin Bassey at centre-back tonight.

In the 1-0 defeat to Braga, the 33-year-old ex-Wigan man made a direct error leading to the opposition’s only goal of the game. His failed clearance allowed Abel Ruiz to smash the ball past Allan McGregor and Bassey must now move across to centre-back, with Borna Barisic keeping his place at left-back from the weekend.

Bassey has been in fine fettle in Europe this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.92 across 10 appearances in the competition. The defender has settled into a prominent role in the first-team and has coped with the step up to playing European football.

He was previously dubbed “phenomenal” by Leicester City coach Steve Beaglehole and Van Bronckhorst also claimed earlier this season that he is “full of energy” at the back, with his form living up to the praise.

In the Premiership, he has averaged a score of 6.97 over 26 starts. He has won 62% of his duels in the division and helped Rangers to keep 13 clean sheets in that time, as he has proven that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis in the Scottish top-flight.

The 22-year-old tank has shown that he can be a reliable option for Van Bronckhorst over the course of the season, domestically and in Europe, and he must now be called upon for this gigantic clash at Ibrox tonight.

AND in other news, From £4.5m to £25m: Wilson had huge Rangers howler over “remarkable” 12-goal gem…

It makes “no sense” for Leeds United to entertain potential offers for star man Raphinha in the January transfer window, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Raphinha stars for Leeds

The Brazilian’s reputation is being enhanced all the time, having shone for the Whites since joining last year, registering nine goals and nine assists since coming to England.

Not only that, but Raphinha has made a flying start to life in a Brazil shirt, setting up two goals on his debut and then bagging a brace against Uruguay.

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The Latest: Hay makes key claim

Unsurprisingly, the winger has been linked with a move elsewhere, with the biggest Premier League clubs circling and a January departure even mooted.

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic before Leeds’ 1-0 defeat at Southampton on Saturday, though, Hay claimed that he can’t see that happening. He wrote:

“Re: Raphinha – I see no sense at all in Leeds entertaining bids in January. It’s not like his value is going to diminish and you’re unsettling your squad at a key point of the season.

“Add to that the fact that the most elite clubs don’t tend to do big deals in January. If they’re doing a Grealish or a Kane for example, those offers tend to come in the summer window because there’s more time to negotiate and value for money tends to be slightly better.”

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The Verdict: Makes no sense

Leeds may have to accept that Raphinha will move on eventually – next summer is arguably looking increasingly likely given his recent form – but a January exit could be hugely damaging.

The Whites are 17th in the Premier League table after their latest setback and they will need the Brazil international for the duration of the campaign. Losing him midway through the season could increase the chances of them getting into a relegation fight, which would be a disastrous scenario after only ending their 16-year top-flight exile in 2020.

In other news, one expert has tipped Leeds to reap a huge financial gain. Read more here.

Many West Ham United fans are delighted with the news that the Irons have verbally agreed a fee with Chelsea for the signing of Kurt Zouma.

The transfer window is fast approaching its end after several months, and the Hammers remain one of the quietest clubs in the Premier League in terms of new arrivals. In fact, they have so far been unable to bring in a new outfield player, with only goalkeeper Alphonse Areola making the move to the London Stadium (Transfermarkt).

However, there may be some positive news on the horizon for the Irons. According to David Ornstein, West Ham have verbally agreed a fee of £25.7m for Zouma. At the moment, there are issues in regards to the £28.8m-valued France international ‘s wage demands (Transfermarkt), with the 26-year-old reportedly said to be looking for £125,000 per week.

It seems that many West Ham fans are delighted by news of the agreement, and these supporters took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on the prospective arrival of the Premier League and Champions League winner at the London Stadium.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Zouma news

“I’d love him at West Ham. Think there’s too many harsh critics out there. Fingers crossed we get it over the line!”

Credit: @MattWaite5

“Hope so, be a good signing for us”

Credit: @Titcomb27

“Get the deal done, crying out for someone to partner Ogbonna, we pay Yarmo 120k a week, why can’t we pay Zouma 125k”

Credit: @joecronin1999

“Sign Zouma”

Credit: @FCarruthers

“Please sign Zouma. Please sign Zouma. Please sign Zouma””

Credit: @Ginger_nols

“Pay it, whilst your at it give rice double that”

Credit: @sammhadgraft

In other news, West Ham are also interested in this Brazil international.

Many Everton fans were left fuming over some early team news ahead of their game away at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match, Rafa Benitez revealed (via Phil Kirkbride) that Salomon Rondon is now back for the Goodison Park faithful after he was not in the squad for their 2-1 win at home to Arsenal on Monday night.

Richarlison played the striker role that night, and got himself on the scoresheet, while he also had two other goals ruled out for offside narrowly by VAR (BBC).

On the other hand, Rondon himself has not managed to score in 11 matches in total for the Merseyside club so far this season, and so his return to the team may actually hinder the Toffees rather than help them.

Everton fans on Rondon news

These Blues fumed as the news was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it was a ‘blow’:

“Have you ever seen a worse statement than “Rondon back”?”

Credit: @taylor_davies77

“Rondon back that’s a blow”

Credit: @askEvertonian08

“NO ONE CARES ABOUT RONDON”

Credit: @Vicaz22

“We don’t care about Rondon and Delph”

Credit: @meeet_sam

“Rondon is healthy? Another losing streak for the Toffees”

Credit: @jack_kweder

“Rondon is out even when he’s in. Fraud of a player.”

Credit: @Bonesy68

In other news, find out what transfer news has Evertonians talking here!

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey in January, with a loan move potentially in the offing.

The Lowdown: Ramsey struggling at Juve

The 71-time capped Wales international has not had the happiest time of things at Juve of late, starting just once in Serie A so far this season.

It has led to rumours linking him with a move away from the Italian giants, with Ramsey struggling to settle there ever since joining from Arsenal in 2019.

With Leeds potentially eyeing up new midfield signings in January, it appears as though the 30-year-old is considered a target.

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The Latest: Leeds linked with move

That’s according to Calciomercato, who claim that a loan move to Elland Road could take place next month.

It is stated that Everton and Newcastle United are also seen as possible suitors and that paths to both them and the Whites ‘remain valid’ currently.

The report also claims that Leeds could possibly sign Ramsey permanently in the summer if he joined on loan initially.

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The Verdict: Proven top-level pedigree

At 30, Ramsey doesn’t necessarily represent the long-term future for Leeds, but if a player of his quality is available they would be wise to make a move for him.

The former Arsenal man has been described as ‘world class’ by Wales teammate and Tottenham defender Ben Davies and he has a Serie A title and three FA Cup winners’ medals to show for that quality.

Ramsey’s ability to score goals from midfield would give Leeds a different option in the middle of the park – 20 goals for Wales speaks volumes – with Kalvin Phillips, Adam Forshaw and Stuart Dallas yet to net once between them in the Premier League this season.

In other news, a journalist has backed Leeds to sign one specific player in January. Read more here.

Shields Gazette reporter Liam Kennedy fears the atmosphere could turn toxic if Newcastle United fail to bring in new recruits before the transfer window closes.

The Magpies are yet to bolster their squad with acquisitions despite the start of the Premier League season being less than a week away.

Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock has been boss Steve Bruce’s top transfer target all summer, having scored eight goals in 14 appearances during his loan spell at St James’ Park last season.

While Newcastle initially hoped to make Willock’s move permanent, they have since explored the possibility of another temporary deal being struck.

However, the Magpies’ hopes of landing the former England under-21 international, who became the first player to find the back of the net in seven consecutive Premier League fixtures since Alan Shearer during his loan spell, suffered a blow when Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insisted the 21-year-old is part of his plans.

Newcastle have yet to turn their attentions elsewhere and Kennedy admits Magpies fans could become disgruntled.

He told Football FanCast: “If they get off to a bad start this season, no signings come in or there are any more delays with the takeover, I think it could erupt.

“Newcastle United can become very toxic. The year when Newcastle got relegated the first time under Mike Ashley, I remember how toxic it got and that really pushed onto the pitch.

“The big fear is whether it will become toxic this time. Looking at social media, which isn’t always the best judge, it does have the feel that it could turn toxic very quickly.”