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Journalist Michael Graham was left stunned by footage of the goal scored by Elliot Embleton for Sunderland at home to Shrewsbury Town in League One this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Bright start

Alex Neil’s team made a very bright start to the game at the Stadium of Light, with Embleton and Nathan Broadhead putting them 2-0 up within 13 minutes.

However, they were pegged back to 2-2 in the second half through goals from Josh Vela and former Black Cats central defender Tom Flanagan, before Broadhead popped up with his second of the game in second-half stoppage time, taking Neil’s side three points clear of seventh.

The Latest: Embleton strike

Footage of Embleton’s half-volley from outside of the area was shared on Twitter, and Graham was thrilled to give his immediate reaction.

The journalist, who is also an SAFC supporter, was stunned by Embleton’s technique, calling it ‘outrageous’.

The Verdict: Great finish

Of course, it was a wonderful finish from Embleton, as that kind of technique is very difficult to execute, especially from outside of the box.

He was perhaps unfortunate to be taken off in the 62nd minute for Corry Evans, as he had a solid game in general.

The central midfield player also made one key pass and three accurate long balls, maintaining an 85% pass completion rate, one of the best recorded out of his teammates (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, Embleton should be confident that he will keep his place in the starting eleven for when the Wearside club play Plymouth Argyle away from home next.

In other news, find out what big Sunderland injury boost has now emerged here!

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Reading midfielder John Swift, Football League World report.

The Lowdown: 2020 links

This isn’t the first time Villa have been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old.

Villa were set to launch a £6-8m offer for Swift’s services last summer, however, as we know, he remained with the Royals despite links to Sheffield United as well.

At this moment in time, the £25,000-a-week midfielder is out of contract next summer, meaning he could be available in a cut-price January move, should his situation remain the same.

And it seems as if Villa still have their eye on Swift’s signature.

The Latest: Source shares update

A source informed Football League World of Sheffield United’s interest in Swift on Friday.

Within their report, they claimed that Villa, along with Premier League rivals Brentford and Newcastle United, are also keeping tabs on Swift’s situation.

The Verdict: Sign

Should Villa firm up their interest in Swift, it could be a shrewd acquisition, especially as they didn’t land an out-and-out central attacking midfielder following Jack Grealish’s exit in the summer.

Swift is clearly a player Villa have had on their radar for some time, and by the looks of it, could be available for a bargain price due to his contract situation.

He’s also netted seven Championship goals in as many appearances this season, taking his senior club tally to 39, plus one for England at Under-21 level, so it could be a wise move by Johan Lange.

In other news: ‘What a mess’ – Matt Maher’s Aston Villa update has lots of fans fuming.  

An update has emerged on Celtic’s pursuit of Manchester City defender Yan Couto…

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports, the Hoops have failed to convince the 19-year-old to come at Parkhead on loan from the Etihad Stadium this month.

The report claims that Couto was a prime target for the club and is now poised for a move to Braga in Portugal, whilst Celtic are now looking to complete a deal for Legia Warsaw right-back Josip Juranovic after missing out on the Brazilian teenager.

Fans will be gutted

Celtic fans will be gutted by this update from Sky Sports as it suggests that the club have missed out on their primary right-back target. Whilst supporters must be glad that a deal for Jurnaovic is progressing well, it is still a blow that Couto has rejected the chance to come to Scotland as Ange Postecoglou seemingly wanted him ahead of the Croatian.

Couto spent last season on loan to Girona and made 22 appearances for the Spanish club, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.69. He did not make any errors leading to goals or give away any penalties during his time in Spain, suggesting that he is a competent defender who is not prone to costly mistakes in and around his own penalty area.

The defender also created 0.7 chances per game from right-back and provided four assists for Girona. This shows that he has attacking quality to mix in with his stout defending, making him an ideal modern full-back as he is able to get up and down the flank effectively.

The teenager has previously been dubbed the new Dani Alves, having arrived at Manchester City from Brazil in a £5m deal last year. Alves has been named in the FIFPro World XI eight times during his career, playing for the likes of Barcelona and PSG, which shows the high ceiling Couto has been given.

Therefore, Celtic fans must be frustrated that the 19-year-old has decided that he would rather join Braga in Portugal. Not only are they missing out on what could potentially be a good signing, but it also suggests that Parkhead is not an attractive place to come for young players.

This is something the club can strive to improve so that they do not face a similar problem in the future when trying to bring in young talent.

AND in other news, Worrying update emerges on “incredibly fast” gem that’ll leave Celtic fans frustrated…

After Tottenham Hotspur failed to sign Adama Traore over the summer, talks have ‘resumed over a new deal’ between the winger and his current club Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

The Lowdown: Long-term target 

Ever since catching the eye during the 2019/20 season, when he contributed to 13 goals in 37 Premier League appearances to help Wolves qualify for the Europa League, the 25-year-old has been linked with a move away from Molineux. 

Last season was a tougher campaign for the Spain international, with the absence of Raul Jimenez and a lack of quality in the Wolves squad under Nuno Espirito Santo. Traore scored only three goals and grabbed three assists during a disappointing season for him and the team.

Despite his astonishing pace and strength, he has lacked a real cutting edge, with only 10 goals in 142 appearances for club and country since joining Wolves in 2018. 

Traore was a target for Spurs over the summer and his opening three appearances of the campaign have seem him rack up an xG tally of 1.53, with only eight Premier League players having a higher number. 

The Latest: New deal at Wolves 

According to The Athletic’s Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers, Traore has ‘resumed talks over a new deal’ with senior figures at the West Midlands club.  

After Spurs lodged a £30m bid for him late in the transfer window, the winger could finally agree to a longer stay at Molineux after previously stalling on talks. 

The Athletic stated that the process has gone on since the end of last year after Traore believed he should be among the top earners along with Jimenez and Joao Moutinho. After a deadlock in talks, the deal came close again and stalled again when Nuno departed for Tottenham. 

Under Bruno Lage, Traore has impressed in the first three games and has had two golden opportunities to earn the Wanderers their first points of the season, sliding the ball wide against Leicester City before being denied by Hugo Lloris a week later. 

The Verdict: Missed opportunity for Spurs

In August, Spiers also reported that Wolves would need to sell in order to buy during the summer. They did so with Owen Otasowie and Rafa Mir departing for Club Brugge and Sevilla respectively, but the rumours linking Traore and Ruben Neves with moves elsewhere never came to fruition. 

The ‘unplayable’ right-winger, in the words of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, would add something different to the wide men Nuno currently possesses at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With Son Heung-Min consistently providing the goods, an effective winger on the other side is something that Spurs could do with if they are to return to the top four. 

After working well with Nuno at Wolves previously, a relationship between the pair could have blossomed. However, with Spurs failing to meet the £50m valuation and rumours of a new deal in the offing, the north Londoners may have missed their chance to sign the 25-year-old.

In other news, Fabio Paratici wants to sign this player in the next transfer window- find out more here.

Paddy Kenny says links between Everton midfielder Tom Davies and Crystal Palace are ‘really strange’.

The lowdown

Football Insider reported last week that Palace were monitoring Davies’ situation with a view to a possible move.

Davies has found first-team football hard to come by under new boss Rafael Benitez.

He’s played only 16 minutes across Everton’s first six Premier League matches.

His contract is up in less than two years’ time and there’s apparently been ‘no progress’ towards an extension.

Palace, meanwhile, may need another midfielder if Conor Gallagher returns to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell.

The latest

Kenny has urged Davies to fight for his place at Goodison Park rather than countenance a ‘big drop down’.

He reckons the Scouser has all the support he needs to succeed at his boyhood club.

“For me, that’s a big drop down anyway,” he told Football Insider. “No disrespect to Palace, but Everton are a bigger club. So it’s a really strange one, this.

“Surely he’d want to do his utmost best to try and stay at Everton and get himself into that first-team.

“He’s got the backing of the crowd and the support of all the staff there as well. That means a lot.”

The verdict

It really isn’t all that difficult to understand. Davies is struggling badly for game time at an upper mid-table outfit, so he could move to a lower mid-table side where his prospects should be significantly better.

Yes, it’s perhaps more complicated because he’s a local lad, but he shouldn’t be criticised if he chooses to put his career first, and there is also the prospect of playing under one of the greatest centre-midfielders in Premier League history at Sehurst Park.

It’s certainly hard to see him agreeing to a new deal if the current trend continues.

In other news, Palace have been linked with this Championship ace. 

David Ornstein has dropped a big Newcastle transfer update regarding Joe Willock… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Newcastle have reached an agreement with Arsenal over a deal in excess of £20m for midfielder Joe Willock. The England under-21 international has been their priority target throughout the window and they are now closing in on their man.

The report claims that personal terms have not been agreed as of yet, with Newcastle now discussing a potential contract with Willock to convince him to make the switch from The Emirates.

Cloud nine

Newcastle fans will surely be on cloud nine following this update from Ornstein, with Mike Ashley splashing the cash to get this deal done. Willock made a huge impression at St. James’ Park during his loan spell last term and supporters will be delighted that he appears set to return on a permanent basis.

The 21-year-old scored a phenomenal eight goals in 11 Premier League starts for Steve Bruce’s side, only Callum Wilson scored more for the club. This shows that he could be a much-needed addition to the team for the 2021/22 campaign, as it alleviates the pressure on Wilson to score all of the goals as Joelinton was the next-top scorer with just four goals in 31 games.

After making his debut for Newcastle last season, Willock was hailed as a terrific athlete and modern-day midfielder by Bruce. He said:

“It was a classic midfield player’s goal from the ability to arrive in the box, and that’s what he’s brought us. He can go box-to-box, he’s a terrific athlete, the kid, a typical modern-day midfield player who has the ability to get up and down the pitch quickly and has that added ability to score a goal.”

Willock also averaged an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.13 during his time at the club on loan. This was the best score of any Newcastle player in the Premier League last season, suggesting that he was the most consistent, highest quality, performer in the side – ahead of the likes of Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin.

This is why fans will be buzzing to see him return to the club, as they could now get the chance to watch his outstanding displays again throughout the upcoming campaign. Although, it is now down to Willock to prove that he can do it over the course of an entire year and that he was not an 11-game wonder during his time on loan.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Shelvey: NUFC must pounce on chance to land £100k-p/w “match-winner”…

Flocking to Twitter, some West Ham United fans have erupted over links to Derby County midfielder Jason Knight as ExWHUemployee shares news on a January target.

West Ham have been mostly tipped to target reinforcements for the striking positions and at centre-back, with The Evening Standard claiming that David Moyes will be backed to strengthen in those areas.

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The latter position takes even more priority given severe injuries to both Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma, although the Hammers have also been linked with strengthening in central midfield over the last few days.

Sky reporter Angelo Mangiante said that West Ham hold an interest in signing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, with ExWHUemployee lifting the lid on another new midfielder who they could target.

Sharing news on The West Ham Way website, the reliable Irons insider says that West Ham now have a ‘very strong interest’ in Rams midfielder Knight. Derby’s current financial situation could also force them into making sales, with the highly-rated Republic of Ireland international thought to be on the Hammers’ radar ahead of the January transfer window.

West Ham fans erupt…

Described as a ‘manager’s dream’ who ‘gives everything’ by Derby manager Wayne Rooney, it’s little wonder so many Irons supporters have erupted as they eye a new target in the Rams youngster.

Amassing eight senior international caps already, Knight has held his own in the Championship at such a young age, with the 20-year-old grabbing two goals and two assists already this season (WhoScored).

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder some Irons supporters believe he is ‘quality’ – check out some of their best verdicts below:

“This would be a very good signing”

Credit: @allthingsirons

“Please god make this happen”

Credit: @mersey_maldini

“Massive potential – has played very well for Ireland since his introduction to the senior squad – I rate him”

Credit: @rinanfafan

“I trust Moyes, whatever he wants I’m all up for it”

Credit: @stratfordclaret

“Jason is quality, get it done”

Credit: @mgkinane

“Yes please, what a player”

Credit: @BigBrexitGoat

In other news: West Ham could now back Moyes with £17.1m bid to sign 6 foot 3 powerhouse in January, find out more here.

This forms part of The Transfer Tavern’s Loan Watch series, where we analyse how a player from one club is doing on loan.

The Lowdown: Hendrick’s January move

Newcastle decided to send Jeff Hendrick out on loan to Queens Park Rangers in the January transfer window after playing a mere 70 minutes for them in the Premier League this season.

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In the Championship, the Republic of Ireland international has had plenty more minutes, missing just two games for the R’s so far.

The Latest: QPR struggles for Hendrick

Hendrick played 68 minutes for QPR in their 1-0 loss at Sheffield United in the Championship on Tuesday night before he was hauled off by manager Mark Warburton.

Unfortunately for him, he struggled to make any real impact in the match, failing to record a single shot on target, dribble or cross. Defensively, he lost out on four of his six duels in total, while he also made no clearances, interceptions or tackles and was guilty of giving the ball away four times (SofaScore).

The Verdict: Will be sold

Given Hendrick’s latest display, coupled with the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes at St James’ Park from Lyon in January, it now seems likely that the Irishman will be sold by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the summer.

Last night’s display wasn’t an aberration, either – as per WhoScored performance metrics, he ranks a lowly 19th among 26 players to have featured for QPR this season, which suggests that he has been largely unconvincing since his move to west London.

It may be the best time to cash in on the 30-year-old, whose market value only looks to be depreciating from here on in, as the Magpies already have plenty of options in his position.

Performances like the one he had for the Hoops at Bramall Lane last night will only make PIF’s mind up sooner, as he ultimately failed to send a positive message out to the new owners at Newcastle.

In other news, find out which ‘Rolex player’ NUFC are now considering signing

Newcastle travel to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League today as they go in search of their first top-flight win of the season.

The Magpies sacked manager Steve Bruce earlier this week after he failed to register a single victory in the first eight league games of the campaign, with the club sat 19th in the table as it stands.

Graeme Jones is now tasked with the unenviable task of manning the ship until a permanent head coach is named to replace Bruce and he will need to make some big selection calls ahead of this clash with the Eagles.

One of them should be immediately axing Joelinton from the team after his shocking performance against Tottenham last weekend. The Brazilian lined up out wide on the left against Spurs and put in a dreadful display worthy of being dropped to the bench this weekend.

Joelinton has never fully settled into life in the Premier League since joining from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in 2019. Earlier this year, Magpies legend Alan Shearer claimed that the £80k-per-week flop does not pose a threat and offers nothing going forward.

He said: “A lot of money he cost and he finds it really difficult. His touch is really poor and he hasn’t posed a threat.

“It’s been really frustrating watching him. I actually feel sorry for him because when the ball goes to him, it’s bouncing off him and he’s offering nothing going the other way, also.”

His struggles were epitomised by his performance against Spurs. As per SofaScore, he lost a whopping 20 of his 29 duels, lost possession of the ball 24 times and failed with all three of his attempted dribbles. He was also unable to complete a single shot or cross as he received a horrendous match rating of 5.5.

Joelinton is yet to score in eight Premier League matches this term, having only found the back of the net four times in 31 games last season. This illustrates how dreadful he has been for Newcastle in the top flight over the last 18 months, with his showing against Tottenham simply being the tip of the iceberg.

Therefore, Jones’ first call as the interim manager must be to axe the Brazilian from the staring XI. The likes of Ryan Fraser, Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron could all play in wide areas, which means that the caretaker boss has options ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park today.

AND in other news, Beast who Messi tipped to be “one of the best” open to Newcastle move, fans will love it…

Sunderland have been handed a big injury lift ahead of their clash with Oxford United in League One this weekend…

What’s the latest?

Alex Neil has revealed that his squad has not been hit with any fresh issues, and he is now looking to step up the involvement of some of the players who have been struggling of late.

He told the Sunderland Echo: “We should be as we were for last weekend in terms of availability, though of course we’re still two days away from the game.”

On Alex Pritchard and Nathan Broadhead, who both recently returned from their respective injuries, Neil said: “With every day and every game that becomes a step closer [them being able to step up their involvement].

“So last weekend he [Broadhead] had 30 minutes and hopefully we’ll see more of him in the remaining games. Alex again, he came off after 60 minutes to protect him and hopefully moving forward we can see more of him.”

Buzzing

This update will surely leave the Stadium of Light faithful buzzing for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the Black Cats are unbeaten in seven League One matches, and supporters will be delighted that the squad will be the same as it ensures consistency in team selection. Players are able to forge connections on the pitch and master their individual roles in the system, instead of constant chopping and changing causing inconsistency on the pitch.

Therefore, having no fresh injury issues means that they can hopefully continue their fine form. They have not conceded a goal since 8 March and have kept five clean sheets in their last six league matches, which shows that the lack of selection problems has helped Neil to build a formidable team, duly making this latest update a major boost to Sunderland.

Supporters will also be elated by the head coach’s comments on Broadhead being able to step up his involvement. The 24-year-old came off the bench to head home the last-gasp winner against Gillingham and has been in impressive form throughout the campaign.

Broadhead has scored six goals in nine League One starts and can boast eight goals in his last 11 matches in all competitions. He has shown that he can make a difference at this level, and therefore fans will surely want to see him getting more minutes on the pitch to work his magic in the final third, which is why they will be delighted with this update from Neil.

AND in other news, Sunderland will rue call on “unstoppable” 492-goal ace who has “the strength of Mike Tyson”…