Wolverhampton Wanderers have endured a transfer window to forget, with the club yet to spend on new arrivals due to the financial difficulties in place at Molineux.
Battles with Financial Fair Play (FFP) have consumed any hope that the Old Gold will be able to bolster their squad for the 2023/24 season, with restrictions proving too much for former boss Julen Lopetegui.
Just five days prior to their Premier League opener, the Spaniard parted ways with Molineux, making way for new manager Gary O’Neil to battle the storm.
The Englishman may have the chance to welcome a new addition before the end of the window if latest reports are to be believed, however the player in question could be a questionable asset.
Who could Wolves sign this summer?
After welcoming Matt Doherty and Tom King on free-transfers earlier in the window, there was little promise that any further arrivals would prevail before the end of the transfer period.
There has however been some light shed on the situation, with Burnley’s Josh Brownhill linked with a potential move, as well as latest reports speculating that Barcelona’s Marcos Alonso could be eyed by Fosun.
Journalist Gerard Romero took to social media his week to relay that the Spanish champions could offload the defender this summer, with the former Chelsea man said to be ‘evaluating’ a proposal from the Premier League.
While Wolves were not explicitly named by Romero, some reports in Spain have named the Midlands side as potentially being the side interested in the 32-year-old’s services.
Should Wolves sign Marcos Alonso?
With 179 Premier League appearances under his belt already, theoretically, Alonso’s experience in the top-flight would make him a valuable addition for Wolves, however, his on-field performances tell a different story.
Deployable at both left-back and left-midfield, the Spaniard had a hand in 52 goals in all competitions for the Blues, scoring 29 and assisting 23, but was criticised frequently over his lack of defensive balance.
Having once been described as being “awful defensively” by BBC Sport contributor Raj Chohan during his time at Stamford Bridge, signing Alonso could be a disaster for Wolves, especially when considering their financial climate.
The lack of economic stability has hindered the club’s opportunity to endeavour into the market, making a move for an ageing and questioned defender a risky piece of business.
Added to that, the Old Gold have sufficient cover in such areas, with both Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hugo Bueno being impressive youthful talents to call upon at left-back.
If there is a chance that Wolves could sanction a move for Alonso, the Fosun should consider looking for reinforcements elsewhere, with a potential move having the ability to slow the progression of the likes of Bueno, who is currently second-choice to Ait-Nouri.
The 32-year-old was slammed during his time in England by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville, who shunned the Spaniard as a figure that “cost Chelsea” during a defeat to West Ham United back in 2020.
Wolves need points on the board, with the last thing required at Molineux being a previously slandered defender who could take up significant finances with Alonso currently earning £100k-per-week in Catalonia.
O’Neil could make his first big blunder in charge of the Old Gold by integrating the former Chelsea dud into his side this summer, should the Wolves hierarchy secure a move for him before the deadline on September 1st.
Liverpool's struggles in midfield are no secret, after they failed in their pursuit of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, before both ended up signing for Chelsea, forcing the Reds to settle for Wataru Endo.
Jurgen Klopp could yet add another option in the middle of the park, with plenty of names mentioned in the final days of the summer transfer window, including Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips.
What's the latest on Kalvin Phillips to Liverpool?
Alongside the likes of Ryan Gravenberch, Sofyan Amrabat, and Andre, Phillips has emerged as a potential option for Liverpool this summer, as confirmed on Sky Sports by Michael Bridge.
Bridge said: "Like Manchester United, they like Sofyan Amrabat, Fluminese's Andre has been mentioned, Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich has been mentioned, he's been considered. Kalvin Phillips is another player mentioned, although we're not sure if Manchester City would sell to a rival, not necessarily a title rival, but that's become a little bit of a rivalry over the years, hasn't it? Manchester City and Liverpool.
"So, yes, they do want another midfielder, certainly one to watch."
Failing to hide his surprise at Phillips' name being mentioned regarding Liverpool's pursuit of a midfielder, Sky Sports presenter Mike Wedderburn said: "Wow, nine days to go, and Kalvin Phillips being linked with Liverpool. Interesting."
There's no doubt that Phillips could do with a move away from Manchester City, given that he featured just 21 times last season and is yet to feature at all so far in the current campaign. But, whether the Premier League champions would be willing to sell their midfielder to Liverpool for a suitable fee remains to be seen.
From the Reds' perspective, too, they've just welcomed 30-year-old Wataru Endo, so they may be unwilling to welcome Phillips, who is 27 and coming into the season on the back of missing 18 games through injury in the previous campaign.
At his best, the England international could prove to be a solid option for many sides, and has earned praise reflecting that, including from Fabio Capello, who called him the "best modern midfielder I've seen".
He continued, via The Daily Mail: "Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice are two phenomenal players, very different from Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who I coached: they are very functional in this England, they are two great midfielders who fight on every action.
"If England never concede a goal, they owe it to these two extraordinary guys, who even run into the locker room after every game! They are the secret of this great England. If the defense is iron, it is thanks to them because they protect their comrades."
Statistically speaking, too, when Phillips was at his best and earning plenty of game-time at Leeds, he outperformed the options that were at Klopp's disposal last season.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
According to FBref, in the 2021/22 campaign, the 27-year-old made more interceptions, clearances, blocks, and won more tackles per 90 than the amount that Jordan Henderson managed to complete last season at Liverpool.
Whilst there are some positives, though, it remains to be seen whether the Reds will push on and pursue Phillips' signature before the window comes to a close.
West Ham United are one of several clubs who have expressed an interest in one of Leeds United’s most promising talents…
What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?
According to The Athletic, Irons boss David Moyes is keeping a 'speculative eye' on Cody Drameh, amid the uncertainty of his contract situation at Elland Road.
Crystal Palace and Brentford are also keeping tabs on the youngster's situation in west Yorkshire.
However, Southampton could arguably be the leading contender for his signature, as boss Russell Martin is described as one of his “biggest admirers” and previously tried to sign him when he was coaching at Swansea City.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
Drameh’s current deal expires next summer and there is no offer of an extension on the table.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke is yet to properly utilise the 21-year-old gem, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in training a few weeks ago.
Nevertheless, the article underlines that Drameh has been told he is in the club’s plans this season, but he is waiting to see if that chance materialises, knowing if the game time doesn’t arrive, he has a vast array of potential suitors.
Would Cody Drameh be a good signing for West Ham?
The Yorkshire giants signed the £2.5k-per-week man from Fulham in 2020 and would’ve hoped by now he would have progressed as a first-team regular.
However, the defender’s senior development has largely taken place at other clubs, where he has looked to be a consistent and solid asset.
His first loan spell occurred at Cardiff City in the second half of the 2021/22 season.
During this time, he made 22 Championship appearances and averaged the most tackles per game (3.8) and dribbles per game (1.1) in the squad, and won 56% of his ground duels – despite only spending five months at the Welsh outfit, Drameh was named the club’s Young Player of the Season and the Player of the Season.
Bluebirds manager Steve Morrison appreciated the 5 foot 9 dynamo's contribution, lauding him as “excellent.”
Ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, you would have expected to result in a notable first-team breakthrough at Leeds, but he only managed three outings in all competitions and was sent out on another second-tier loan to Luton Town.
In 19 games for the Hatters, he averaged the second-highest number of tackles per game (3.3) and interceptions per game (1.2), as well as the most dribbles per game (1.1), as the club secured promotion to the Premier League.
Luton Town loanee Cody Drameh.
Despite two exceptional loan spells, Drameh’s future is still murky and complicated, and if moved to the London Stadium, he could form a glowing partnership with Konstantinos Mavropanos.
The former Arsenal defender recently joined the Hammers from Stuttgart for £19m. In three seasons with the German club, he has become established as one of the Bundesliga’s most talented and coveted centre-backs.
The 25-year-old ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries per 90, successful take-ons per 90, interceptions per 90, and aerials won per 90.
Therefore, the prospect of these defensively solid and technically astute players appearing together in the West Ham backline is an exciting thought for Moyes.
Everton have made a deadline day approach to sign Leeds United forward Luis Sinisterra, and a fresh report has revealed the latest on both the pursuit of the Colombian and Wilfried Gnonto.
Who is leaving Leeds?
Since putting pen to paper at Elland Road from Feyenoord last summer, Sinisterra has made a total of 26 appearances for Daniel Farke’s side, but after just one campaign, there’s a strong possibility that he could be on the move before the close of play tonight.
The Whites’ left-winger still has another four years remaining on his contract, but having established himself as his club’s third best-performing player last term, according to WhoScored, he’s been attracting interest from Sean Dyche in the Premier League.
Back in August, Football Transfers reported that the Toffees were considering a move for the 24-year-old, but since then, the noise surrounding any kind of possible deal significantly quietened down due to the revived move for Gnonto instead, which now looks likely to go ahead.
The Goodison Park outfit have already confirmed the loan arrival of Jack Harrison and are believed to have re-entered talks over a transfer for Gnonto, as per the same outlet, but club chiefs appear to be aiming to secure a hat-trick of players from Yorkshire by landing the Colombia international.
Leeds United forwardLuis Sinisterra.
Are Everton signing Luis Sinisterra?
According to The Daily Mail's Simon Jones (via Goodison News), Everton have "asked" Leeds about a late deal for Sinisterra in a last-ditch attempt to bring him to Merseyside.
The Blues have also "revived their interest" in West Ham United's Maxwel Cornet, a switch that could take place with David Moyes' side having already moved to secure Juventus' Filip Kostic as his replacement.
How many goals has Luis Sinisterra scored?
During his time at Leeds, Sinisterra has nine contributions (eight goals and one assist) to his name which shows how much of a positive impact he can make in the final third, and having also been dubbed the “Colombian Flash” for his pace by members of the media, he could be a fantastic addition for Everton.
Farke’s £65k-per-week earner has additionally produced a total of 13 shot-creating actions so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, not to mention how strong his link-up play is with a 92.6% pass success rate in the second tier, which is higher than any of Dyche’s squad have achieved to date.
Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE…
The Toffees target also has the ability to operate in five various positions, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so he could provide the boss with some welcome versatility which will allow him to tinker with his team selection, alongside being useful for if any unexpected injuries were to occur.
Finally, Sinisterra shares the same agent, Wasserman, as Andre Gomes and Joao Virginia, so this existing connection that his representative has to the club could help them in communications when it comes to discussing a possible deal before 11pm this evening.
As the international break draws to a close, the return of Premier League football is upon us.
In their last outing, Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered defeat in South London at the hands of Crystal Palace. Frenchman Odsonne Edouard scored a decisive brace in a thrilling 3-2 victory for the Eagles in front of the Selhurst Park faithful.
Liverpool meanwhile made light work of a very capable Aston Villa side. An early and equally thunderous strike from Dominik Szoboszlai coupled with a Matty Cash own goal got the Reds off to a strong start against Unai Emery’s men at Anfield.
Since that Liverpool victory, the Saudi Pro League’s transfer window has closed and Jurgen Klopp will be delighted that they were able to batten down the hatches and retain the services of Mohamed Salah, the man who scored the third against Villa.
Next up, Wolves will cross paths with Liverpool as the pair go to battle on Saturday 16th of September at 12:30 at Molineux. We at Football FanCast have taken a look at the history of this fixture so that you don’t have to!
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: Who has the better head-to-head record?
Former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are a club with a lot of history but it still isn’t all that surprising that Liverpool have had the edge more often than not in this fixture. The pair met four times in as many months last season, which will be unpacked later, meaning they certainly aren’t strangers to each other.
Wolverhampton Wanderers wins 37 Draws 18 Liverpool wins 59 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: Who has more wins at Molineux?
Wolves have a good record against Palace at Molineux
In spite of Liverpool’s positive record in this fixture, Wolves have got the better of the Reds when playing on home soil at Molineux.
Wolves were founded in 1877 and besides a brief spell at Dudley Road in the early days, they have always called Molineux home. It is an iconic ground and the first of its kind in many ways. Molineux was the first built for use by a Football League club, the first to install floodlights and it played host to several of the early European games.
Wolverhampton Wanderers wins 27 Draws 10 Liverpool wins 22 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: Who has more wins at Anfield?
Home form continues to prevail which is to be expected when Anfield is the ground in question. At its very best, there is nothing quite like Anfield and the fortress has played a part in this fixture too.
Liverpool came into existence in 1892 and have always played at Anfield, but a fascinating fact is that Everton called home for a few years prior to their arch-rivals’ creation.
Wolverhampton Wanderers wins 10 Draws 08 Liverpool wins 37 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: Who has the better cup record?
7 of the 10 cup meetings between these two have taken place at Molineux and so the trend continues once again, in favour of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The only ever League Cup clash went the way of Wolves in the 1973/1974 season, this being a 1-0 win in the quarter-finals and they went on to win it all that year.
Wolverhampton Wanderers wins 06 Draws 01 Liverpool wins 03 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: How have the last 5 meetings played out?
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
As previously mentioned, these two sides played each other four times last season and so would have been sick of the sight of each other eventually. As a result, four of the five latest meetings are very recent and up to date.
1st March 2023- Liverpool 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Going back to March and this Premier League fixture was actually supposed to be earlier in the season but it was postponed. Liverpool left it late in front of their home crowd, quickfire goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah making the difference.
4th February 2023- Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 Liverpool:
Just a month or so earlier, with neither side having covered themselves in glory up to this point, Wolves pulled off something of a shock result.
A Joel Matip own goal set the tone early on and Craig Dawson quickly made things go from bad to worse for Klopp’s men. Liverpool tried to work their way back into the game only for Ruben Neves to take Wolves out of sight of the visitors in the 71st minute.
17th January 2023- Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Liverpool:
An FA Cup tie that required a replay is the reason for the fixture congestion of this duo in the early of months of 2023.
Harvey Elliot scored the only goal of the game at Molineux and booked Liverpool’s place in the fourth round as a result. That was then the end of the road for the Reds as well though, losing to eventual semi-finalists Brighton and Hove Albion thanks to a Karou Mitoma strike at the death at the Amex.
7th January 2023- Liverpool 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers:
As you’ve probably guessed, this game ended in a draw, setting up the aforementioned replay as a result.
The visitors took the lead through former Valencia man Goncalo Guedes but Darwin Nunez hit back just before half-time and then Salah flipped the fixture on its head. Hee-chan Hwang then beat Alisson to set up a grandstand finish and an eventual replay at Molineux.
22nd May 2022- Liverpool 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers:
This fixture had a lot riding on it for hosts Liverpool, despite it being the final day of the season. Wolves were nowhere near the relegation zone and instead had their sights set on the top half whilst Liverpool had the title on the line.
Manchester City made a meal of it but were able to get the three points and secure another Premier League trophy, meaning that Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Wolves at Anfield was all in vain.
Who has played for both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool?
Paul Ince (Liverpool 1997-1999; Wolverhampton Wanderers 2002-2006)
Reading Paul Ince’s achievements with Manchester United and then Liverpool are like night and day. He won two Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and a European Cup Winner’s Cup during his time at the Old Trafford and then ended his two-year stint at Anfield with nothing to show for it.
Fast forward a few years and Ince played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, helping them to get promoted via the playoffs and into the Premier League. He was in his late 30s when he left Wolves and so was clearly winding down in his career.
Longtime captain Wolverhampton Wanderers Conor Coady has previously admitted to being a Liverpool fan and he actually graduated from their academy.
Coady only made one Premier League appearance for them though and so moved on to Huddersfield Town. After just one year with the Terriers he then joined Wolves and having amassed nearly 300 league appearances for them, including of course playing a key role in the side that won the Championship under Nuno Espirito Santo, the rest as they say, is history. The 30-year-old is now back playing in the second-tier with Leicester City.
Diogo Jota (Wolverhampton Wanderers 2017-2020; Liverpool 2020-current)
One current Liverpool player arrived via Wolves in the form of Diogo Jota. He announced himself to English fans in the black and gold and his success was noticed by Klopp and co as they then snapped him up in 2020.
Since then, he has been a very capable forward for Liverpool although an injury here or there hasn’t helped in terms of playing regular football.
What is Wolverhampton Wanderers’ biggest win over Liverpool?
7th December 1946: Liverpool 1-5 Wolverhampton Wanderers
For Wolverhampton Wanderers’ biggest victory in this fixture, you have to travel back in time almost 80 years. Four goals in the first half from Dennis Westcott set the two apart and secured a monumental 5-1 win for Wolves at Anfield, against a side that contained a certain Bob Paisley.
What is Liverpool’s biggest win over Wolverhampton Wanderers?
Roger Hunt is Liverpool's second-highest goalscorer
28th September 1968: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-6 Liverpool
Coming 20 or so years closer to the present now as we arrive at one of Liverpool’s two 6-0 drubbings of Wolves. The Reds shared the goals around a bit more with Alun Evans (formerly of Wolves), Peter Thompson and Roger Hunt all notching braces. Hunt is the record league goal scorer of all time for Liverpool and was also a member of the World Cup-winning squad in 1966.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: Key stats This will be the 19th league meeting between the two clubs in the Premier League era Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool haven’t drawn any of their last three matches against each other Liverpool haven’t lost in 5 matches Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool: Famous fixtures
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
16th September 1963- Liverpool 6-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers:
As previously mentioned, Liverpool have beaten Wolverhampton Wanderers by six goals to nil on two separate occasions. The first one which took place five years prior, meant slightly more.
Hunt and Thompson were both on the score sheet this time as well and the significance enters as they went on to win the title that year. That being said, Bobby Moore was named as Football of the Year and Jimmy Greaves was top goal scorer, representing West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.
12th February 1949- Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 Liverpool:
Continuing the time warp and we return to the 1940s when again, we’re discussing a Wolves victory.
This 3-1 victory came in the round of 16 in the FA Cup, a trophy that Wolves would hoist aloft come the end of the season. After beating Liverpool, Stan Cullis’ men went on to overcome West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United after a replay and then, in the final, Leicester City.
Over the years, Nottingham Forest have become a pioneer for churning out talent from their academy and allowing them to flourish in the first-team.
Current players Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates' path to the first team stemmed from excelling in the underage groups, earning a call-up to the senior squad and playing significant roles in the club's upward trajectory, making a combined 391 appearances and counting.
On the other hand, the likes of Matty Cash and Brennan Johnson have come through the academy set-up, risen to stardom at the City Ground and then departed the club for pastures new having developed into high-value assets.
While Cash joined Aston Villa for £16m in 2020, Johnson's electric performances in the Premier League last term earned him a £47.5m move to Tottenham this summer.
The talent being churned off the conveyor belt at Forest continues to overflow and the next highly-rated youngster hoping to make his mark in the first-team is 20-year-old winger Brandon Aguilera.
Who is Brandon Aguilera?
A Costa Rican international, Aguilera joined the Reds on a four-year deal from LD Alajuelense in July last year and was instantly loaned back out to Guanacasteca and then Estoril.
While those loans equipped the 20-year-old in how to deal with the hardships of senior football, his return to the City Ground has been well received by Steve Cooper, who spoke highly of the winger and the level of maturity he's shown since moving to England.
He said: "We’ve been really impressed with him, to be honest – his level and his attitude. He’s not from round the corner, is he?! He’s come over here, and for him to settle in like he has, he has a maturity about him.
“He’s a young player who we are enjoying putting a programme in place for. But that will be with us for the medium-term until January, and then we will assess it again then.”
Cooper isn't the only person to wax lyrical about Aguilera's bright prospects, Forest players have picked up on his talents too with Moussa Niakhate dubbing him as a "baller" after he demonstrated some fancy footwork in one particular training session in the pre-season camp in Spain.
After shining bright under the watchful eyes of his teammates, he has since taken that momentum into this campaign, chalking up two goals and one assist in three Premier League 2 appearances, starring alongside the likes of Jamie McDonnell and Ateef Konate.
In the past, Cooper has shown he isn't afraid of throwing youngsters in at the deep end and if Aguilera can continue this early season form, he could get rewarded with opportunities to impress in the first team, potentially rivalling summer signing Anthony Elanga.
How has Anthony Elanga performed for Forest this season?
Similarly to Aguilera, Elanga is a highly-rated young winger who joined the Reds in a £15m move from Manchester United this summer.
The 21-year-old – who has been praised by Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a "great talent" – has so far endeared himself beautifully to the City Ground faithful, assisting Taiwo Awoniyi for his goal against Arsenal and firing home the winner against Chelsea as Forest recorded a famous victory at Stamford Bridge.
With a Sofascore rating of 7.07, Elanga has performed consistently when called upon and has caught the eye with his searing pace and powerful ball carrying, ranking inside the top 7% for progressive carries and top 20% for successful take-ons per 90 when compared to positionally similar players across Europe's top five leagues in the past year, as per FBref.
Aside from demonstrating his ability to burst past defenders at pace and carry Forest into dangerous areas on the counter, Elanga is far from the finished article and given his age, that is to be expected.
The Sweden international falls short when it comes to his output in the final third, and although he's shown glimpses this season, ranking in the top 43% for non-penalty xG and top 46% for assists suggests that his end product can be improved with Aguilera aiming to take advantage of this chink in his armour.
Elanga is statistically better than Aguilera but if the Costa Rican can continue elevating his game to new heights, he could soon rival the 12-cap Swede for a place in the starting XI.
Burnley have been handed a boost as one of their first-team players is set to return for tonight’s game vs Luton Town in the Premier League.
What's the latest team news at Burnley?
This evening, Vincent Kompany’s side are set to travel to Kenilworth Road to take on Rob Edwards’ outfit, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30pm UK time, but the boss could be without two of his senior stars due to injury.
At Turf Moor, Johann Berg Gudmundsson missed the previous 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United alongside Manuel Benson who has a swollen ankle, and it’s been reported that Nathan Redmond isn’t expected to return to action until after the international break later this month, as per BBC Sport.
The Clarets have also been without the services of Lyle Foster but due to suspension rather than fitness problems having received a straight red card during the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest last month, meaning that he had to serve a three-match ban.
In Lancashire, the striker has been the boss’ top-performing offensive player so far this season which shows just how much of an integral role he has in the starting line-up, hence why it’s hugely positive news that the 23-year-old can once again return to the pitch.
What has Vincent Kompany said about Lyle Foster?
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Monday, Kompany was asked to comment on Foster being able to stage his comeback vs Luton. As quoted by The Morning Star, he said:
“It’s massive. Zeki [Amdouni] and Jay Rodriguez have done well with the time they’ve had up top and in every game we’ve had at least two or three big chances. We’re not lacking goals for the lack of creating chances, we just don’t put them away. We have to believe performances are good and we keep creating chances but playing top sides is difficult. But we have to believe we’re on the right track to get results.”
Burnley striker Lyle Foster.
How much does Lyle Foster earn at Burnley?
At Burnley, Foster currently pockets £25k-per-week which he has more than earned since joining back in January from KVC Westerlo, and especially considering the positive impact he’s had so far this season, it will be a massive boost for Kompany to have him back at his disposal to face Luton.
The South Africa international has three contributions (two goals and one assist) to his name in four appearances this term, form which has seen him hailed a “quality” centre-forward by his teammate Josh Brownhill, and he also provides a different type of threat up top.
The Soweto native was averaging two aerial wins per game in the top flight prior to his absence, displaying the excellent physical presence he brings to the final third and the handful he is for the opposition’s defence to deal with.
Furthermore, Foster has the ability to operate out wide on both the left and right flanks alongside his usual role leading the line through the middle, so his versatility makes it easy for him to adapt to the boss’ demands when it comes to formation and team selection.
Aston Villa are back in action this evening, as Unai Emery’s side host Everton in the third round of the Carabao Cup at Villa Park.
The Spaniard will be hoping for a repeat of their previous result against the Toffees, where the Villans tore Sean Dyche’s squad apart in a 4-0 demolition last month in the Premier League.
It is hoped that Villa can build some cup form on the back of last week's disappointing 3-2 loss to Legia Warsaw to kick off their UEFA Europa Conference League journey, with a win this evening in the host's favour as the Blues continue to search for quality.
What is the latest Aston Villa team news?
On the back of their 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Villa will prepare for their third game in six days as Emery’s side juggle the Premier League and European competition among their busy schedule.
The quick turnaround in games has seen some rotation in the squad over the past week, with the Spaniard expected to make further changes this evening with Villa’s blockbuster match-up against Brighton coming on Saturday lunchtime in the league.
As well as having lots of games to contend with, the Villans have been struck with injury since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, losing Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia early on, with the likes of Alex Moreno, Jacob Ramsey and Tim Iroegbunam being absent too.
Diego-carlos-villa-injury
There was relief as Ramsey re-entered the fold against Legia last week, in what is a big boost for Villa considering the midfielder’s impact last term, with Moreno also being named on the bench for the last three fixtures.
Diego Carlos was injured in the Liverpool game and is set to miss tonight’s affair, leaving Emery short at the back once more.
Away from injury, some rotated players could be in with the chance of starting against the Toffees, with Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey having a strong claim to return to the eleven.
Should Leon Bailey start against Everton?
Having previously been lauded as “superb” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Bailey has had a stop-start opening to the season with reference to his ranking in the squad.
The Jamaican has started two out of five games in the league, scoring twice and recording one assist already to showcase his value to the attack.
Everton will be hoping that Emery will opt against unleashing the winger, who caused havoc against the Toffees in August, in a match that he both scored and assisted in, earning an 8.6 Sofascore match rating.
1
Considering that the 26-year-old has featured as a substitute in the Premier League fixtures since that victory, his energy and threat will be at a peak as he competes for his spot in the starting eleven again.
Ashley Young was left terrorised by Bailey in the league meeting between the two sides, earning a 5.9 Sofascore player rating as he failed to handle the £100k-per-week forward’s pace in the final third, seeing him complete 100% of his dribbles.
Emery could repeat an old trick by fielding the winger against Dyche’s side, in a fixture that could allow him to both rotate and rest key players and allow those on the fence to show their worth to advance into the next round.
West Ham United manager David Moyes is personally "determined" to keep one player at the club and talks are "now underway" over an extension.
Freiburg vs West Ham
It's been a promising start to the new season overall for Moyes' Irons side, who have won four out of their opening seven Premier League games and currently sit seventh in the table. Their two losses have come at the hands of possible title contenders Man City and Liverpool, with West Ham tasting victory over big-spenders Chelsea, newly-promoted Luton Town, in-form Brighton and struggling Sheffield United.
Winger Jarrod Bowen and midfielder Tomas Soucek grabbed the goals in a 2-0 win against the Blades last weekend, and Moyes' men are now gearing up for their second Europa League group game against SC Freiburg tonight in Germany. The Bundesliga side, like West Ham, have started the new campaign very brightly; winning three out of a possible six league matches and sitting eighth in their division.
Moyes, speaking to the press before tonight's encounter, has admitted it will be a tough test: "We’re playing against a really good team who have had excellent success in the Bundesliga in the last couple of years and have also done really well in Europe too," said the Scotsman.
"They have a manager who has been in place for a long time and that stability goes a long way. They’ve certainly shown that at this club, they may not be the biggest household name in Germany but they’ve certainly grown as a football club and got themselves in a really good position."
Latest West Ham news
Off the field, sporting director Mark Noble and club chief Tim Steidten are said to be eyeing up a new striker in January, leading to links with the likes of PSG's Hugo Ekitike and Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy. At Rush Green, new contracts are reportedly in the offing for a few West Ham stars – such as Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Soucek and Pablo Fornals.
West Ham United forward Jarrod Bowen.
Bowen, who has been a revelation this campaign, could also be rewarded fresh terms with talks "now underway" over a new contract. That is according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, who writes for Football Insider that Moyes is "particularly determined" to keep him at the club and avoid another Declan Rice situation.
West Ham are just as keen to tie Bowen down, so much so that they're prepared to make him one of the club's highest earners.
James Ward-Prowse
£30m
Edson Alvarez
£35.4m
Konstantinos Mavropanos
£20m
Mohammed Kudus
£38m
How good is Jarrod Bowen?
The former Hull City star has already bagged five goals and an assist over West Ham's opening seven league matches this season, highlighting his real quality. Sky pundit Paul Merson, speaking to Sportskeeda recently, also lavished him with praise.
"In fine form," wrote Merson. "I'm a big fan of him and he has shown over the past 12 months that he can step up to the plate in big games, while he works his socks off for his team and is an absolute manager's dream. The only issue for Bowen is that England have too many players in his position, so he might find it hard to break into the side ahead of Euro 2024."
Manchester United, even despite their illustrious standing in English football, have missed out on a number of top talents joining the Theatre of Dreams whether that be through other clubs poaching their wanted man before a move is finalised or the player in question outright rejecting the Red Devils.
Alan Shearer, Wesley Sneijder, Manuel Neuer and more have apparently rejected the opportunity to put on the Man United strip from years gone by, the Red Devils missing out on some exceptional footballers in the process.
It's not just reserved for high-profile names from the past however, with one star in particular bypassing a permanent stay at Old Trafford as a youngster to then rock up at the Emirates – a key player for Arsenal in the form of Gabriel Martinelli, now believed to be worth a staggering £130m per Football Observatory.
Did Man Utd come close to signing Gabriel Martinelli?
As a teenager, Arsenal's main man down the channels had trial spells at various mammoth clubs.
He would trial at Barcelona before the option to try out for Man United would come calling for the youngster, having four different spells with the club on a trial basis.
Speaking about that time in his life, the Brazilian told the Athletic: "My dad and I had watched the Premier League together, all the teams, like Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester.
"I actually had four different trials at United when I was 13, 14, 15 and 16. This was in Manchester at the club’s training base. I met first-team players, like Zlatan (Ibrahimovic), Paul Pogba, Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra."
The Red Devils wouldn't keep Martinelli on, however, a rejection they will now regret.
Speaking about his early developmental years before joining Arsenal, Martinelli opened up about not feeling wanted whilst in Manchester.
He added: "There was never a moment, though, when they said they wanted me there. But it gave me a taste and made the adaptation a little easier because I had experienced football in England."
Martinelli would then return to his native Brazil before Arsenal swooped in for the winger at a cut-price, purchasing the then-unknown talent for only £6m from Ituano.
How good is Gabriel Martinelli now?
Described by SPORTbible editor Tom Marshall-Bailey as "incredible" for his achievements – propelling himself to stardom with the Gunners after playing fourth-tier Brazilian football – Martinelli is a key part of the Mikel Arteta jigsaw now in north London.
He was pivotal last time out for Arsenal before the International break beckoned, scoring a late deflected winner at the Emirates as Arsenal managed to topple Manchester City and win 1-0.
Still only 22 years of age, the Brazilian is now settled in the Premier League and playing week in and week out under the guidance of Arteta. To date, the young attacker has made 137 top-flight appearances for the Gunners.
His numbers from those starts make for good reading too, netting 34 goals and assisting a further 21. 21 of those overall contributions came during a mesmerising term in 2022/23.
It's led to Arsenal deploying Martinelli and Bukayo Saka down their respective wings to devastating effect, the north London outfit a joy to watch on their day flooding forward in attack courtesy of their two tricky forwards.
Whilst Arsenal struck gold with Martinelli and Saka developing into top talents, Man United have struggled to bring in wingers of the same calibre who can dazzle defenders with ease.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag speaks toAntony
Costing Man United a jaw-dropping £82m – £76m more than Martinelli – in the summer of 2022, Antony has underwhelmed so far in a Red Devils jersey which makes the transfer fee feel more outrageous by the day.
He has only managed an unsatisfactory eight goals and three assists from 50 Premier League matches played, a poor return for a man who joined from Ajax with so much hype attached to him. Evidently, that electric nature that makes Martinelli such a red-hot proposition is not yet inside of his fellow Brazilian, who is also goalless in 2023/24.
The continuing failure surrounding Antony's move will hurt even more when those at Man United look back on what they could have had with Martinelli, the once rejected Man United triallist now a leading man for rivals Arsenal.