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Aston Villa winger Bertrand Traore suffered an injury at the weekend during a friendly against Liverpool, according to Foot Mercato.

And, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been giving their thoughts to the news on social media.

Foot Mercato claim that Traore could well leave Villa Park before the window closes with Atalanta and AS Roma keen.

The report adds that the 25-year-old suffered a hamstring injury at Anfield after scoring in a 4-1 defeat and now looks set to be sidelined for 3-4 weeks.

Dean Smith used Anwar El Ghazi and Ashley Young out wide against Watford on Saturday, with new signing Leon Bailey coming on in the second half.

Traore also featured at Vicarage Road in the latter stages, but it now seems as if he has picked up an injury in a behind closed doors friendly with the Reds, 24 hours on from the 3-2 loss against the Hornets.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared Foot Mercato’s claim on Traore on Twitter. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with one labelling it a ‘nightmare’.

“Week ruined”Credit: @TraoreTheKing”We’re screwed”Credit: @Wanye04594011″It gets worse”Credit: @youngprodigy08″Nightmare”Credit: @AVFCOliver”Nooo”Credit: @Astonxii”I mean why are we playing Friendlies in the during a season is beyond me. Something like this was always a possibility”Credit: @Jannetts_

In other news: West Ham keen on signing ‘different class’ Aston Villa ace.

Alan Nixon has provided an update regarding Bailey Wright’s prospective transfer from Sunderland to Wigan.

What’s the talk?

According to the journalist on Twitter, Wigan are currently being put off a deal for the 29-year-old due to his valuation.

The Latics are chasing a swoop for the defender and are unwilling to match Kristjaan Speakman’s demands at this moment in time.

Weight lifted

Lee Johnson will have a weight lifted from his shoulders following this update from Nixon. It potentially puts an end to the speculation over Wright’s future, in terms of Wigan at least, as Leam Richardson’s side are either unwilling or unable to pay the asking price for the former Bristol City powerhouse.

The season starting before the end of the transfer window brings up a number of issues, with one being potential disruption to a manager’s plans. Wright has been stuck in limbo on Wearside as it has been unclear whether or not he will still be at the club come September, with his only league appearances this season coming off the bench.

Tom Flanagan and Callum Doyle have started the season as Johnson’s centre-back pairing, and with Wright’s future still in the balance, it could have caused chaos if he began the season starting in defence before leaving to join Wigan after four or five matches. The first-choice duo have impressed, with average WhoScored ratings of 7.00 and 6.75 respectively in League One thus far.

That isn’t to say that Wright is not an important player for Sunderland. Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips compared him to Virgil van Dijk last year and hailed the impact he made at the Stadium of Light.

The 48-year-old told Football Insider: “He’s been a great signing. I don’t know the player, but I just get the feeling that he’s a leader and a voice in the dressing room.

“Sometimes the manager can only say so much and then you want of your senior experience players to pipe up and put a few people in their place and give encouragement and be a leader. He seems like that.

“The stats just show what an important player he is. He’s almost to Sunderland what van Dijk is to Liverpool at the moment with those incredible stats.”

This shows that the £13k-per-week beast still has the quality to make an impact at the club. Now that the speculation may start to die down due to Wigan being unable to sign him, Johnson could perhaps trust him to start games, either coming in for Flanagan or Doyle or making up a back three alongside them.

Wright averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.94 in League One across 35 starts for Sunderland last term. This shows that he has the ability to be a key player for the club and that is why Johnson will be relieved that he could now have the defender to call upon throughout the season.

AND in other news, Lee Johnson provides injury update on £4k-p/w “revelation”, SAFC fans will be relieved…

Former Everton man Michael Ball has expressed his doubts over whether Jean-Philippe Gbamin can last the full season at Goodison Park.

The midfielder has been battling serious injuries throughout his time at the club.

The 25-year-old actually joined the club in 2019 but he has only made three first-team appearances.

Gbamin has had to deal with a serious hamstring injury, an Achilles tendon rupture, and a medial collateral ligament injury, missing a total of 86 games for the club.

He is now back in contention to play for the first-team following his return from injury but Ball thinks that the club need to prioritise bringing in reinforcements in midfield, because Gbamin simply cannot be trusted to play regularly due to his injury history.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Ball said: “Obviously, we’ve got Gbamin coming back after his long injury.

“Can they trust him to play the majority of the games next season? I think that’d be big ask for Gbamin so I think reinforcements in that area are a possibility for Everton.”

Everton paid £25m to sign the midfielder from Bundesliga club Mainz, as a replacement for the PSG-bound Idrissa Gueye, a fee that now looks remarkably high.

Tottenham Hotspur could yet bring in a new striker before tomorrow’s transfer deadline…

What’s the word?

According to the Sunday Mail (via Sky Sports), Spurs are keeping an eye on Odsonne Edouard’s situation ahead of a potential move, with no fewer than three Premier League teams vying for his signature, including Everton and Crystal Palace.

The 23-year-old has been long linked with an exit from Parkhead throughout the summer and with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, it could be the last chance for the Scottish giants to generate a transfer fee for his signature.

Per Football Insider, the Hoops could accept an offer of below £20m due to his contractual situation, having set a £40m bar last summer.

Imagine him & Kane

The possible arrival of a new striker has been on Spurs’ agenda for much of the summer – regardless of whether Harry Kane was staying or going. And now that the England international has committed to the club for the season, head coach Nuno Santo can push ahead with his plans to deploy a two-man attack.

Last month, the Telegraph suggested that the Portuguese was keen to find a striker to partner Kane up top, with names like Danny Ings (who has since joined Aston Villa), Dusan Vlahovic and Adama Traore all linked throughout the window.

Given the drastic drop-off in his asking price, it could be quite the smart and low-risk signing to make. It remains to be seen how the Frenchman will operate outside of Scotland but his goalscoring record north of the border cannot be disputed.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs team and injury news, transfer rumours, gossip and much, much more!”]

He’s already found the net three times and provided two assists this season despite all the speculation, meaning his total for Celtic has risen to 86 goals and 39 assists in 179 appearances. That’s a direct contribution every 97 minutes, via Transfermarkt, which is better than Kane’s record at Spurs (118 minutes).

Edouard’s explosive pace and movement off the ball could hand Nuno one hell of an attack, considering Kane’s playmaking ability from deep. That’s perhaps why Nuno wants to have two strikers in his system, rather than one.

“He had the confidence and the obsession with scoring all great strikers need. He never doubts his qualities. But this behaviour can create panic – for the opposition defenders,” claimed his old France youth coach Jean-Claude Giuntini to the BBC.

“He had an excellent sense of anticipation which gave him a remarkable ability to read play. And he had a considerable skill for shooting – his efforts were targeted, precise and powerful.”

Whilst ex-Celtic boss Neil Lennon has previously lauded him as “talismanic”, with Barry Ferguson also describing his quality as “unstoppable” to the Daily Record.

These are just further signs that the 23-year-old could be worth a punt before tomorrow’s deadline, particularly as the Englishman is still Spurs’ only out-and-out striker.

The £15.3m-rated talisman must be looked at by Fabio Paratici and co before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Paratici can seal huge Sissoko upgrade in Spurs swoop for “unique” £22.5m-rated dynamo…

An update has emerged on Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Celtic centre-forward Odsonne Edouard.

What’s the talk?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Odsonne Edouard is edging closer to becoming a Crystal Palace player and he is set to undergo his medical in London.

Romano claims that a fee in the region of between €18m-€19m has already been agreed between Celtic and the Eagles, with personal terms also wrapped up between the player and the club.

Fans will love it

Crystal Palace fans will love this update from Romano as it all but confirms that the dynamo will be strutting his stuff at Selhurst Park this season.

As long as his medical goes swimmingly and there are no major issues that could cause a deal to collapse, Edouard will join Palace and bolster Patrick Vieira’s squad. The French striker has impressed in Scotland in recent years and his goalscoring record should get Eagles fans excited about what he could bring to their side.

In 104 Scottish Premiership games for the Hoops, Edouard has scored 59 goals and provided 26 assists. This shows that he has been able to prove himself in Scotland as he has a goal involvement rate of more than a goal or assist every other game.

Last year, former Hoops forward Frank McGarvey lauded the centre-forward as an outstanding footballer, saying at the time that he expected a £20m bid to come in for him.

He said:

“I just love watching Edouard. He has that bit of magic in his feet, and he reminds me of Charlie Nicholas.

“You just know if he gets the ball just outside of the box the other team are in trouble. Edouard has that ability to produce something out of nothing because he has such quick feet.

“I think someone will come in this summer and put £20million on the table for him. You can’t blame Celtic for taking it, especially in the current climate.

“I’ll be sorry to see him go because he is an outstanding footballer. His temperament and his ability are genuinely top class.”

This highlights how highly-rated he is north of the border and gives an insight into the type of player Palace are set to receive.  He has ‘magic in his feet’ and has proven that he can score goals, but it is now down to him to show that he can translate his form in Scotland to the Premier League.

Time will tell if he’s able to do that, but Eagles fans will love this piece of business for now as their club are bringing in a young, 23-year-old, attacker with potential – one who has already shown excellent signs in front of goal in Scotland.

Palace needed a new striker and it looks like they’re about to get one.

In other Eagles news, Palace have reportedly been in contact with a Serie A side about another deal…

After enduring a difficult spell at St Mary’s, Southampton’s decision to sell Manolo Gabbiadini for £10.8m has turned into a great piece of business.

Southampton signed the Italian striker from Napoli in a deal worth £14m in 2017 and he would go on to make 60 appearances for the Saints, in which he contributed just 12 goals and no assists.

Other than his performance in the League Cup final, where he scored twice in a 3-2 defeat against Manchester United, the former Italy international endured an entirely forgettable spell at St Mary’s and he hasn’t exactly set the world alight since leaving either.

After just one goal in 12 Premier League appearances in the 2018/19 season, Southampton decided to cash in on Gabbiadini, with Sampdoria paying £10.8m to take him back to Serie A, where he has remained for the past two and a half years.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431”]

Despite an improved record which has seen him manage 39 goals and 12 assists in 122 appearances for I Blucerchiati, his market value has seriously decreased from his time at St Mary’s, with Transfermarkt valuing him at just £4.5m.

This emphasises just how well Southampton did to sell him for £10.8m, even if they did make a small loss on the £14m they paid for him, as if he had stayed at St Mary’s and continued to struggle, then we could well have seen a similar situation to someone like Guido Carrillo, who was eventually released by the Saints after several loan spells, despite them paying £19m to sign him from AS Monaco.

Therefore, sporting director at the time, Ross Wilsonm deserves credit for negotiating such a good deal for Gabbiadini after he struggled to perform in the Premier League, although considering his goal record has never been fantastic, you wonder why Southampton wanted to sign him in the first place.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl may have his next JWP in never-before-seen academy gem

This was an excellent international break for Celtic skipper Callum McGregor.

The midfielder turned in a performance to savour for his country as the Hoops hero gave Scotland an excellent chance of qualifying for the World Cup.

However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows over the international break for the Bhoys.

On the chalkboard

Sadly, Celtic will now be without Kyogo Furuhashi for potentially seven matches.

The Japanese striker was away with his country and had to be withdrawn on the 50-minute mark of their match with China.

Kyogo went down holding his knee and the assessment doesn’t look particularly good.

It will be a big blow to Celtic as the forward has been nothing short of sublime since arriving from the J-League.

His pace and frantic energy is a sight to behold and he has scared plenty of Premiership defences already. He has a Parkhead hat-trick to his name and has bagged seven goals in just nine outings.

Fortunately, Celtic do have someone else in their armoury.

The solution

If this problem had occurred earlier in the season then Ange Postecoglou’s solution would be simple; unleash Odsonne Edouard.

Yet, with the Frenchman no longer a Celtic player, he must seek alternative options.

One man to whom he could turn is Albian Ajeti, but after a grand haul of only six goals last season, it’s unlikely that he will be the man to dig them out against Ross County on Saturday afternoon.

Instead, Postecoglou must turn to a new signing in Giorgos Giakoumakis.

The £2.25m-rated striker came to the club from VVV-Venlo after finishing as the Eredivisie’s top scorer last season with 26 goals.

With that in mind, he is the exact man you’d want to replace someone like Furuhashi.

He is a ruthless penalty box poacher and, if he receives the type of service Kyogo has all season, he should certainly score plenty of goals for this Hoops side.

That was the assessment of Pierre Van Hooijdonk, who said: “I think he’s capable of scoring 20-plus goals for Celtic this season.

“If you use him properly and play to his strengths, he’s going to get the club a lot of goals. The level of his finishing is top class. If you look at his goals, most of them are really good goals, with a real identity. They’re not all just about power.”

Giakoumakis is a different player in the fact that he prefers to be closer to goal than Kyogo, whose best strengths are running in behind and coolly slotting away one-on-ones.

Despite that, he is evidently their best replacement for the game with Ross County.

AND in other news, Forget Soro: Celtic must unleash rarely-seen 20 y/o with a “wand of a left foot”…

Crystal Palace confirmed on Monday that midfielder Conor Gallagher won the club’s Player of the Month award for August.

And, as to be expected, a number of Eagles fans were delighted at the news on social media.

Gallagher, who arrived on a season-long loan from Chelsea in the summer, missed the first game of the season at Stamford Bridge but has been a regular since.

He was named man of the match against Brentford and netted twice against West Ham in Palace’s final August fixture, those goals being the first in Patrick Vieira’s tenure as boss.

The 21-year-old collected a whopping 89.2% of fans’ votes for the August award and has also impressed this month with an assist against Tottenham last weekend.

Palace fans react

Palace posted the news regarding Gallagher on their official Twitter page on Monday evening. This is what these Eagles fans had to say in reply, with one describing it as ‘unreal’.

“loanee tearing it up”

Credit: @natepthomps

“Awww love u”

Credit: @paIaceawayy

“89% the boy is unreal”

Credit: @s_cpfc

“An absolute Rolls Royce of a Midfielder. Didn’t the bloke win 2 back-to-back MOTM Awards as well against Brentford and West Ham?, now he’s scooped a POTM Award. Can’t think of a midfielder, on a permanent basis or loan, who I’ve loved as much as Gallagher!”

Credit: @CPFCMOORE

“PERMANENT”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

“Unreal baller”

Credit: @cbk_13

In other news: ‘Genuine PL quality’ – Lots of Crystal Palace fans delighted by transfer news. 

Manchester United will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season when they host Aston Villa in today’s early kick-off.

The Red Devils have picked up 13 points from a possible 15 after a strong showing in the opening weeks of 2021/22, and they could move to the top of the table with another victory at Old Trafford.

Their chances of doing just that received a significant boost after United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed that experienced striker Edinson Cavani will be back in the matchday squad following an injury layoff.

“He’s in the squad tomorrow, he’s been training, and now he feels ready to contribute,” the Norwegian confirmed in Friday’s press conference.

“He came on against Wolverhampton, then he got a slight strain in the international break when we had a game, and he’s ready again. He’s worked really hard and diligently, and hopefully, he’ll have an impact as he did last season.”

Solskjaer will be hoping that his side can bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of West Ham in the Carabao Cup last time out, and he’s expected to ring the changes following that underwhelming display in midweek.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the 48-year-old to line up against Villa, with 11 changes from the side which lost to the Hammers on Wednesday…

In goal, David de Gea’s return to form will see him come back into the starting XI, meaning that Dean Henderson will be on the substitutes’ bench.

Ahead of the Spanish shot-stopper is expected to a back four which has shown a lot of promise in the early stages of the campaign, with Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka making up the defensive unit.

The midfield engine room will also have a familiar feel to it as Scott McTominay and Fred are set to form a double pivot, providing a solid foundation for the more attack-minded Bruno Fernandes from which to work.

Completing the lineup is Paul Pogba, the £45m-rated Mason Greenwood and summer signing Cristiano Ronaldo, relegating Anthony Martial back the sidelines after a hugely disappointing performance against West Ham on Wednesday night.

In other news… Lost possession 15 times: Man Utd liability struggled badly against West Ham 

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has revealed why Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has been hesitant to shake things up at Elland Road amid a difficult start to the new season.

What’s the story?

The Whites are yet to win a single game in the Premier League this campaign, drawing three times and losing twice, while they’ve already conceded 12 goals too – all of that has meant they currently occupy a spot in the relegation zone heading into this weekend’s game against West Ham.

And now, in response to a question from a fan about why Bielsa appears to “favour certain players over and above others”, Hay had this to say: “I think it will be a case of certain players building up three years of trust in Bielsa. He’s not the sort to bin people rapidly, or not players who’ve been dependable for him. Gelhardt is the one I’d like to see come through. He has so much ability.”

Frustrating from Bielsa

For all the incredible work that Bielsa has done in revamping things at Elland Road and getting Leeds promoted to the big time of the Premier League, one of the Argentine’s biggest strengths also appears to be one of his key weaknesses: his absolute faith in his players.

That loyalty has thus far served him extremely well, with a number of players who had been plying their trade in the Championship still making an impact at Premier League level – in fact, the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford have both managed to pick up England caps under his management too.

But while there have been several success stories like those two, there are also other players who Bielsa has been unwavering in his faith with, even if they don’t really deserve it.

Tyler Roberts has arguably been one of the most frustrating cases of Bielsa’s continued loyalty, with the Welshman’s wretched record in front of goal raising some serious doubts about whether he’s actually good enough at this level – in the 33 games he’s played in the Premier League, he’s scored just one goal and provided two assists.

Whether it’s giving a few more opportunities to some of the club’s younger talents, or taking that ruthless decision of dropping players who aren’t in the best of form, Bielsa could surely do with just making a few key changes to try and change the momentum at Elland Road.

Hay’s verdict on Bielsa, while admirable, could be something to frustrate fans.

Meanwhile, this Leeds United star was Bielsa’s real hero vs Fulham…