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A worrying update has emerged on Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton ahead of the club’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday…

What’s the latest?

Magpies manager Eddie Howe has revealed that the Brazilian gem is a doubt for the match against Antonio Conte’s side after suffering an injury in the 1-0 win over Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the coach said:

“He had a knock to the side of his knee. We thought he could run it off but when he said he had to come off at half-time we knew there was potentially an issue there.

“We’re hopeful it’s not serious but at this moment it’s still slightly unclear.”

Gutting for Howe

The Toon head coach should be gutted by this update as it suggests that the former Hoffenheim man could be unavailable for selection on Sunday.

Allan Saint-Maximin has been ruled out of contention to feature in the match but this injury to Joelinton is more concerning as he has been a machine in the middle of the park this season, whereas the Frenchman has not started a league match since August.

The central midfielder, who initially joined the club as a striker in 2019, has been in fine form this season for the Toon. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.04 in 10 Premier League outings, after averaging a score of 6.79 in the top-fight last term.

Magpies teammate Kieran Trippier recently described him as an “absolute machine” and stated that he is the standout player in training for the Magpies, which provides an insight into how highly he is rated by his peers.

He has made 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game in the middle of the park, winning 6.6 individual duels per match. The gem has also created 1.1 chances and completed 1.7 dribbles per outing, which shows that he has the quality, and engine, to make a big impact at both ends of the pitch.

Joelinton can break up opposition attacks and provide a shield for the defence whilst then having the ability and drive to push forward with the ball to kickstart counters. This gives Sven Botman and Fabian Schar less to do at the back and allows the likes of Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron to enjoy more of the ball going forward.

Therefore, Howe will be gutted by this injury doubt and should now be hoping that the enforcer is able to recover in time for Tottenham. If he is not able to do so then the manager will be hoping that it is not a long-term issue for the club to deal with…

Sheffield Wednesday have taken Hassan Ayari on trial from rivals Sheffield United, Joe Crann reports.

The Lowdown: Ayari profiled

The 19-year-old is primarily an attacking midfielder who can play on either wing.

A Tunisia youth international, Ayari has been on loan at sixth-tier club Scarborough Athletic, making four appearances during the current campaign. However, it looks as if a move across Sheffield could well be on the cards after news emereged in the last 48 hours.

The Latest: Crann’s news

Crann took to Twitter on Monday to share a story for The Star on Wednesday’s under-21s, who lost 3-1 to Peterborough United.

He said that there are a couple of trialists at the club currently, one of which is a ‘surprising’ one in Blades-owned Ayari.

The Verdict: One to watch

It looks as if Wednesday could well be open to a potential move for Ayari, so his trial could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

The Owls’ under-21s manager Neil Thompson has labelled the Tunisian ‘lively’, and still just a teenager, he could prove to be an intelligent prospective addition in the long run.

He’ll have to impress Wednesday officials first, though, with central midfielder Charlie Greenwood another who is on trial looking to catch the eye.

West Ham United ensured that they would finish top of Group B in the Europa Conference League as they earned a 1-0 win over Danish side Silkeborg FC on Thursday evening.

David Moyes rotated his side in the knowledge that a draw would be enough for the Hammers to secure first place but in the end, Manuel Lanzini’s penalty would be enough for the win.

The result continues West Ham’s 100% record in Europe so far this season, with only an away game against bottom side FCSB to come before the knockout stages, with the Irons no doubt targeting a European run similar to last season – which took them to the semi-finals of the Europa League.

While Nayef Aguerd was the centre of attention for a lot of West Ham supporters as he finally made his competitive debut for the club following his £30m summer switch from Rennes, Angelo Ogbonna was arguably the star performer on the night.

As per SofaScore, the experienced Italian would earn an impressive 7.1 rating for his performance at the London Stadium, after helping the Hammers to an all-important clean sheet.

The former Juventus man, who was the captain on the night, would win 100% of the duels in which he was involved during the match, emphasising how dominant he was against Silkeborg’s attackers – all three of whom would earn below a 6.7 rating from SofaScore.

As well as contributing one clearance and two interceptions, which was an increase on the one interception he averaged per game in the Premier League last season, Ogbonna’s passing was also hugely consistent on Thursday.

The veteran centre-back completed 77 of his 82 attempted passes at the London Stadium, resulting in a superb 95% pass success rate, which again is an increase on his average of 85.2% in the top flight last season.

The “outstanding” defender has been a big miss through injury so far this season, however, he showed on Thursday night just how reliable he can be for the Hammers, so Moyes will no doubt be glad to have both him and Aguerd back available, as they are sure to play a big part for the rest of the season.

Everton are reportedly keeping an eye Chelsea striker Armando Broja with a potential January transfer swoop in mind. 

The Lowdown: Everton’s transfer record

The Merseyside club have a recent track record when it comes to signing players from some of their fellow English clubs.

First-teamers such as Conor Coady, James Tarkowski, Dwight McNeil and Neal Maupay are just some of the names the Toffees have brought in from other clubs across the country in recent times.

With the January transfer window on the way, it appears that the Goodison Park outfit already have their eye on another Premier League player.

The Latest: Eyes on Broja

In a recent Twitter post, journalist Ben Jacobs had this to say on the matter.

He said: “Broja getting minutes under Potter. Everton and Newcastle still monitoring in case a loan (with no option) does become available. But it’s not something Potter or Chelsea are planning for right now even if other attackers come in.”

The Verdict: A useful addition for Everton

Even though the striker has appeared in ten league games for Chelsea this season, he has only started one of them, which suggests to us that even though Jacobs said in his tweet that the club aren’t looking to let the player leave in January, a move away could be an ideal step for Broja himself.

In the 195 minutes that the 21-year-old has played in the league this season, he’s managed to have five shots at goal, with four of them being on target.

With that in mind and the fact that only five clubs have racked up a lower rate of shots on target per 90 minutes in the league this season than the Toffees (3.54), adding a player like the £40k-per-week centre-forward could be just what Frank Lampard’s side need to be more threatening in front of goal.

Moving forward, even if it would just be a loan deal, if the opportunity to sign Broja arises in January, this is definitely something that Everton should explore.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Mohamed Simakan to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Times, who claim that Antonio Conte, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy are said to be discussing the potential of a move for the RB Leipzig centre-back this winter, with the 53-year-old manager believed to be desperate to bring in defensive reinforcements ahead of the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

And, while the club’s top transfer target in the summer transfer window, Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, is once again said to be of interest to Conte in January, the Premier League side are believed to view the 22-year-old Frenchman as a potential alternative to the Italy international.

Bastoni 2.0

While it is undeniable that Bastoni would represent a magnificent addition to Conte’s current defensive options at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Inter believed to be demanding a figure in the region of £50m in order to part with the centre-back, it is not difficult to see why Spurs are considering a move for Simakan as an alternative.

Indeed, the £35m-rated talent and Bastoni are both ball-playing defenders, with FBref ranking the RB Leipzig starlet in the top 20% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for passes attempted per 90, as well as the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 4% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

The £4k-per-week starlet is also clearly a threat in the final third, with FBref ranking the 22-year-old in the top 27% for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 1% for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 1% for progressive passes received over the last 12 months.

The former France U20 international also impresses in metrics more typical of his position, with FBref ranking Simakan in the top 11% of centre-backs for tackles won per 90, as well as the top 38% for interceptions and the top 42% for aerials won over the last year.

As such, considering these extraordinary returns, it is not difficult to see why the statistical database list Bastoni as one of Simakan’s most comparable players – with the Bundesliga sensation very much appearing to be a player in an extremely similar mould to that of the 16-cap Italian.

Furthermore, Jacek Kulig also rates the centre-back extremely highly, with the Football Talent Scout stating of the youngster in a post on Twitter: “One of the most underrated young defenders in Europe. Strong, fast, versatile, and very good on the ball. Complete centre-back who can also play as a right-back. Reminds me of young Lilian Thuram.”

So, should a swoop for the Inter Milan defender once again prove too difficult for Paratici and Levy to pull off this winter, a move for Simakan would appear to be an extremely wise one for Spurs to make, as the 22-year-old very much looks as if he could be Bastoni reincarnate at the back.

Journalist and Sunderland supporter Josh Bunting was critical of Bailey Wright after the Black Cats defender’s mistake cost his team a goal on Friday night.

The Lowdown: Wright mistake

With Tony Mowbray’s side 2-0 up with less than 15 minutes to go against Birmingham in their Championship clash, he would have expected his team to see out the match without any unnecessary pressure.

However, a miskick from Wright in his own penalty box allowed Lukas Jutkiewicz to score for the home side, making the final few minutes very nervy for the visitors.

The Latest: Bunting critical of Wright

Despite the hard-fought win for Sunderland, Bunting was critical of Wright’s mistake, claiming that it was a ‘huge’ one and a ‘poor’ piece of play from the Australia international.

The journalist tweeted: “Poor from Bailey Wright and he knows that, a player with that experience just has to do so much better with that. That’s a huge mistake at a vital moment to make. Daniel Ballard coming back after the World Cup is going to give this team such a lift and a boost.”

The Verdict: Not his best night

Wright will know that he made a mistake which ultimately could have cost his team the three points if Birmingham were more ruthless in front of goal, having had 22 shots in total to Sunderland’s six.

Aside from his error, the Black Cats defender lost out on five of his eight duels and made no interceptions or tackles, giving possession away 10 times (SofaScore).

Having had just 34 touches of the ball in total, Wright lost it every 3.4 touches on average, showing how shaky he was at times in possession.

Nonetheless, the 30-year-old will not let his performance affect him unduly, as he now heads to the World Cup in Qatar with Australia, necessitating a quick refocus.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly not looking to secure a transfer deal for Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ recent links with Szczesny

The 32-year-old is set to represent Poland in the World Cup in Qatar as domestic football takes a break. Earlier this month, it was reported that Spurs were interested in signing the shot-stopper who is currently representing Poland at the World Cup.

However, it appears as though a new report has suggested otherwise, with other goalkeepers in the frame to join Antonio Conte’s side.

The Latest: Spurs snub chance to sign Szczesny

According to a recent report from 90min, despite being offered the chance to sign Szczesny by intermediaries, Tottenham are not actively looking to sign him as a potential replacement for Hugo Lloris.

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The report also added that Juventus aren’t desperate to sell him their shot-stopper but Spurs have not completely shut the door on the idea of signing him.

The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

With 190 appearances for the Italian club under his belt, the £200k-per-week goalkeeper has kept 76 clean sheets in the process.

Across the nine Serie A games he’s played in this season, the Polish international has faced 21 shots on target and saved 18 of them, leaving him with the second-highest save percentage (85.7%) in the league.

Having made a combined total of 209 appearances for Arsenal and Brentford, keeping 82 clean sheets along the way, the goalkeeper has enough experience of English football to be a suitable option for Conte.

Hailed by journalist Carlo Garganese for an “outrageous” penalty save he made for Juventus back in March, Szczesny certainly has the talent to be considered a top goalkeeper at the age of 32.

However, if Spurs are looking to bring in a new goalkeeper to replace Lloris, they may be better off looking to bring in a younger shot-stopper that has more time and space to be a longer-term figure at the club.

West Ham United could be plotting to dip back into the transfer market, despite David Moyes having undergone a minor rebuild this summer.

Having brought eight new players to the London Stadium, there was particular hype surrounding the club-record £51m expended to bring in Lucas Paqueta from Lyon.

The Brazilian maestro came with glowing recommendations and was coming off the back of an 11-goal and seven-assist campaign.

It was thought he could provide a consistent creative spark that the likes of Pablo Fornals and Manuel Lanzini had not, but with the 25-year-old yet to score and having assisted just three times in 14 games, it has not been an easy start.

It therefore would make sense for the Hammers to reignite their interest in another of their summer targets, as they had a string of bids for Belgium international Hans Vanaken pushed back by Club Brugge.

With £10.8m being their highest bid, there was a belief that they could surely stump up enough cash to bring in a man who was vocal about his desire to join the Irons.

However, it never materialised, and the 30-year-old instead continued to excel in his homeland. His form has earned him a spot in the upcoming World Cup squad too for Belgium, which will only likely boost the number of potential suitors, should he impress.

With eight goal contributions already this season, the midfielder clearly boasts a huge amount of quality.

Were he to have made the move to east London, or should he join this January, perhaps it would alleviate some of the burden held by Paqueta as this experienced European star comes in to help him out.

Blessed with “extraordinary intelligence” – as noted by teammate Onur Kaya – despite standing at 6 foot 3 he is incredibly adept with the ball at his feet.

This was no better exemplified than last season, where he scored 15 times and assisted a further 12 as he captained his side to some impressive results. Three of those goals also came in the Champions League, against impressive opposition such as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig.

Any doubts regarding his ability to translate his form to the English game can be removed through these performances.

The £70k-per-week star may not be a budding youngster anymore, but Vanaken could just be the perfect Paqueta alternative to not only help the club thrive but to give him added time before he needs to start truly performing.

Wolves have been heavily linked with Universidad de Chile winger Dario Osorio in recent months but it seems as if the Old Gold are now set to lose out on the exciting youngster.

What’s the word?

Reports from earlier this year went as far as to suggest that Wolves had agreed on a deal to sign the 18-year-old but there was never any official confirmation from the club, with it seemingly likely that the Chilean would make the move to Molineux during the January transfer window.

However, it has now been suggested that Wolves have been pipped at the post for Osorio, as he is reportedly closing in on a move to Brazilian club Red Bull Bragantino.

Spanish news outlet Sport have claimed that the Wolves and Barcelona target is set to swap one South American side for another, and will join the Red Bull outfit in a deal worth £7m, presumably with the view of joining Red Bull Salzburg or Red Bull Leipzig in the future, should he prove to be a success in Brazil.

Lopetegui would have loved him

Julen Lopetegui has now officially started work as Wolves manager and given the lack of attacking options available to him at Molineux right now, he would have surely loved to have acquired an exciting young winger early in the January window.

Osorio has notched seven goals in just 27 appearances for Universidad de Chile so clearly knows where the back of the net is, something which cannot be said for many of Wolves’ current attacking contingent.

Journalist Juan Cristobal Guarello wrote about the teenager’s potential move to Wolves in a column for Chilean publication La Tercera.

He said: “(Osorio to Wolves would be) the largest transfer in Chilean football for more than a decade.

“Dario Osorio is good. Really good. He carries the ball well. He knows how to turn, he has power, technique and strikes the ball in an extraordinary way. With the right support and work, he can reach his full potential.”

Unfortunately for Wolves, it looks as if they are set to miss out on the goalscoring winger, who could well have proved to be the next Diogo Jota at Molineux.

The Portugal international joined the Old Gold from Porto in a permanent deal in 2018, having starred for them on loan in the Championship title-winning season.

He would hit 44 goals and 19 assists for the club in just 131 appearances, which is a goal-to-game ratio (every 2.98 games) the Midlands club could only dream of now, given their woes in front of goal so far this campaign.

Blessed with a high level of ball carrying and technique, the Portuguese sensation is certainly very similar to Osorio and fans would undoubtedly have been excited to see him in Wolves colours.

Jota would eventually complete a £45m move to Liverpool in 2020 and the Old Gold have seriously struggled to find a natural goalscorer since then.

As a result, it is undoubtedly a blow that they are missing out on the young Chilean, given that he has also averaged a similar goal-to-game ratio of (3.86) in his short career so far.

Leeds United have been dealt another injury blow, and it could spell the end of a career at Elland Road.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Beren Cross, who, writing for Leeds Live, details an injury suffered by Diego Llorente whilst in Spain.

Having fractured his hand in an unfortunate accident, the 29-year-old was forced to undergo surgery to rectify the issue.

Although the Spaniard is expected to be back in training before the end of the camp, it could be the final straw for Jesse Marsch as he potentially seeks an opportunity to finally bin off a man who has suffered from several injuries since his move to Yorkshire.

Marsch can get rid

Although Patrick Bamford, who has recently undergone surgery too, is also an injury-prone asset, he has at least shown that if fit he can offer plenty to this side.

During his last full season, which was coincidentally their return campaign in the Premier League, he scored a sensational 17 times and assisted eight too.

The 29-year-old played a huge role in their impressive ninth-place finish during that 2020/21 season,

Meanwhile, Llorente has often been scolded for his poor defensive work with his performances far below that of his teammate. Indeed journalist Adam Crafton on one occasion just last season labelled his defending as “absolutely shocking”.

This has been proved by his lack of game time this campaign, as despite playing every minute of their opening six league fixtures, he has only featured once in their last eight games.

His average Sofascore rating is somewhat indicative of why he was dropped, as it has settled at a disappointing 6.69. Having made two errors that led to goals, it is clear that Marsch feels he cannot trust him despite his 3.1 clearances and 2.1 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.

For all the defensive work he might get through, there is always a worry that he will lose concentration and cost his team.

It is for this reason that Leeds could look to offload him instead of Bamford, who when fit can lead the club to achieve great things.

Even when Llorente is fit, he is unlikely to be instrumental in anything truly special occurring at Elland Road, especially given how far down the pecking order he has fallen.