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Ashley Preece is ‘expecting’ Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey to return against Wolves on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Bailey’s injury

The 24-year-old actually injured himself when he scored his first goal for Villa following his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen. The Jamaican suffered a thigh strain against Everton and missed games with Manchester United and Tottenham as a result.

Villa were targeting a return following the international break against Wolves this weekend, and Preece believes that it could be on the cards.

The Latest: Preece’s tweet

Reliable reporter Preece took to Twitter on Monday evening to inform supporters of Bertrand Traore’s latest injury.

He was asked by one fan for any news on Bailey, to which he replied: “I’m expecting him to play some part on Saturday, Smith might not want to risk him from the start. We’ll wait and see. Due a team news update later this week.”

Preece’s post appeared to go under the radar, with just one retweet and four likes as of Tuesday morning.

The Verdict: Good news

Even if Dean Smith doesn’t risk Bailey from the start on Saturday and places him on the bench, it will still give Villa a big boost for the game against their Midlands rivals.

Bailey has already shown what he can do off the bench at Villa Park, and another starring cameo display this weekend could make all the difference if it is a tight match.

Hopefully he will be in and around the matchday squad on Saturday, but if he isn’t fully fit, he shouldn’t be risked.

In other news: Smith looking to pip Arteta again as Aston Villa eye move for ace who has the same agency as Mings

A Rangers transfer update has emerged detailing the Glasgow giants’ attempts to bring Olimpiu Morutan to Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

According to Turkish outlet En Son Haber, via Inside Futbol, the Gers are seriously keen on a deal for the Galatasaray midfielder and are exploring the possibility of signing him on loan in the January transfer window with an option to pin him down to a permanent contract at the end of the season.

The report claims that this comes off the back of the club’s concern that Ianis Hagi could leave the club to join a ‘serious figure’.

Hagi 2.0

Gio van Bronckhorst could land a dream deal by signing Morutan in January, as he could be the club’s Hagi 2.0 at Ibrox.

Both players are young, Romanian, attacking midfielders who can score and create goals from wide positions. Morutan has three goals and two assists in eight league starts for Galatasaray, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.06 across 12 games in total.

The forward’s agent, Florin Vulturar, heaped praise on Morutan earlier this year, saying: “He is an innate talent, probably the most technical Romanian player since Gheorghe Hagi.

“He is a pure number 10, capable of creating opportunities for his teammates, but who can also do well in the defensive phase of every match if necessary.

“He is fast, has a great vision and is good at passing. He easily surpasses his opponents in one-on-one situations.

“Paulo Dybala and Lionel Messi are the models to follow in his role, we can probably assimilate his style of play with the play of these players.”

Last season, Hagi produced seven goals and 11 assists in 33 Premiership outings for Rangers, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.02. This highlights how similar they are in terms of what they bring to the team, both in terms of their positions, and their average performance rating per match.

Therefore, signing Morutan could be a dream deal for van Bronckhorst as he could be the ideal replacement, a 2.0 if you will, for Hagi in January. They could cash in on the current Ibrox star and sign the Galatasaray man on an initial loan, potentially making a healthy profit and bringing in a talented young player whose statistics suggest that he could be a fine addition to the team.

AND in other news, Gio could save Rangers millions by unleashing £17k-p/w beast, he’s got “major talent”…

Newcastle United are on a fine run of form in the Premier League having won all of their four previous games.

Their latest victory saw Eddie Howe’s side secure a 3-0 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road.

Two goals from Joelinton and one from Bruno Guimaraes sealed the three points for Newcastle and put another nail in the coffin for Norwich and their hopes of avoiding relegation.

However, the Toon’s next match will undoubtedly be a much tougher test for them as they are set to take on title-chasing Liverpool at St. James’ Park this weekend.

Looking ahead to this showdown, it seems as though an early team news clue has emerged regarding which players may or may not be involved in the match for the Magpies.

What’s the news?

When asked whether or not any of Newcastle’s currently injured duo of Callum Wilson, Kieran Trippier or Ryan Fraser will be fit enough to feature against Jurgen Klopp’s side, Howe had this to say on the matter.

He said: “Not sure as we speak. I’d probably say no off the top of my head, but we’ll wait and see.”

With the uncertainty over when the three players will be able to make a recovery, this will surely have the Toon manager fuming, especially with such a tough game coming up.

Big setback

Taking into account how the trio have scored a combined total of ten goals in the Premier League this season, it’s undeniable that the Magpies would be a deadlier side if they had them in the team.

Trippier is currently being listed as Newcastle’s highest-rated player in terms of his overall performances according to WhoScored with a rating of 7.87/10 too so he’d be a great option for Howe to have back available in his side.

Despite the solid run of form they’ve been on in recent weeks, the Tyneside club will need all the help they can get if they want to beat Liverpool.

With Jurgen Klopp’s men bagging more goals scored and registering more clean sheets than any other side in the top flight, the Magpies will need to be at the top of their game if they want to continue their winning run of form.

Moving forward, if the injured trio aren’t able to feature in this weekend’s game, everyone connected to the club will undoubtedly be hoping that they can step foot on the pitch before the season draws to a close.

In other news: Howe can finally axe “nervous” dud as NUFC plot bid for £197k-pw gem who’s “top-level”

Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claimed that Jose Mourinho is desperate to bring the 26-year-old to AS Roma this summer. The former Tottenham manager is said to be more than willing to work with the Denmark international once again at the Stadio Olimpico.

However, the report added that, because of Antonio Conte’s fondness for the midfielder, Spurs would demand a figure in the region of €40m (£33.5m) in order to part with the former Southampton colossus at the end of the current campaign.

Paratici must avoid Hojbjerg disaster

Considering just how important a part of Conte’s side Hojbjerg has become since the Italian’s arrival in north London last November, it is an easy argument to make that Fabio Paratici sanctioning the £33.5m sale of the 26-year-old this summer would be something of a disaster by Tottenham’s sporting director.

Indeed, in the 19 Premier League fixtures that the 52-year-old has overseen at Spurs, Hojbjerg has featured in all but two, He was unavailable for the 2-2 draw with Liverpool in December and left on the bench in the 2-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in February.

Furthermore, over his 27 league outings in total this term, the £58.5m-rated destroyer has been one of Tottenham’s standout performers. He has scored two goals, registered two assists and created three big chances for his team-mates, averaging 1.3 interceptions and 2.3 tackles and winning 5.2 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £100k-per-week “monster” – in the words of Morten Bisgaard – average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as Conte’s fourth-best player in the English top flight in 2021/22.

As such, it is clear to see that selling a player whose “simplicity is genius” according to Mourinho, particularly for an amount roughly £25m less than his current valuation, would be a catastrophic call for Paratici to make this summer, not to mention one which would surely leave Conte furious.

AND in other news: Paratici can land Spurs the next Vieira in “superb” 18 y/o with “world-class potential”

West Ham must make a ruthless call on Andriy Yarmolenko in this January transfer window amid a recent update on his future…

What’s the story?

According to Claret and Hugh, the Hammers have made the Ukrainian winger available for a move away, but no club has come in for him just yet.

They said: “West Ham insiders are surprised they have not yet seen a single inquiry come in for Andriy Yarmolenko. With his contract running out in June the Irons were pretty well convinced that the Ukrainian international would attract several clubs.”

The report added: “The Hammers have made it clear among agents that Yarmo can leave for as little as £2 million with the main objective of getting him off the wage bill for the rest of the season but so far no club has bitten.”

Needs to be sold

Since making the move to West Ham, it’s fair to say things haven’t turned out the way Yarmolenko would have wanted, playing just 71 times for the club and scoring only 11 goals. This season has seen him play 17 times across all competitions for the first team but score just one goal, so it’s no surprise that the Hammers are looking to get rid of him.

The £100k-a-week earner was even touted with an exit by Noel Whelan, who suggested that the Hammers would do well to get him off the wage books.

He said: “I thought he was excellent for Ukraine at the Euros but he’s been very inconsistent for West Ham. When you’re looking to get the wages down it’s probably the right thing to do. Clubs have been hit financially with the fans not being there.

“Some players have got to go and if they feel he is one of them then that will give them some breathing space. They’ve still got fantastic wingers there, no doubt about it. This is an opportunity to get their highest earner off the wage bill. It makes certain sense.”

With no clubs coming in for him, though, perhaps West Ham must make the decisive and bold move of just cancelling his contract rather than waiting to see if somebody else takes him off their hands for an actual fee.

The man who Declan Rice once dubbed “special” must simply never play for the Hammers again.

Meanwhile, West Ham are interested in this South American centre-back…

[ad_pod ]Crystal Palace failed to hold onto their half-time lead on Wednesday night as Southampton came back via James Ward-Prowse – despite the Eagles’ numerous opportunities in front of goal, their finishing was once again lacklustre and they paid the price.Wilfried Zaha was a menace throughout and fired his side in front in the first half, but lost his head late on and was sent off for sarcastically applauding the referee after being booked – a gesture for which he will be reprimanded by the FA.Despite the big striker having scored against Spurs in the FA Cup last weekend, Roy Hodgson elected not to start Connor Wickham and instead gave the nod to Jordan Ayew – the Ghanaian worked hard but never looked too threatening, as has been the theme throughout the season.The Saints equalised with 13 minutes of regulation time remaining, at which point Hodgson may have felt it necessary to bring on a fresh pair of legs up front – instead, the former England boss stuck with Ayew until the final whistle and one can’t help but feel that, had Wickham or Christian Benteke been on the field, the Croydon outfit could have secured all three points.Negative substitutions and tactics have been a point of controversy for Palace this season and this surely isn’t the first time the Selhurst Park faithful felt that Hodgson’s game management was poor.The 71-year-old’s post-match comments did nothing but make it worse – here’s how the Palace fans reacted on Twitter…

Adam Forshaw could make a shock start for Leeds United against Wolves on Saturday afternoon, according to the reliable Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Forshaw’s injury woes

The 30-year-old has experienced a horrendous time of things in recent years, with injury threatening to end his career prematurely.

Forshaw only recently returned from a serious hip problem that has hampered him since the start of the 2019/20 season, cutting him down in his prime.

In fact, the former Middlesbrough ace has barely even been seen in Leeds shirt, playing just once in the top flight since the Whites were promoted, totalling 26 minutes of playing time from the beginning of last season to now.

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The Latest: Hay makes big claim

The midfielder, who has been hailed as ‘excellent’ by former Elland Road man Noel Whelan in the past, could get the nod at home to Wolves on Saturday, with The Athletic‘s Hay claiming as much in a shock prediction:

“This might be Forshaw’s moment. Struijk has had decent games as CDM but he’s had poor ones too and in Forshaw you’ve got an out and out midfielder.

“If he’s fit, I think I’d be picking him. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

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The Verdict: Special moment, if it happens

Forshaw’s injury woes have been as frustrating for supporters as they have been for him, but if he were to be handed a start by Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road, it would likely be met with huge positivity.

He has to be ready to play, of course, but if he is picked, the manager will clearly have faith in him coming through the game unscathed, or at least playing more than an hour, offering more experience than Pascal Struijk.

In other news, one Leeds player could return for the Norwich City clash. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa are among a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier.

What’s the story?

Despite already having Matty Cash firmly established as the team’s number one right-back, it appears that Steven Gerrard is keen on strengthening his options in that area.

According to 90min, Villa – along with the likes of Newcastle, Everton and Crystal Palace – are willing to make a move for Trippier if Atletico give any indication that they would be ready to sell.

Another England international

While Cash may be Villa’s first-choice right-back for now, a move for Trippier would add to the impressive contingent of England internationals and hopefuls currently at Villa Park.

The likes of Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins have made their Three Lions bows since making the switch to the Midlands, while Ezri Konsa is surely pushing for a call too.

In Trippier, Villa would be getting someone who has been playing at the highest level in the Champions League for a number of years now, and it’s no surprise that he’s firmly in the mix with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker and Reece James in that fiercely competitive right-back slot for England.

One man who appears to be a big fan of the 30-year-old is England boss Gareth Southgate himself, who has said previously: “He (Trippier) is a very underrated player. People are still looking at the player from a few years ago and not at the one who is at Atletico Madrid and playing like a warrior in the last few seasons. He is a big part of what we’ve done over the last few years and he gave a really good performance.”

After watching him shine against Belgium in October 2020, he added: “Trippier was like a soldier out there, unbelievable defensive performance.”

The £18m-rated ace would bring a wealth of experience to Villa Park and really give Cash the kind of competition which could see him push on as well, rather than just coasting through.

If Johan Lange can pull off a deal for Trippier, then Gerrard will surely be delighted at being able to call on a proven performer at both European and international level in recent years.

Meanwhile, Villa are also interested in this Championship midfielder…

Speaking live on Sky Sports, as shared by via skysports.com, reporter Dharmesh Sheth has dropped yet another West Ham United transfer update involving Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa.

The Lowdown: West Ham hold talks…

As revealed by Sky, the Irons have entered discussions to sign Barbosa this month as they aim to put an end to manager David Moyes’ year-long search for a striker.

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The Brazil international has been in scintillating form for this current club, bagging 29 goals in 2021 alone, which has attracted interest from West Ham, Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman.

Reports in recent days had died down but now, speaking live on the Transfer Show, Sheth has made a promising claim with a possible West Ham move still on.

The Latest: Sheth drops big update…

Sheth stated to the broadcast giant that the Hammers’ offer to sign Barbosa is ‘still on the table’ with the player himself now eager to make a Premier League switch.

“West Ham’s offer is still on the table, it has not been withdrawn, the interest does remain,” he explained on Sky.

“A reminder of what that proposal was from West Ham, 18-month loan plus a 30 million euro option to buy.

“Flamengo do not want to sell or loan Gabriel Barbosa in this transfer window, but, I’m also told that ‘Gabigol’ has a meeting with his agent and Flamengo officials tomorrow, in which he will make it clear to them that he wants to make a move to England.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

As news emerges of Barbosa potentially forcing his club’s hand, this could boost West Ham in their hunt for the 25-year-old and it’s safe to say he could be an asset for Moyes.

The South American’s prolific goalscoring record highlight a really instinctive centre-forward target and, if Moyes is to guide West Ham to Champions League qualification, it certainly won’t hurt to have him in their squad as an alternative to Michail Antonio.

It will be interesting to see how this develops and whether Flamengo will consider a loan/buy option given Barbosa’s stance on leaving Brazil.

In other news: West Ham source: Newman makes move to sign ‘devastating’ forward after price plummets by £32m, find out more here.

Patrick Boyland has now dropped a quadruple boost for Everton ahead of their game at home to Manchester United in the Premier League at lunchtime.

The Lowdown: Lampard pressure

With reports emerging that Frank Lampard could be sacked if they lose to the Red Devils at Goodison Park, the former Derby County and Chelsea manager is now under huge pressure to get a result.

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The Merseyside club are currently lurking dangerously above the relegation zone, and so they really need to start picking up points fast, with the visit of an out of sorts United team possibly offering a great chance to do so.

The Latest: Team news

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist Boyland has revealed that Seamus Coleman, Allan, Michael Keane and Fabian Delph are ‘all back’ with the squad.

They have all been missing recently through injuries and suspensions, but now Lampard can call on them if needed.

The Verdict: Boost

It will certainly be a boost for Lampard to have four first-team players back in his squad to choose from.

The Toffees currently have five players out injured, meaning Lampard was without a whopping nine options to choose from against Burnley.

Nonetheless, it will be a difficult task to get three points against a team with high European ambitions, but Lampard will at least be boosted by having a sizeable group of players to choose from.

In other news, find out what this transfer insider has now ‘heard’ about one Blues rumour here!