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Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz could well be set to stay at Craven Cottage, despite persistent links regarding a move elsewhere.

What’s the word?

According to respected journalist Alan Nixon, the 21-year-old appears in line to remain part of Marco Silva’s plans this season, despite reports that Championship outfit Middlesbrough are eyeing a possible loan swoop.

Amid that interest, the transfer insider provided an update on the future of the Brazilian, writing on Twitter: “That one isn’t moving forward very quickly … still needed at Fulham … and they’ve not brought anyone extra in to force him away …”

The highly-rated forward only arrived in England on a five-year deal last summer, playing a bit-part role as the west London outfit secured promotion back to the Premier League.

Solomon replacement

The £4.5m-rated striker unsurprisingly found it difficult to usurp the prolific presence of Aleksandar Mitrovic in attack last term, with the Serbia international having scored a record-breaking tally of 43 league goals.

Despite having been largely resigned to a supporting role, Muniz still managed to showcase his “exciting” talent – as dubbed by Tony Khan – on occasion in his debut campaign with the Cottagers, scoring five goals from 28 appearances in all competitions – only four of which came from the start.

The 5 foot 10 menace had been earmarked as a hugely impressive prospect during his previous stint in Brazil – where he scored five goals in 25 games for Flamengo – with talent scout Jacek Kulig notably dubbing him a “revelation”.

Also lauded for his “killer instinct” in front of goal by Kulig, the explosive forward could well prove something of a hidden gem for Silva and Fulham this season, despite having failed to make it off the bench in the opening weeks of the season.

Further involvement could also be on the cards following the cruel recent blow to summer signing Manor Solomon, with the winger set to be ruled out until after this year’s World Cup after sustaining a knee injury in a behind-closed-doors match last week.

With the 23-year-old now expected to be on the sidelines for an extended period of time, it could well provide young Muniz with the chance to fill that attacking void, with the £7.5k-per-week ace having briefly featured on the flanks in his career thus far.

While there are reports that the Cottagers are plotting a move for a new striker in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Neal Maupay, the loss of Solomon should ensure that Muniz is kept at the club regardless, with Silva’s squad already lacking attacking depth.

Leeds United are in the hunt to sign Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan, according to Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: Hwang profiled

Hwang is 26 years of age and has only just made his move to Molineux permanent this summer following a loan spell last year.

The South Korea international has scored five times in 35 appearances for Wolves, taking his career tally for club and country to 76.

Labelled as a player who has “got everything” by pundit Ian Wright, Hwang can play anywhere across the front three and previously worked with Jesse Marsch at RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig.

The Latest: Leeds links

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from reliable reporter Nixon on Wednesday regarding the Whites and Hwang.

He claimed that Leeds are showing an interest in the player due to his versatility and could have a great chance if Dan James completes a move to Tottenham.

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The Verdict: Why not…

Leeds could do with a new forward even if James remains at Elland Road, with Patrick Bamford unable to remain fully fit.

Marsch is the manager who has got the best out of Hwang during his career, with the player contributing to an impressive 40 goals in 43 games under the American for both RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig.

The Leeds boss seemed unhappy with Hwang on the opening weekend after he threw himself to the ground right in front of the dugout at Elland Road under minimal contact. However, this could well be a link to keep an eye on and a transfer that seems to make sense in Yorkshire.

Chelsea are interested in signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves if they can’t sign Frenkie de Jong this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Neves staying put for now

The Portugal international looked to have played his last game for the Old Gold at the end of last term, appearing to wave goodbye to supporters after their final Premier League home match of the campaign against Norwich.

Neves has since remained at Molineux, playing every minute of league action so far this season and even posting the squad’s highest WhoScored rating in the early weeks of the campaign.

There is still time for the 25-year-old to leave Wolves this summer, though, and one journalist’s fresh claim could make Bruno Lage a little twitchy.

The Latest: Chelsea keen on Neves

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Simon Phillips claimed that Chelsea could look to sign Neves if they fail to bring in Barcelona midfielder De Jong.

He stated:

“A couple of names that I do know Chelsea have considered for central midfield in recent weeks is James Garner from Manchester United, who could be available this window, and they’ve also considered Ruben Neves.

“But nothing has moved at the moment on them so I think Chelsea are probably still deciding whether they need to get another centre midfielder if they can’t get De Jong.”

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The Verdict: Would be a huge blow for Wolves

There is no doubt that losing Neves at this stage in his career would be an enormous blow for Wolves, especially when it looks as though he could be remaining at the club, having not yet moved this summer despite strong interest from elsewhere.

With Matheus Nunes arriving in a club-record £38m move, Lage now has two superb midfielders at his disposal – compatriots who could dovetail with one another for the foreseeable future – and it would be a shame to see their partnership being broken up so early.

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Neves have been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Jose Sa – rightly so, given his tally of 24 goals and 12 assists in 215 appearances for Wolves – and the hope at Molineux will be that Chelsea sign De Jong and end their interest in the Portuguese stalwart.

Manchester United could be set to make a late move for Barcelona defender Sergino Dest, with Erik ten Hag keen on a reunion with the promising full-back.

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, who revealed that the Red Devils could swoop for the 21-year-old should £50m flop Aaron Wan-Bissaka depart, although will face competition from La Liga side Villarreal for the United States international’s signature.

Writing on Twitter about that interest, the transfer guru stated: “Excl: Sergiño Dest’s now considering a loan proposal from Villarreal, he’s open to discuss about it. Talks on with Barça — it’s up to the player. Manchester United manager ten Hag wants Dest, it’s a possibility but it can only happen if Wan-Bissaka will leave.”

Manchester Evening News have also reported that United have held talks regarding taking the highly-rated right-back on a season-long loan deal, with the Netherlands-born gem having worked under Ten Hag at Ajax.

There had been previous suggestion that a swap deal could be on the cards involving the 17-cap gem and Wan-Bissaka, with the latter man also attracting interest from the likes of West Ham United and former club Crystal Palace.

Hakimi alternative

While Diogo Dalot has been much improved in recent weeks – notably registering an assist in the 1-0 win over Southampton at the weekend – the right side of the defence remains something of a problem area for the Old Trafford outfit, hence turning to Dest as a solution.

The “special talent” – as described by broadcaster Ives Galarcep – is yet another name with an Amsterdam connection to Ten Hag, with the Dutchman having already brought in Lisandro Martinez and Antony so far this summer.

Indeed, the Dutch boss would surely love to sign him given the £16.2m-rated ace can help the 52-year-old smoothly implement his style of play, having enjoyed a breakthrough campaign under his former manager during the 2019/20 season at the Eredivisie outfit.

That form alerted the attention of those at the Camp Nou, with the 5 foot 9 menace having gone on to rack up 72 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan giants, scoring three goals and providing five assists in that time.

A forward-thinking, attack-minded full-back, the £99k-per-week sensation could well prove to be an astute alternative to that of another reported target, Achraf Hakimi, with the latter man likely to prove far more costly having signed for current club Paris Saint-Germain for £60m just last summer.

The pair are believed to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref, with Dest averaging 3.13 touches in the attacking penalty area and 3.43 progressive passes received per 90, with Hakimi almost mirroring that record as he averages 2.94 and 3.85 for the same two metrics, respectively.

Both clearly intent on impacting the game in the final third, the duo are also hugely comfortable in possession, with the latter man ranking in the top 1% for pass completion among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, while Dest is not far behind as he ranks in the top 5%.

It bodes well for those at the Theatre of Dreams to think that they could have a Hakimi-esque figure on their hands on a bargain, loan deal, with the PSG man having proven his talents at a string of top clubs across the continent – notably recording 13 goals and assists in just 46 games at the Parcs des Princes.

While Dest is still to truly hit those heights, the statistical evidence would suggest that he does possess a similar attacking quality, with his arrival in Manchester also potentially a better fit as Hakimi is typically at his best in a wing-back role.

It will require a lot of moving parts to get the deal over the line, although Ten Hag will no doubt love it if his new club can pull off a much-needed late addition.

Everton were plagued with concern over Anthony Gordon’s future during the summer transfer window after Chelsea pushed to sign the player, although a new update has emerged which will give the Merseyside club a huge boost.

What’s the latest?

Frank Lampard took to his pre-match press conference ahead of today’s Premier League clash against West Ham to reveal a crucial update on the 21-year-old’s future at Goodison Park following the interest in the winger this summer.

The Everton manager revealed to the press: “The Club are speaking with Anthony and Anthony’s people to see if we can get the right solution there.”

It would be amazing for Everton

There is no doubt that securing the future of Gordon would be amazing for Everton, as he is one of the most promising young players in their team and, as a boyhood Evertonian, he represents the club and supporters at Goodison Park.

The 21-year-old has risen through the ranks to become one of the biggest breakout stars from the Toffees’ youth academy since Wayne Rooney, with his development and talent continuing to flourish in the first team under Frank Lampard’s guidance.

Gordon has been one of Everton’s standout performers already this season, with the young forward scoring two goals, along with getting 2.2 shots on target, making one key pass and winning two tackles per game so far. With the imminent return of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, he will soon be reunited with an experienced striker by his side, which can only benefit the 21-year-old over the season ahead.

Lampard is a huge admirer of Gordon and will likely be delighted to keep hold of the talented youngster, who was dubbed “fearless” by Alan Shearer.

The former Chelsea boss addressed the rumours surrounding the £50m-valued player during the transfer window and detailed the importance of Gordon’s presence at Everton, telling Sky Sports (via Football 365): “He is a huge player for us, I said it last week, not only is he of great value to the club financially, but more importantly of great value to the squad and to me.

“He’s an Everton boy, he plays for us and the crowd relate to him. It’s understandable that people would be interested in him because of the level of player that he is.”

With that in mind, it would be a great piece of business if the powerbrokers at Goodison Park can complete a deal to extend and retain Gordon’s services at the club as Lampard works to improve Everton’s squad, form and performances in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race to sign Jan Oblak…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reports in Spain, which state that Spurs are looking for a new shot-stopper to replace Hugo Lloris in the short-term but they’ll face competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United.

It’s believed that Atletico Madrid are holding out for around €30m (£26.7m) and that they have already lined up a replacement in the form of Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Oblak’s contract runs out in the summer, so the LaLiga outfit may be forced into a sale during the January transfer window.

A proven Lloris successor

The Slovakia international is the latest glovesman to be linked with a switch to Hotspur Way in recent weeks, joining Leeds United’s Illan Meslier in the frame to take the reins from the French no.1 in due course.

Oblak has been widely recognised as one of the best goalkeepers in world football in recent years and would represent a more instant option to replace Lloris between the sticks.

There’s no denying that Meslier has been a standout for the Yorkshiremen in recent seasons but the 29-year-old is simply on a different level, having won the Spanish title, a Europa League and finished runner-up in the Champions League.

That sort of experience is invaluable and is exactly what Spurs will need when Lloris does hang up the gloves.

Once described as a “beast” by BT Sport presenter Reshmin Chowdhury and a “titan” by OptaJose, Oblak has proven to be one of Diego Simeone’s most reliable performers over the years, having been entrusted to start every single LaLiga game over the past three seasons.

“For me, Jan Oblak is the best goalkeeper in the world,” claimed teammate Koke only back in March this year and that only further highlights just how respected and important he is to the Colchoneros.

At 35, Lloris isn’t going to be around forever and whilst he’s got a few more years in him, it’s unlikely that current backup Fraser Forster is the man to replace the £100k-per-week stalwart, who is often dubbed a club “legend”.

Therefore, sporting director Fabio Paratici ought to look at Oblak in the upcoming transfer window as his proven ability and vast experience could be exactly what Tottenham need to fill such a great void in the coming years.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte handed boost ahead of Arsenal clash…

Manchester United ‘have to go for’ Cody Gakpo in the January transfer window, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

It may only be the start of October, but the PSV Eindhoven forward has already reached 19 direct goal involvements (10 goals, nine assists) for the season. The 23-year-old is either finding the net or setting up a team-mate every 60 minutes so far.

Journalist Jacque Talbot reported at the end of September that United are ‘keen’ on the Dutchman, and a move is seen as ‘likely’ in the winter.

The latest

Jones has urged United to make a move for Gakpo, arguing that only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is in better form right now among players in Europe’s major leagues. The Norwegian superstar has hit 17 goals in his first 11 appearances this term, averaging one goal every 54 minutes.

Jones told GiveMeSport in relation to United and Gakpo: “They have to go for him in January, because behind Erling Haaland, you could argue he is [the] most in-form player in Europe right now and United were linked with him throughout the summer.”

He scores goals galore! Pay homage to one of his best with this amazing t-shirt! Click here to buy…

The verdict

How much would Gakpo cost?

Talbot says that PSV would want a club-record fee, eclipsing the £40.5m that they banked from Hirving Lozano’s move to Napoli in 2019.

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However, United arguably need a new striker, having failed to replace Edinson Cavani during the summer transfer window. Cristiano Ronaldo is available for selection but Erik ten Hag clearly doesn’t fancy him right now, notably overlooking him in Sunday’s 6-3 defeat at Manchester City.

On the other hand, if the Red Devils want an exciting long-term addition who could potentially rival Haaland in the coming years, then Gakpo looks like one of the best options to try and bring in.

Aston Villa were hoping to achieve big things this season under Steven Gerrard, however, with faltering results and little consistency, it seems like that dream might have to wait a little longer.

Following the £100m sale of Jack Grealish, both Dean Smith and the 42-year-old were given intermittent amounts of money with which to improve the squad.

The former set about improving the attack last summer, adding Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey for £38m and £25m respectively.

Whilst the Argentine has impressed, injuries have hampered the Jamaican’s progress in the Midlands.

But it was his final attacking addition that has disappointed most, with Danny Ings joining for £25m in a deal that was snuck under the radar.

Everyone lauded them for this business, thinking that bringing in the man who had scored 46 times in 100 games for Southampton would surely fire Villa to glory.

However, just nine goals in 40 appearances later and it seems like Smith might have got this one wrong.

Injuries have surprisingly not reared their head for the striker at Villa Park, as they had throughout a career which was dubbed “unlucky”, but still he has never really hit any kind of form for either manager.

This season he has featured in all but two of their Premier League games yet has just one goal and no assists.

Plenty of factors will have contributed to his inevitable downfall in value, as CIES Football Observatory now rates at just €7m (£6.8m).

Gerrard has tried him as a lone striker or alongside Ollie Watkins but just cannot find a style to suit the man that was so lethal for the Saints.

His side has scored just seven goals in nine league games this season and has only scored over one goal in a game once, as they beat Everton.

Gerrard is currently suffering from the failures of Smith with this signing, as he continues to underperform and drain the club of £120k-per-week too.

If his form does not pick up between now and January, perhaps it might be time to cut their losses on this colossal waste of money.

West Bromwich Albion notched their first win in nine games last Saturday, with interim manager Richard Beale doing what Steve Bruce had struggled to do.

However, with no manager lined up as of yet, it seems like he will once again take the reins in the hope of proving it was not just a fluke.

His side does still sit in a precarious position, and with just one point separating them from a return to the relegation zone, they cannot rest on their laurels.

Bristol City are the next side they face, however in front of a Hawthorns crowd that will likely be jubilant given the dismissal of Bruce, it could mark a fine opportunity for back-to-back wins.

To ensure the best possible chance however, Beale must surely recall Karlan Grant to start instead of Brandon Thomas-Asante.

It seems like the former Salford City striker’s early-season form has dwindled and given the circumstances they would likely be best-served backing experience over the youthful unpredictability of the 23-year-old.

Not to mention the fact that Grant has scored four goals in the last two seasons of facing the Robins.

Once described by Steve Madeley as “pacy” and “ruthless” by Danny Cowley, it is the latter which will arguably be more important as they host a side just four points above them. It is a game they cannot afford to lose.

Although he has been underwhelming this season, with just three Championship goals to date, his performances in the past should be enough to suggest that he can turn the tide.

Just last season, as his side were marooned in mid-table, he still managed to notch 18 goals in the league as well as provide six assists.

He is a proven goal scorer at this level, which is exactly what they need during this tumultuous period.

Beale must make the decision to maintain his formation which limited Reading, but trust that the quality from Grant will soon shine through. If he can start to get performances out of him, he could be the man to fire West Brom up the table very quickly.

After a difficult spell at Manchester United, Wilfried Zaha returned to Crystal Palace and has established himself as a club legend but he has faced his fair share of criticism.

The Ivory Coast international began his career at Selhurst Park, hitting 18 goals and providing 28 assists in his first spell with the Eagles, ahead of his £15m move to Manchester United in January 2013.

However, the winger was afforded very few opportunities during his time at Old Trafford, making just four appearances for the senior side, before he returned to Crystal Palace on loan for the 2014/15 season, making his return permanent in February 2015 for just £6m.

Zaha has been a consistent performer in Palace’s side ever since and has remained at Selhurst Park despite reports linking him away in nearly every transfer window.

Despite some strong form in the 2016/17 campaign, which saw him enjoy the best Premier League season of his career at the time with seven goals and 11 assists, Harry Redknapp was quick to criticise his performances after he was overlooked by England and pledged his allegiance to the Ivory Coast.

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He said: “Zaha’s delivery hasn’t been good enough. He’s got to do a lot more if he’s going to be a top player. Zaha has ended up being a big disappointment.”

Considering Zaha currently sits on 87 goals and 74 assists for Crystal Palace in 437 appearances, it is safe to say that Redknapp got it badly wrong about the winger.

The 29-year-old keeps on getting better and after enjoying the best goalscoring season of his career in the last campaign with 14 top-flight goals, Zaha looks on track to be Palace’s talisman again this season.

Indeed, the player who Thomas Frank claimed has “unbelievable” magic in his boots has scored four goals and has one assist to his name in the opening seven Premier League games.

While there are doubts about Zaha’s future at Selhurst Park, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, there is no question that he will be remembered as a Crystal Palace legend and one of the best players outside of the top six, so it seems clear that Redknapp was far too quick to judge Zaha in 2017.