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Sheffield Wednesday have been handed an injury boost ahead of their League One clash against Oxford United at Hillsborough this afternoon.

After securing a 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium in midweek, the Owls are now set to welcome Karl Robinson’s men to Hillsborough for their next slice of league action.

What’s the story?

This comes after Owls manager Darren Moore revealed in his press conference on Friday ahead of the Oxford clash that Sam Hutchinson was taken off during the win over Wigan as a “precaution” but has trained alongside the rest of his teammates in preparation for the match today.

That means the 32-year-old could be available to take on the U’s at Hillsborough in what would be a big boost to the manager and his team.

Wednesday fans will be thrilled

Given how Hutchinson missed Wednesday’s league games against Rotherham United and Morecambe after picking up an injury against Fleetwood Town back in August, it’s good to hear that he has not suffered another injury and was taken off against Wigan merely as a precaution.

Taking into account how the 32-year-old has played in numerous positions for Wednesday so far this season such as centre-back, defensive midfield and central midfield, it’s safe to say that he has been an important figure for the team based on his versatility when called upon and the abundant experience he has under his belt.

Wednesday originally signed Hutchinson back in February 2014 on a loan deal from Chelsea before securing him on a permanent basis in the following summer’s transfer window. He joined Pafos FC on a free transfer 13 months ago before returning to Wednesday on a free back in January.

Overall, he has made 184 appearances for the Yorkshire club across all competitions, chipping in with seven goals and five assists along the way (per Transfermarkt). He is the Owls’ second-highest rated player so far this season according to WhoScored performance metrics, with a squad-high two interceptions per game illustrating his importance in stifling opposition attacks.

Looking ahead to the Oxford clash today, we feel that if Hutchinson in fully fit enough to play, he should definitely be in the starting XI, playing in whichever position Moore thinks he is needed.

In other news: Moore must ruthlessly axe £450k-rated dud v Oxford, he’s not good enough 

West Brom forward Kenneth Zohore will feature in Valerien Ismael’s plans for the first-team this season, despite rumours that he could depart the club this summer.

What’s the story?

Zohore has been with West Brom since 2019, and has made 21 appearances in total for the Baggies, although he spent last year’s campaign on loan with Championship side Millwall in search of regular minutes.

It has been reported by Yorkshire Live that Zohore wass attracting interest from the likes of Sheffield Wednesday in the previous transfer windows, with his future at The Hawthorns remaining ‘up in the air’ at this moment in time.

Speaking in a recent interview (quotes sourced from Birmingham Live), West Brom boss Ismael has revealed that Zohore does feature in his plans for the 2021/22 season, as the Baggies look to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking.

“Ken I have to say, over the last two weeks, has raised his intensity for sure. At the beginning, we had some concerns about whether he can play at that intensity and buy in, but the last two weeks and the game against Birmingham show that we are on the right way with him.

“Strikers of that type you will need in the Championship, he can help us. He can score goals. He has the quality and he is part of the process.

“It’s up to him now to put the performances in on the pitch. My job, with the staff, is to make sure that he has the clarity in his head to know exactly what he has to do. I hope he can confirm what we have seen over the last two weeks.”

‘Powerful’

West Brom are well-equipped in their attacking options in the 2021/22 season, with Ismael having the likes of Karlan Grant and Callum Robinson available to him, as well as Zohore.

With The Express and Star reporting that they’re keeping an eye on both Daryl Dike and Manchester City youngster Liam Delap this summer as well, it is somewhat surprising that Zohore’s immediate future appears to be at the Hawthorns.

The former Cardiff City man has shown that he can perform to a good standard in the Championship, having played an important role in the Bluebirds’ promotion-winning campaign in the 2017/18 season.

Zohore netted nine goals in 39 appearances for Cardiff in that promotion-winning season, but hasn’t had much of an opportunity to impress in the Premier League.

The forward had an average Whoscored rating of 7.00 in the 2017/18 season for Cardiff, and could potentially be a good option to have for Valerien Ismael this term in the Championship.

Speaking in an interview with West Brom News, former West Brom forward Kevin Phillips labelled Zohore as a ‘big, powerful guy’, and predicted that he would want a move elsewhere back in the summer of 2020.

“He’s a big, powerful guy. I think the player himself will want to move on because he knows he won’t play next season. He’ll just want to go and play football. I’m sure of that.”

However, it looks like he’s now going to face a tough battle for his future at West Brom, especially if the Baggies are to add further depth to their squad in the near future.

Ismael choosing to keep the big forward around is a surprising decision, fans will be hoping that it turns out to be the right call.

And in other news, West Brom journalist says he’s expecting a battle for star forward’s signature…

A number of Crystal Palace supporters have been hailing Vicente Guaita after his last-gasp save prevented the Eagles from losing to Burnley.

Patrick Vieira’s side returned to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon following the final international break of the year.

Palace made the trip to Turf Moor to face Sean Dyche’s Clarets, with a thrilling end-to-end contest finishing in a 3-3 draw at Turf Moor.

It was 3-2 to Patrick Vieira’s side by half-time but Maxwel Cornet’s equaliser early in the second half ultimately earned the hosts a point.

It could have been even worse for Palace, however, with Guaita forced into making a big save to deny Chris Wood in the dying moments, with the Eagles’ official Twitter channel sharing footage of that heroic intervention from the 34-year-old along with the caption ‘Viva Vicente’.

Palace fans hail Guaita save

It was a huge moment in the match and these Palace fans took to Twitter to show their love for Guaita, who had been culpable of costly errors in recent weeks such as his fateful kick-out against Brighton.

“Some people wanted him dropped???? Respect VG!”

Credit: @JoeThompson95

“Have absolutely no idea why Vydra hasn’t put his foot through it. What a save though”

Credit: @SamuelMargo

“HUGE”

Credit: @jwgribbin_

“that’s an unreal save”

Credit: @Wheddsta

“And some fans have been demanding he gets dropped”

Credit: @rickyj555

“People calling for this man to be dropped… no idea”

Credit: @Jackcarter98_

In other news, a key update has emerged regarding Conor Gallagher’s future. Read more here.

Manchester United have an illustrious history when it comes to producing world-class homegrown talent, and the next superstar could be set to come off their conveyor belt in the near future.

Shola Shoretire forced himself into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team plans towards the end of last season, becoming the Red Devils’ seventh youngest player of all time when he made his debut against Newcastle United.

His two-minute cameo in the 3-1 victory over the Magpies back in February 2021 got people excited over the versatile forward’s future, with former United academy graduate Luke Chadwick amongst his admirers.

“He (Shoretire) is a hugely talented player,” said Chadwick. “I watched him play in the youth team as an Under-16 player, he was so clever – fantastic awareness knows how to play on the half-turn, can see a pass as well.

“He’s so sharp in his mind and even if he doesn’t start a lot of matches yet, he can come on in games and make an impact.”

And Shoretire’s taste of senior football didn’t stop there. Solskjaer tipped the 17-year-old for a bright future after he came on against Real Sociedad in the Europa League, becoming United’s youngest-ever player in European competition.

Just four days after his substitute showing versus Newcastle, he broke Norman Whiteside’s record after entering the field of play at just 17 years 23 days old.

“Shola is going to be a good player for us and sometimes you need to test them against good players,” Solskjaer said. “We knew Real Sociedad are a good team with good individuals and they press.

“We felt today Amad (Diallo) – he had to come on, of course, Dan (James) had to come off – and Shola, the two of them will need these little introductions to this type of level.

“He’s a young kid that we believe in. Great attitude. You can see the shape of him. We think physically he’ll be an athlete and technically very, very good. Makes good decisions.”

Shoretire only received one more appearance in the senior setup last term, but it was a deserved reward for a fabulous campaign at youth level, with the England U19 international bagging ten goals and providing five assists in 24 appearances.

The diminutive star is yet to feature in a matchday squad for Solskjaer’s struggling side this term, but he’s carried his eye-catching form into 2021/22 nonetheless.

A total of eight goal contributions in 15 outings has shown the teenager is continuing to develop his skills, and although Amad Diallo for a whopping £19m, it could well be Shoretire who has the brightest future.

Only time will tell if the local lad can make the grade at his boyhood club, but it certainly appears to be a matter of when rather than if he becomes a regular name on Solskjaer’s teamsheet.

And, in other news…“Talks on..”: Journalist issues big Man Utd manager update, fans will be buzzing

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered an exciting update on where things stand with Leeds United’s pursuit of Kristoffer Klaesson.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days from Football Insider had claimed that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are in advanced talks with Valerenga over bringing the 20-year-old goalkeeper to Elland Road.

They claimed that a Leeds source has revealed: “Klaesson is now the top keeper target and discussions are progressing well over a potential deal. The Premier League outfit have offered a contract to the Valerenga number one and a deal is edging closer.

“Leeds have already applied for a work permit for the youngster, who is not yet a full Norway international. However, he has represented his country all the way through the age groups up to Under-21 level and United are confident of their application being successful.”

Now, writing on Twitter, Hay said: “Kristoffer Klaesson poised to fly to England for a medical next week. Leeds United getting close to wrapping up a deal for the Valerenga goalkeeper.”

Fans will be excited

While Klaesson is unlikely to make too many waves next season given that Illan Meslier is firmly established as the club’s number one goalkeeper, he’s yet another potential signing who very much has the best years ahead of him.

The likes of Amari Miller and Lewis Bate have already arrived to bolster Mark Jackson’s under-23s side, while Junior Firpo, who was brought in from Barcelona, is only 24.

Klaesson is likely to find himself as Meslier’s backup but could potentially grow behind the Frenchman as an eventual successor to the former Lorient man if clubs like PSG circle once again – it was claimed in recent weeks and months that the Paris giants are keen on taking the 21-year-old back to his native France.

Klaesson would represent a seamless transition into the number one slot if that ever happens, and once he’s fully acclimatised to life in England, he’ll surely back himself to compete with Meslier and overtake him on his own merits as well.

Leeds fans will no doubt be excited at the prospect of another talented young gem joining the ranks at Elland Road ahead of the new Premier League season next month.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign their new Pablo Hernandez in this star…

Scott Parker could well be in talks with one of Fulham’s Championship rivals ahead of a potential summer switch.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who has hinted in a post on Twitter that Parker is already in talks with the Bournemouth hierarchy regarding a move to the Vitality Stadium this summer.

A recent report by talkSPORT claimed that the 40-year-old would be tempted to quit Fulham in favour of a switch to the Cherries, who are thought to be willing to part company with Jonathan Woodgate after his failure to secure promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs last season.

Fans will be distraught

Considering the marvellous job Parker has done at Craven Cottage since taking over at the club back in February of 2019, the fact that there appears to be a very real chance of the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder leaving the club this summer is sure to leave fans of Fulham distraught.

Indeed, despite suffering relegation in his first term at the club, in Fulham’s first full season under the 40-year-old, the Cottagers went on to secure an immediate return to the top flight, beating Brentford 2-1 AET in the 2019/20 play-off final.

And, while Fulham went on to suffer relegation from the top flight for the second time in three seasons under Parker in their subsequent campaign, the west London side earned plaudits from the likes of Pep Guardiola, Marcelo Bielsa and Jurgen Klopp for their “exceptional” style of attacking and exciting football.

As such, if the Cottagers were to lose the services of the young manager this summer, not only would they be without a coach who has a proven track record of getting them out of the second tier, but also one who very much seems to play football in the right way as well as appearing to have an extremely bright future in the game.

In other news: Fulham confirm transfer news on “valuable” £24k-p/w flop which will leave fans furious

Carlton Palmer has offered his thoughts on what Crystal Palace should do at the end of Conor Gallagher’s loan spell with the club.

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League player Carlton Palmer has urged Crystal Palace to look into a permanent deal for on-loan midfielder Conor Gallagher.

When asked whether or not Palace should be trying to sign him at the end of his temporary spell, he told the Transfer Tavern:

“Yeah, obviously he’s doing well, you know where Palace are. There’s no hiding about where Palace are, their recruitment has to be smart, they haven’t got the biggest budget in the world and so your basis has got to be around good young players.”

Fans would love it

Steve Parish must look to get a 2022 agreement sealed for Gallagher to keep him at Selhurst Park in the long-term. Whether it comes in the January window or next summer, Palace fans could love it as he could be a terrific investment by the club, one to help them continue the transition from an ageing team into a younger, more vibrant side.

Scott Dann (34) and Gary Cahill (35) were replaced by Joachim Andersen (25) and Marc Guehi (21), whilst Andros Townsend (30) was replaced by Michael Olise (19). This suggests that Patrick Vieira is attempting to bring down the average age of the squad, which bringing 21-year-old Gallagher back for the 2022/23 campaign and beyond would contribute to.

The youngster already has Premier League experience under his belt. He played 30 games on loan at West Brom last season as they were relegated from the top-flight, with Gallagher averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.63 as he scored two and assisted two goals for the Baggies.

Earlier in his career, Gallagher was praised by Sky Sports pundit Keith Andrews, who said that he has a “fantastic engine” and compared him to the likes of Lee Bowyer and Frank Lampard.

He said: “But the one thing he has got is a fantastic engine, much like Lee Bowyer or Frank Lampard – it’s amazing, the resemblances between those two in their younger years particularly. But for me, he’s a classic No 8; he has an unbelievable energy, he does the ugly side of the game, but you have to let him off the leash and let him get forward.”

Now he has started his Palace loan career in stunning form. He scored both goals in the 2-2 draw with West Ham at the weekend and has averaged a WhoScored rating of 8.09 over two matches. The dynamo has won five tackles, two interceptions, four aerial battles and made four clearances, to show that he can defend his own box whilst also being able to break into the opposition’s to score.

This is why fans will be over the moon if Parish is able to strike a permanent deal for Gallagher in 2022. It is now down to the Palace chief to make sure he can get a move over the line.

In other news, Crystal Palace have backed away from a deal to sign star forward…

Leeds United could sign an exciting alternative to Rodrigo in the from of 20-year-old powerhouse Daryl Dike.

What’s the story?

Writing on Twitter, TEAMtalk’s editor, James Marshment, revealed: “TEAMtalk has been informed that Leeds are looking at the possibility of signing Daryl Dike on loan from Orlando City before the window closes. USA striker notched 9 in 19 for Barnsley last season. West Brom also keen. Story to follow….”

And with Rodrigo enduring a disappointing debut campaign, the much younger Dike could well be the man to take over his throne at Elland Road…

Exciting alternative on Rodrigo

The striker was in superb form after joining Championship side Barnsley on loan earlier this year, scoring nine goals in just 19 league games.

He was dubbed a “revelation” by former Salford City manager Richie Wellens, who also added: “I can’t see Barnsley paying £17m for him, but I take my hat off to him for swapping the Orlando weather for Barnsley. But seriously he’s done great, he scores goals, he’s powerful and he’s given Barnsley a whole new dimension to their game.”

And, his former coach at Virginia, George Gelnovatch, raved about the kind of attitude he has, and it should be music to the ears of Bielsa: “But one of the things about him that nobody ever talks about is relentlessness. He is a relentless competitor, a ruthless guy on the field. You put that inside a body like his, and it’s pretty impressive.”

While Bielsa has tended to use Rodrigo slightly more deeper, he did give him a start up front in the Carabao Cup second round clash against Crewe, and once again, the Spaniard disappointed – as per Sofascore, his 6.2 match rating was the lowest of any player on the pitch for Leeds.

Last season saw the former Valencia man net just seven goals in 28 games in all competitions for the Whites, while this campaign has seen him play just 45 minutes in the Premier League – a display against Manchester United that saw him roundly slammed by Leeds fans.

With his height, physicality and finishing touch, Dike has got all the tools in his locker to be a real threat at Elland Road and something completely different to what Bielsa currently has.

He could even usurp Rodrigo in the pecking order when it comes to giving Bamford some much-needed cover.

The £9m-rated machine would give Bielsa an absolute menace up front.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this Premier League record breaker…

Newcastle United must land Tottenham centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer amid his impressive performances on loan at Championship side Bournemouth.

What’s the story?

The 23-year-old has spent the majority of the campaign on loan at the Vitality Stadium under former Magpies defender Jonathan Woodgate, making 26 appearances across all competitions.

The Northern Echo have now claimed that Newcastle manager Steve Bruce wants to sign the centre-back on a permanent deal, with Spurs apparently valuing the 1.83m (6ft) defender at around £10m.

He just bullied Ivan Toney

While Brentford may have come out on top in the end, Carter-Vickers put in a monstrous performance against the Bees in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-finals, pocketing former Newcastle striker Ivan Toney with ease.

As per Sofascore, he won five of his duels and made four clearances, while also blocking one shot, while Toney – top scorer in the regular season with 31 goals – had a difficult game at the Vitality Stadium last week. He saw his only effort on goal blocked, made just 14 passes, lost the ball on 14 separate occasions and lost a mammoth 11 of his 18 duels.

Speaking after the American’s dominant display against the Bees, Woodgate was quick to praise his centre-back and how he has developed during his season with the Cherries.

The 41-year-old told the Bournemouth Daily Echo: “I’ve been really impressed. Okay, he’s not the tallest but he’s a very, very good defender. His leap is good, he’s quick, he’s decent enough on the ball for me. What he does need to improve on is in the opposition box, scoring more goals, but I like him as a player, I like his personality.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]

“It didn’t affect him. He leads well, Cam. Alright, he’s not the loudest, but he leads well by how he defends and when Meps came on, he was equally as good up against a top striker in (Ivan) Toney. But Cam, since I’ve been here, he does what it says on the tin. He’s mister consistent. I know exactly what I’m going to get from him week in, week out. He loves defending. He loves keeping clean sheets, he’s like that.”

Given how he dealt with an in-form striker being linked with a big-money move to the Premier League, and the fact that he’s only 23, Carter-Vickers seems like he would be a superb addition to the Newcastle back-line.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are heading for transfer disaster over this £15k-p/w star…

Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek will be ‘excited’ about his chances of shining at Old Trafford following Erik ten Hag’s appointment at the club.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag comes in

Ten Hag has officially been named as United’s new manager, with the 52-year-old coming in at the end of the season after an impressive spell at Ajax.

The hope is that he is finally the right man to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, with David Moyes, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick all flattering to deceive in the Premier League.

One player who Ten Hag knows inside out is Van de Beek, with the pair working together when Ajax reached the Champions League semi-finals back in 2018/19.

The Latest: Journalist makes Van de Beek claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Paul Brown claimed that this could be Van de Beek’s time to seize his opportunity at United, saying:

“I think he’s quite excited probably about the prospect of finally getting a chance.

“If he doesn’t, there are probably other clubs in a better position than Everton to take him on loan, if possible.”

The Verdict: Make-or-break for Van de Beek

This certainly feels like a make-or-break moment in Van de Beek’s United career, with the Netherlands international on loan at Everton after a woeful spell at Old Trafford.

If Ten Hag can’t get a tune out of him, you’d start to wonder if anyone will be able to do so, with the midfielder such a key figure under the 52-year-old at Ajax, scoring 41 goals in 175 appearances in total.

It will be fascinating to see how Van de Beek fares next season, assuming he stays at Old Trafford, and if Ten Hag gets the best out of him, it could genuinely feel almost like a new signing for United, with the 25-year-old having once been hailed as ‘perfect’ by Owen Hargreaves.

In other news, United are reportedly keen on signing one Premier League star. Read more here.