Two West Brom players are "in contention to start" the Championship clash with high-flying Ipswich Town this weekend, according to an update from reliable journalist Lewis Cox.

West Brom injury news

The Baggies return to action after the international break with a huge game on Saturday evening, as Ipswich make the trip to the Hawthorns for an eye-catching meeting. Carlos Corberan's side find themselves sitting in seventh place and just outside the playoff positions going into the game, and they will be tested up against one of the most impressive teams in the division, with Ipswich currently second on goal difference behind leaders Leicester City.

It hasn't been plain sailing in the fitness department for West Brom of late, however, with Corberan having to make do without a number of key players. John Swift and Josh Maja are two individuals who have been unavailable – the latter has been absent for a number of months – while Jeremy Sarmiento is another who has been out injured.

With kickoff on Saturday now fast approaching, a key update has now emerged for the Baggies regarding the involvement of certain players in the weekend action.

West Brom's double injury boost

Taking to X, reporter Cox claimed that both Swift and Maja could start for West Brom' against Ipswich on Saturday, acting as a major boost for Corberan.

"John Swift and Josh Maja in contention to start, Carlos Corberan reveals. Certainly available to feature on Saturday. Diangana fine after DR Congo fear."

This is great news for West Brom, who will need as many key players as possible available this weekend, in what is one of the biggest tests of their season to date. Ipswich may only have been promoted from League One last season, with few expecting them to be near the top of the table, but they continue to excel under Kieran McKenna, who previously managed Manchester United's Under-18s and was an assistant at Old Trafford after that.

It remains to be seen if Corberan will put Swift and Maja straight back into the starting lineup, but it could be a surprise if that was the case, given their lack of football and the calibre of their opponents on Saturday.

The importance of Swift to this West Brom side cannot be downplayed, though, which could give the manager a reason to start him. The 28-year-old scored in both Baggies matches before his injury in October, against Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City.

John Swift

6

Brandon Thomas-Asante

5

Matt Phillips

3

Grady Diangana

2

Jed Wallace

2

Semi Ajayi

2

Kyle Bartley

2

Meanwhile, Maja is someone who is still waiting for his Hawthorns career to ignite, with the 24-year-old only managing five appearances for West Brom to date, seeing injuries stunting his progress. He is someone whose end product could end up being vital to his side's promotion hopes as the season goes on, whether that be from the start or the substitutes' bench. It will be fascinating to see how the Baggies fare against Ipswich, with a win suggesting that promotion to the Premier League could be very possible this season.

Rangers are interested in reintegrating a player who was once described as a "baller" into the first team, according to a new update.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers have come back to life with Philippe Clement in charge following the doomed reign of Michael Beale, and while further improvements can still be made, things do feel as though they are heading in the right direction overall.

Rangers haven't yet allowed Celtic to pull away in the Scottish Premiership title race even though there is plenty of ground to make up, and there is hope that this could be a campaign to remember come May.

For that to happen, it could be argued that new signings in the January transfer window are a must in order to provide Clement with more depth and quality moving forward.

Rangers have been linked with a move for Everton defender Ben Godfrey, with the Englishman seen as a good option to bring in and bolster the manager's options, and players of that stature could make a real difference moving forward.

There are also players who are currently out on loan who could yet be persevered with eventually, should Clement value them – and a key update has emerged regarding one such figure.

Rangers eyeing future role for Ianis Hagi

According to a fresh claim from Football Insider, Rangers appear keen on finding a role for Ianis Hagi once he returns from his loan spell at Alaves, having been shipped off by Michael Beale during the summer transfer window.

"Rangers have not shut the door on attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi returning to the club and becoming a key player under new boss Philippe Clement. Ex-Gers manager Michael Beale wanted Hagi, 25, out and got his wish when he was loaned to La Liga outfit Deportivo Alaves for the season in the summer window.

"But Clement has since taken the reins at Ibrox and wants to assess the attacking midfielder when his temporary move to Spain ends."

This could be a popular decision among Rangers supporters, should Clement see worth in bringing Hagi back into the fold next term, with the 25-year-old clearly not someone who was rated by Beale, but whose Ibrox career could yet be salvaged.

He showed enough quality before his temporary move to Alaves to suggest that he still has plenty to offer in a Gers shirt, with Calvin Bassey once hailing him as a "baller" during their time together at the club.

Appearances

99

Goals

16

Assists

21

Hagi's Rangers statistics also highlight how well he has done at times, with a tally of 16 goals and 21 assists coming his way in 99 appearances to date, showing that he can be a consistent provider of end product from his attacking-midfield role.

The Romanian is contracted with the Gers until the summer of 2026, so there is certainly no rush to allow him to leave, meaning Clement has time to assess him when he returns, deciding if he can be a key player under him or not.

It is believed that one player finds the idea of a move to West Ham quite tempting, with a January transfer now possible for him.

West Ham facing mass 2024 exodus

The Hammers are facing a pretty real prospect of losing key players in 2024, with many squad members currently out of contract next summer as things stand. Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna could all depart the London Stadium for free at the end of this Premier League season, giving London Stadium chiefs some big decisions to make.

Manager David Moyes is another important figure who may leave next year, with reports suggesting that West Ham are unlikely to offer the Scotsman a new contract.

Coufal is a pretty interesting case, as the Czech Republic international has been one of the arguable success stories of Moyes' second stint in charge.

Signed for just £5.4 million in 2020, which looks like a real bargain, the full-back has gone on to become a fixture in the West Ham eleven alongside Czech teammate Tomas Soucek. Both dazzled in their debut season and have played a major roles in West Ham's European success since then. Saying goodbye to Coufal in June could come as a pretty tough call from sporting director Mark Noble and transfer chief Tim Steidten.

The 31-year-old's contract contains a club option to extend by an additional 12 months, but there have been reports that West Ham are targeting long-term replacements for Coufal regardless.

Wolves star Nelson Semedo has been linked with a West Ham move in recent months, while another option could be Man United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Wan-Bissaka finds West Ham move tempting

According to a report by Football Transfers this week, it is believed Wan-Bissaka is enticed by potentially joining West Ham over London rivals Crystal Palace. A winter window exit is apparently on the cards for United's full-back, and West Ham are targeting the Englishman as a possible replacement for Coufal.

Indeed, Steidten is said to be chasing a new right-back for as soon as the January window, with Wan-Bissaka viewed as a serious option. The former Palace star has made six appearances for United so far but could depart Old Trafford mid-season, something which may benefit West Ham in their hunt for a Coufal heir.

Spurs star James Maddison, commenting on Wan-Bissaka's ability, said that the Englishman is one of world football's best one-v-one defenders – calling him "ridiculously good" in that aspect.

This sentiment is echoed by BBC pundit Alan Hutton, who urged West Ham to make a move for the £100,000-per-week ace earlier this year (Salary Sport).

“If we are talking about just as a defender, West Ham need to strengthen and there is no doubt he is one of the best 1v1 defenders that there is as a full-back," said Hutton to Football Insider.

"I think he could definitely make them better but the fee is going to be the big thing, probably a stumbling block."

Carlos Corberan will want his West Brom players to put the dramatic defeat they suffered at the hands of Leicester City last game immediately to one side, the Baggies yearning for three points to come their way against a now managerless Sunderland side this Saturday to bounce back.

The Baggies boss will be forced into using his full squad for the game against the Black Cats in a less-than-ideal situation, trusted first team winger Matt Phillips is definitely ruled out for the game at the weekend owing to a long-term injury whilst Jed Wallace's availability remains up in the air.

On top of that, Corberan will also be without defensive midfielder Okay Yokuslu for the clash at the Stadium of Light – West Brom's Turkish titan picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Leicester, meaning he will sit out this away game with a suspension.

This development comes at the worst possible time for the 29-year-old and his team, Yokuslu enjoying a purple patch recently for the Baggies before picking up a frankly needless fifth booking.

Okay Yokuslu's season in numbers

This will be the first time the defensive midfielder has missed a game this season, on the pitch in some capacity in all of West Brom's 19 games so far in the second tier.

The former Trabzonspor's man absence will be felt, Yokuslu particularly impressive last month in tricky games against Southampton and Ipswich Town in his holding role in the starting eleven.

His role in the Ipswich win went under the radar, but he was crucial throughout the statement 2-0 win for Corberan's side – winning six of his seven duels in the game, as per Sofascore.

Yokuslu could have even added a rare goal to his Baggies account against Kieran McKenna's men, hitting his only effort wide in a contest that saw West Brom dominate.

The win was secured courtesy of their no-nonsense presence standing strong up against Ipswich's flair players, the sort of presence that would be perfectly suited to the game against Sunderland when challenged with keeping tabs on skilful opposition players such as Dan Neil and Jack Clarke.

Jayson Molumby will more than likely come into the side to replace the suspended Yokuslu, however, hopeful of stepping up to the mark after an uninspiring season to date had seen him frozen out of Corberan's first-team plans.

Jayson Molumby's season in numbers

Once referred to by his manager as an "animal" in the centre of the park when performing at his best for the Baggies, the 24-year-old will be keen to offer energy and creativity alongside aggression from midfield against the Black Cats.

He'll definitely be wanting to perform to a better standard than he did when he was substituted on against the Foxes, West Brom's number eight winning just one of his four duels from a forgettable 15 minutes on the Hawthorns turf.

The Republic of Ireland senior international will instead want to tap into his excellent displays from earlier in the season and perform to that level again versus the Black Cats, Molumby starring in midfield against Millwall all the way back in August in what was the first home game of the campaign.

Molumby was measured and controlled in the middle of the pitch, only misplacing three passes all game in the otherwise drab 0-0 stalemate.

The Irishman will just hope he does enough against Sunderland to give Corberan a mini-selection dilemma when Yokuslu is free to be selected again, Molumby was one of the first names on the team sheet last season whilst this campaign he's faded to a position on the substitutes' bench.

Perhaps Saturday's crunch clash could be a rare opportunity for the 5 foot 9 gem to grasp.

Brighton and Hove Albion have made contact to enquire about a deal to sign a new defender, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

Roberto De Zerbi's season so far

The Seagulls have made a generally positive start to the new campaign having won six, drawn four and lost four of their opening 14 games, meaning that they currently find themselves eighth in the Premier League table.

Luton Town (4-1)

Liverpool (2-2)

West Ham United (3-1)

Wolves (4-1)

Fulham (1-1)

Aston Villa (6-1)

Newcastle United (3-1)

Everton (1-1)

Manchester City (2-1)

Manchester United (3-1)

Sheffield United (1-1)

Chelsea (3-2)

Bournemouth (3-1)

Nottingham Forest (3-2)

Ahead of January, Roberto De Zerbi will know that strengthening his squad further could allow him to challenge for a high place in the division, not to mention how far he could take his side in the Europa League, and he’s set his sights on one target in particular.

Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez has established himself as Diego Alonso’s overall second best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.03 (WhoScored – Sevilla statistics), and the 20-year-old’s impressive form has seemingly caught the eye at The Amex.

The Spain youth international was recently the subject of interest from the south coast outfit who were reportedly considering making a move, and if the following update is to be believed, the hierarchy have now taken their admiration one step further prior to the upcoming transfer window opening.

Brighton interested in Juanlu Sanchez

According to Spanish outlet ABC Sevilla (via Sport Witness), Brighton are keen on Sanchez ahead of January. The Seagulls have reached out to ask how much it would take to secure the services of their target “in recent days”, after sending scouts to assess his performances. The Sevilla defender is set to have a release clause of €25m (£21m) in the new year, and whilst an official offer is yet to be made, there is “clear interest”.

Sanchez could be a "gifted" player for De Zerbi

Being a right-back, Sanchez is naturally stronger in the defensive aspect of his game which he’s proven so far this season where he currently ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 98th percentile for blocks (FBRef – Sanchez statistics).

Sponsored by Nike, De Zerbi’s target is also capable of making a positive impact in the final third having posted 23 contributions, 13 assists and 10 goals, in 128 appearances since the start of his career (Transfermarkt – Sanchez statistics).

The Seville native also has previous experience competing in both the Champions League and Europa League, so he will additionally know what it takes to be successful at the level required in the competition that the club are currently in.

As described by Jose Manuel Rodriguez, Sanchez is a genuinely “gifted” player, and whilst he could be ready to be thrown straight into the starting line-up, being just 20 years of age, he could be more of an exciting signing for the long-term future of Brighton.

West Ham are apparently big fans of a new manager target who their former boss, Sam Allardyce, has hailed as "incredible".

Moyes heading for 2024 exit

Since re-joining the Hammers in late 2019, head coach David Moyes has done an absolutely fantastic job of guiding West Ham through their most successful period for a long, long time.

The east Londoners won their first piece of silverware since 1980, and first European trophy since the 60s, with a Conference League triumph in Prague last season. This came after Moyes lead West Ham to consecutive European qualification campaigns, and they're in a strong position to seal a Europa League knockout round place this season.

These scenarios were scarcely imagine when Moyes first joined, but that being said, West Ham's league form hasn't been brilliant over the last 12 months. They were battling relegation for much of 2022/2023, and reports suggest Moyes could leave West Ham in 2024 when his current contract expires.

West Ham identifying Moyes replacements

As relayed by 90min journalist Toby Cudworth on the Talking Transfers podcast earlier this month, West Ham are identifying future replacements for Moyes and doing their due-diligence.

“Our understanding is that West Ham have been looking at future replacements for him," said Cudworth (via West Ham Zone).

"He won the Conference League in June, has one year left on his contract, but there’s been no engagement over a new contract. Our understanding is that West Ham are in no hurry to replace him despite the indifferent Premier League results. David Sullivan doesn’t really see an available candidate who offers substantially more than David Moyes.

“One thing we can say with near-certainty, David Moyes is not going to be signing an extension at West Ham barring a miracle.”

It would appear that the Scotsman is likely to leave next year, with talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook sharing a possible candidate to succeed him.

West Ham really like Steve Cooper

According to Crook, who wrote an X update on Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper and his future at the City Ground, West Ham have a watchful eye over him. Indeed, West Ham are apparently real admirers of Cooper, with the 43-year-old under fresh pressure amid a poor recent run of form for Forest.

The Welshman guided his side to promotion from the Championship in 2022, with Forest later maintaining their top flight status by the skin of their teeth. Former West Ham boss Allardyce, commenting on Cooper earlier this year, heaped praise on the tactician for his "incredible" job dealing with certain issues at Forest.

Average term as coach: 2.08 years

Preferred formation: 3-4-2-1

Points per game: 1.71

Coaching license: UEFA professional license

"What becomes difficult in terms of building team spirit is having too many players. Most managers don’t have enough. What they don’t have enough of is quality, and what they don’t want is quantity," said Allardyce on the No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast (via Forest News).

“Steve is one of the only managers to say he has too many players. Dealing with that can distract your focus. You want to keep them all involved and use them if you can and see what they’ve got, but ultimately, it’s a very tough decision. Steve has done an incredible job dealing with these issues as well as getting good results.”

Southampton have now extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to 13 matches, despite picking up successive draws away from home to stop a lengthy winning streak.

Russell Martin's Saints have won six of their last ten matches in the division, putting themselves firmly in the promotion reckoning as a result.

Blackburn Rovers are the visitors to the south coast this Saturday, with Martin's men keen to add another win to their season tally at the expense of Jon Dahl Tomasson's entertaining Riversiders.

The Southampton boss could reshuffle his side slightly for the task of overcoming Dahl Tomasson's men from Lancashire, with Che Adams one of a number of first-teamers potentially facing the chop.

Here's how the Saints could line up for the game tomorrow…

1 GK – Gavin Bazunu

Gavin Bazunu should retain his spot in between the sticks for the home game, the Irish shot-stopper signed from Manchester City in the summer keeping back-to-back clean sheets at St Mary's before his side picked up two subsequent away draws.

2 RB – Kyle Walker-Peters

Kyle Walker-Peters will also start versus Blackburn, the Saints right-back has barely put a foot wrong all season which has meant he's been everpresent in Martin's side in the Championship.

3 CB – Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Taylor Harwood-Bellis' reputation in the game continues to increase with the Saints, the Man City loanee excelling in the second tier once again after a promising loan switch to Burnley last campaign.

The 21-year-old's display in the away draw at Watford was particularly impressive, winning all but one of his duels in the 1-1 contest, as per Sofascore.

4 CB – Jan Bednarek

Southampton's more experienced centre-back option will also start the Blackburn game, the ever-reliable Jan Bednarek a colossus in the second tier to date.

The Polish defender was a standout performer at the back versus Coventry last game, accurate with 96% of his passes in a calm display.

5 LB – Ryan Manning

Ryan Manning should be the final part of an unchanged defence for Martin, the ex-Swansea City defender important for the Saints this campaign.

Manning's threat from down the channels stood out against the Sky Blues at the CBS Arena, accurate with two crosses in the game in an attempt to assist a Saints forward to gain a win.

6 CM – Joe Aribo

The first switch in personnel Martin will ponder over is axing Shea Charles from his lineup potentially, the Saints splashing the cash on the former Man City man in the summer by paying £15m to land his services.

He was below-par away at Coventry mid-week however – only winning three of his eight duels – and so could be sacrificed for Aribo to be pushed back into a more comfortable central midfield slot.

Aribo played behind Adam Armstrong in an advanced role against Mark Robins' men, but is far more suited to a deeper central midfield role – scoring 11 times from this position when playing for Rangers before switching to the Saints.

7 CM – Will Smallbone

Martin will toy with the idea of starting Flynn Downes for this contest – Downes missing from the Coventry match owing to illness – but risking a star player feels unnecessarily risky when you have Will Smallbone to fall back on.

Smallbone was excellent in Southampton's last second-tier match in mid-week, 100% successful with his ground duels.

Therefore, Martin might not need to bring Downes back into the starting lineup immediately especially if the West Ham United loanee isn't at full freshness just yet.

8 CM – Stuart Armstrong

The creativity potentially lacking from the side with Downes out won't be as noticeable with Stuart Armstrong present in the starting eleven, the ex-Dundee United man enjoying a fine season to date at St Mary's.

The ageing Scotsman wasn't at his free-flowing best away at Coventry – losing possession 20 times – but he's done more than enough in other games this campaign to make that third central midfield spot his own.

Creating four big chances this campaign dictating play in the middle, Martin will hope Armstrong can be at his creative best up against tricky opponents in Blackburn tomorrow.

9 AM – Carlos Alcaraz

In place of Aribo being moved back, Carlos Alcaraz could be given a start by Martin for the home game against the Riversiders.

The Argentine attacker hasn't really gotten into his groove in the second tier for the Saints this season – only helping himself to a single goal in league action – but he was impressive nonetheless when substituted on against Coventry.

Winning three out of three ground duels from a rowdy eight minutes on the pitch, Alcaraz could be the aggressive and forward-thinking figure Martin wants to get his team firing again and beating teams with ease instead of settling for draws.

10 AM – Samuel Edozie

In the other attacking midfielder spot, Martin could axe Adams for Samuel Edozie who made even more of an impact last game than Alcaraz when introduced.

Edozie would ensure the Saints travelled back to the South Coast with a share of the spoils, hammering home an effort after an Adam Armstrong nod-on found him ready to fiercely fire a strike.

Edozie's skilful reputation in the game has even seen him branded with the label of being an "eye-catcher" according to football pundit Adrian Clarke on What the EFL?! Podcast, who hyped up the youngster at the start of August before the season had properly got underway.

Adams will be sacrificed to make way for Edozie to come in, the ex-Birmingham City man not even registering one shot on goal before Edozie was substituted on.

Sheffield Wednesday have "identified" a key transfer target ahead of the January window opening, according to an update from reliable journalist Joe Crann.

Sheff Wed form under Rohl

There was a point earlier in the season when the Owls' Championship fate almost felt sealed before the campaign had even hit thee halfway stage, with a host of defeats leaving them adrift at the bottom of the table.

Thankfully, Danny Rohl has come in as manager and made a world of difference, with the 34-year-old arguably proving to be one of the most exciting young appointments the club have made in some time, playing a modern brand of high-octane pressing football.

Wednesday have won three of their last four Championship matches, rising off the bottom in the process, and while there is still a lot of work to do in the relegation fight, there is now genuine hope that a speedy return to League One can be avoided next May.

For that to happen, further signings in the January transfer window could be on the to-do list, depending on how much funds are made available to Rohl, given the current financial situation at the club. It looks as though the Owls are looking to the Premier League for a possible addition.

Sheff Wed want James Beadle

Taking to X on Monday, Crann claimed that Sheffield Wednesday are eyeing a move for Brighton goalkeeper James Beadle.

"Understand that Brighton goalkeeper, James Beadle, is being considered as a potential target for #SWFC – he’s currently on loan with Oxford United but there’s talk of a potential recall in order to get him into the Championship."

In Crann's report for The Sheffield Star, he adds that Wednesday "aren’t the only Championship outfit believed to be interested in his services with Birmingham City also thought to be keeping tabs on him", and "his reputation as a ball-playing shot-stopper would make him an interesting addition considering the way that Rohl wants his team to play."

Beadle could be a fascinating signing by the Owls next month, even if that is on loan for the remainder of the season, assuming Brighton don't want to lose a talented young player permanently.

At just 19 years of age, the Englishman has already made his mark at senior level, catching the eye on loan at Oxford United, with the rumoured Wednesday target making 21 starts in League One so far this season, winning one Man of the Match award from WhoScored along the way.

Cameron Dawson is enjoying an impressive run of form under Rohl, including making a vital penalty save away to Stoke City, so he understandably feels like the first-choice at Hillsborough currently.

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Beadle could add stern competition for playing time, however, and if the Owls manager sees him as a better option in terms of suiting his playing style, he may not hesitate in throwing him straight into the side.

Having a 'keeper who is excellent with the ball at his feet is so vital for many teams nowadays, with Alisson and Ederson perfect examples at Liverpool and Manchester City respectively, so Beadle could be the next piece of the jigsaw in Wednesday's side.

Manchester United have made contact to express their interest in a move to sign a central talisman in January, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

The Red Devils have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won nine and lost seven of their opening 16 games in thePremier League, although they are still firmly in contention to secure a place in the top four should they start picking up results on a more consistent basis.

Ahead of the upcoming window opening, Erik ten Hag will know that he needs to strengthen his squad should he want to try and qualify for the Champions League, and with Sofyan Amrabat having been nothing short of underwhelming following his summer arrival on loan, defensive midfield is a position that needs addressing.

Fulham’s Joao Palhinha has been identified as a potential candidate by the manager, with the 28-year-old having firmly established himself as Marco Silva’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.18 (Fulham statistics).

July 4, 2022

Sporting CP

Fulham

Jul 31, 2020

SC Braga

Sporting CP (end of loan)

Aug 7, 2018

Sporting CP

SC Braga (loan)

The Portugal international came extremely close to joining Bayern Munich over the summer, but with a deal collapsing on deadline day despite him travelling for a medical, he ended up remaining at Craven Cottage, and his impressive performances have brought him onto the radar of other clubs in the top-flight.

Man United hoping to land Palhinha

According to Football Transfers, Man United are interested in Palhinha and have made Fulham aware that they would be keen to secure his services in January.

“Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool have all expressed their desire to sign Palhinha in recent weeks, with FootballTransfers exclusively reporting that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are set to turn their attention to the Fulham man after learning Aston Villa’s asking price for Douglas Luiz. Sources have informed us that Palhinha may cost €58 million (£50m) in 2024, with a January move on the cards if a suitable bid is tabled.”

Palhinha could be a "monster" for Ten Hag

As it stands, Palhinha ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles so he loves to get stuck into challenges to try and win back possession for his team, but he’s also more than capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch (FBRef – Palhinha statistics).

Standing at 6 foot 2, Lisbon’s native has already posted three contributions (two goals and one assist), in 14 Premier League appearances this season, so considering how effective he can be both defensively and offensively, he’s such a well-rounded player.

Sponsored by Adidas, Ten Hag’s target even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level because he has secured five pieces of silverware since the start of his career, so he will possess the winning mentality required to achieve what is expected of him at Old Trafford.

As dubbed by Video and Data Analyst Marcus Bring, Palhinha is a “defensive monster”, and when you look at all of the positive qualities that he could bring to the side, Man United have a no-brainer of a decision to make should the opportunity present itself in the coming weeks.

Newcastle United are believed to be a plotting a formal bid for a gifted Championship starlet with a big future in the game, a new report has claimed.

Newcastle want January signings

The Magpies' struggles this season have been well-documented, with constant injury problems making it difficult for them to replicate last year's brilliance. A second consecutive top-four finish in the Premier League is looking increasingly difficult, but with the January transfer window now underway, they will have a chance to make new signings, with Eddie Howe surely keen on boosting the squad options that he currently has.

The absence of Sven Botman at the centre of Newcastle's defence has hurt them badly so far this season, and a lack of top-quality centre-backs means that they have been linked with moves for the likes of Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie and highly-rated Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo.

Newcastle's midfield has struggled at times, too, not helped by Sandro Tonali being suspended for ten months and not being back until next season, and Kalvin Phillips continues to stand out as a primary target, with a loan move for the Manchester City and England ace mooted.

It is important that signings arrive for the here and now this month, but equally, it is also paramount that Howe looks to hoover up top young talent as well, which is where a new transfer story comes into play.

Newcastle eyeing move for Rory Finneran

According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Newcastle are readying a bid for Blackburn Rovers teenager Rory Finneran, with scouts left impressed after watching him in action recently.

"Newcastle are plotting a formal move for Blackburn Rovers starlet Rory Finneran, sources have told Football Insider. Finneran, 15, is regarded as a future star by the Championship club and is already a Republic of Ireland Under-17 international.

"Newcastle are readying an offer for the defensive midfielder – who has impressed Magpies scouts at youth level for both club and country. Finneran has regularly taken part in first-team training with Blackburn and was named on the bench for their recent 2-1 win over Bristol City on 12 December."

Finneran may be something of an unknown, considering he is still just 15 years of age, but he is someone who is highly thought of at Blackburn, with the report's description of him as a "future star" outlining his potential. The midfielder has already made ten appearances for his current club's Under-18s, despite being three years younger than that age group, further showing the speed at which he is developing.

Newcastle could be an ideal club for Finneran to move to, with the Magpies' current issues not masking the fact that they are still heading in a positive direction overall.

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The emergence of Lewis Miley this season could even be used as inspiration for the Blackburn starlet, too, with the 17-year-old enjoying a breakthrough campaign that has seen him becoming a genuinely important first-team player.