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Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz, according to TEAMtalk.

The Lowdown: Brereton Diaz profiled

Brereton Diaz, hailed as a ‘beast’ by former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray, is primarily a centre-forward but can also play on either wing.

The 23-year-old has scored 46 senior goals for club and country – 22 of which came in the Championship last season.

Described as the ‘face of Pepsi’ in Chile due to massive marketing campaigns following his international success, Brereton Diaz is into the final 12 months of his Blackburn deal and is unlikely to pen new terms, and it looks as if Villa are one side keen on his services.

The Latest: Villa interest

TEAMtalk provided a transfer update regarding Brereton Diaz on Tuesday morning. They claimed that Spanish side Sevilla are eyeing a move in the January window when the forward could sign a pre-contract agreement.

However, the report also said that Villa, Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and West Ham are ‘checking’ on the player but have ‘baulked at the asking price’.

The Verdict: Sarr alternative?

It appears as if NSWE and Johan Lange are on the hunt for a new marquee attacker before the window closes, with a move for Ismaila Sarr recently falling through.

Villa agreed on a £25m deal for Sarr, and you’d expect that Brereton Diaz could be cheaper due to his contract situation and £14.4m Transfermarkt valuation.

He’s just come off his best season in front of goal and has already netted twice during the current campaign playing on the left, so he may prove to be a smart alternative despite initially baulking at the asking price.

Tottenham Hotspur are awaiting a decision from Dan James to pursue a dramatic late loan-to-buy deal, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown

Tottenham opened talks with Leeds last week over a potential deal for the former Manchester United winger James to become their ninth capture of the summer.

They asked about an initial loan that would also include an option to buy at the end of the season.

It was only last summer – on Deadline Day, in fact – that Leeds paid £26.19million to sign James from Manchester United.

The latest

Romano says it’s ‘not an easy deal’ for Spurs to pull off in the final days of the transfer window, especially with Everton lodging an enquiry too, but ‘the situation remains open’, and they’re waiting on the player to give the green light.

“Tottenham have discussed potential loan with buy option for Daniel James with Leeds last week — not an easy deal, also Everton asked.

“Situation remains open, it’s up to the player — Leeds would be happy to keep James.”

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The verdict

Antonio Conte and Tottenham will be under no illusions about the threat James poses.

That’s because, last November, he scored for Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a match that the Lilywhites eventually won 2-1.

James proved to be a menace, forcing three saves from Hugo Lloris and seeing three more shots blocked.

The Spurs players who faced James may also be aware of the extent of his pace.

Former team-mate Marcus Rashford says ‘he can cause teams nightmares’ and admits he wouldn’t be keen to race the Welshman, while Jose Mourinho says he’s quick enough to ‘break defenders’.

Indeed, only one player – Leonardo Spinazzola – recorded a higher top speed at last summer’s European Championships than James.

Leeds United could spend up to £20m on Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan, according to TEAMtalk.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Hwang

The Whites have been heavily linked with a move for the South Korea international over the past seven days.

Hailed by pundit Ian Wright as a player who has “got everything”, Hwang is even thought to be open to the idea of moving to Elland Road.

Wolves could now be willing to part ways with the 26-year-old, who has scored 76 goals for club and country, after they agreed on a deal to sign Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, and it appears as if Leeds have set their limit.

The Latest: £20m…

TEAMtalk provided an update regarding Leeds and Hwang on Monday, citing an update from Phil Hay, who said that Andrea Radrizzani and co won’t pay over the odds for the player.

However, they claim that Leeds could spend up to £20m on the South Korean if Wolves make him available in the final days of the transfer window.

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The Verdict: Stick or twist…

Hwang starred under Jesse Marsch at both Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig, contributing to 40 goals in 43 games, so you can see why a move may make sense.

However, the player has struggled in England, netting just five times in 36 games for Wolves, who paid just over £15m for his services.

Therefore, a potential £20m deal appears to be a gamble, but it may well be one that Leeds feel they must take, with Patrick Bamford’s fitness concerns of recent months continuing into this season.

Allan is reportedly in talks to leave Everton and sign for Al-Wahda in the United Arab Emirates.

The Lowdown: Flop

Unfortunately, Allan has been somewhat of a flop at Goodison Park ever since his arrival from Napoli back in 2020, with 57 appearances made in total with no goals and just three assists to his name over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

He was a key part of the squad that almost got relegated last season, and has not yet made an appearance for the Merseyside club so far this term, already being usurped by new signing Idrissa Gueye in that defensive midfield role.

The Latest: Exit talks

As per Football Insider, talks are underway for Allan to join Al-Wahda in the UAE before their transfer deadline on October 4.

He has been given the green light to leave after falling down the pecking order under Frank Lampard following the summer arrivals of James Garner, Amadou Onana and Gueye.

The Verdict: Get rid

Given his lack of playing time, and the fact that the Toffees have other players who can cover in his position, now is the best time to get rid of Allan rather than having to wait until the January transfer window opens.

The Brazilian is currently their joint-fifth highest earner on £70,000-per-week, and so that would be a lot of money to save on the wage bill.

Nonetheless, they could then use that money saved to potentially invest further in January, should any enticing opportunities come up.

Members of the national media have erupted over some major West Ham United news with club legend Mark Noble set to become new sporting director.

The Lowdown: Hammers confirm Noble return…

The Hammers shared some big news on Thursday with the announcement of Noble’s imminent return to the club, but not on the pitch or in the dressing room.

Noble, who recently retired from the professional game after 18 full seasons with his boyhood team, will take up the role of sporting director on January 2 next year.

The former midfield star will work in tandem with manager David Moyes and the West Ham board of directors, where he will have a major say in player recruitment, academy development and other aspects of running the Premier League side.

The Latest: Media erupt over ‘unusual’ appointment…

Following this major off-field news, members of the media have been quick to voice their diverse range of opinions – with some praising West Ham but others calling Noble’s appointment ‘unusual’.

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They explained:

“Mark Noble appointed West Ham’s sporting director. Exciting appointment.” – Sami Mokbel, Daily Mail (via Twitter).

“Having no Mark Noble around the dressing room has been a bit of an issue at West Ham this season. So his appointment as Sporting Director makes perfect sense.”  – Ian Darke, BT Sport and ESPN commentator (via Twitter).

“So is Mark Noble now David Moyes’ superior? Maybe their relationship is strong enough but it’s…unusual.” – Daniel Zeqiri, The Telegraph (via Twitter).

The Verdict: Great move…

We believe the 35-year-old’s return to east London comes as a great move, mainly given his standing among the fanbase and knowledge of all things West Ham.

His popularity at the club and in the stands along with a strong relationship with Moyes’ squad already gives him a head start on the role, and it’s likely the former club captain has his fair share of insight on academy matters too.

You’d be hard pressed to find a man who knows the ins-and-outs of West Ham more than Noble given he spent nearly 20 years at Rush Green and make 550 senior appearances.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly identified a potential successor to Bruno Lage in the form of ex-Olympiacos boss Pedro Martins, with the Midlands side seemingly contemplating a move for the 52-year-old at present.

What’s the word?

According to the Express and Star, the Portuguese coach is under consideration by the club’s ownership group, Fosun, having relieved Lage of his duties at Molineux following the recent defeat to West Ham United.

The report suggests that Martins could provide the added benefit of having worked with a number of the Old Gold stars in the past – including both Daniel Podence and Jose Sa at his former club – while a move should prove ‘relatively straightforward’ as he has links to Jorge Mendes’ agency Gestifute, who have a strong affiliation with the Premier League side.

The piece goes on to add that the highly-rated coach – who is currently out of work after being turfed out of his recent post earlier this season – is ‘interested’ in the switch, having rejected the advances of Championship outfit, Hull City.

Immense success

While there may be concern in appointing a coach who has only recently faced the sack – after suffering a shambolic 4-0 defeat to Maccabi Haifa in Champions League qualifying in the summer – that was a rare blip in what was an otherwise stunning spell in Greece.

The former Vitoria Guimaraes coach had enjoyed “immense success” – in the words of journalist Kostas Lianos – after arriving at his former club back in 2018, going on to win three league titles in his final three full seasons at the club, while also enjoying notable high points in Europe.

Martins had seen his side only narrowly defeated on aggregate following a tight Europa League clash with his potential future employers back in August 2020, having seen off Arsenal with a dramatic late victory at the Emirates Stadium in the previous round.

The one-time Maritimo boss – who is a friend and former teammate of Nuno Espirito Santo – again got the better of Mikel Arteta the following season as his side clinched another victory in north London, albeit with the Gunners ultimately progressing on aggregate.

Martins has also previously earned glowing praise from former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino, with the Argentine saying of his counterpart ahead of a Champions League meeting back in September 2019: “Pedro Martins, likes to play football, to play from the back, moving the ball quickly. We know each other well.”

While likely an unfamiliar name to most Wolves supporters, the evidence suggests that he could well be the man to reverse their current slump – having slipped into the relegation zone at present – having already proven himself against elite, English opposition in recent years.

Should he be given the right tools and the time to make his mark, there’s no reason why he could not bring success to Molineux in the years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is on Bayern Munich’s transfer ‘list for next summer’, according to Bild (via SportWitness).

The Lowdown: Conte not happy

Back during the summer window, Julian Nagelsmann refused to rule out a move for the England captain as the Bundesliga giants sought a replacement for Barcelona-bound Robert Lewandowski.

Spurs boss Antonio Conte asserted the German’s comments were ‘disrespectful’ as the 29-year-old remains a crucial part of his Lilywhites XI, proclaiming:

“I don’t like to speak about players from another club. If I want to do something I go to speak to the club, not through the media.

“I think maybe it’s a bit disrespectful for the other club. This is my way. This is my way to face the situation with other players.”

The Latest: Bayern’s interest

According to a report by Bild (via SportWitness), Kane remains one name which is ‘particularly hotly debated’ at Bayern, and the star striker has been added to the club’s transfer ‘list for next summer’.

Amid rumours the German outfit would struggle to secure the likes of Kane due to a lack of funds for a world-class player, Bayern president Herbert Hainer has said: “It’s not primarily a question of money, it has to be the right player on the market. If the opportunity arises, we will take a closer look at it.”

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The Verdict: Could be a huge loss for Spurs

Having made 288 top-flight appearances in a Lilywhites shirt, the striker has bagged a sensational 191 goals in the league, also contributing another 48 assists.

Astonishingly, bar last season, the 29-year-old has ended each Premier League campaign as Spurs’ top scorer since the 2014/15 season.

Hailed by Premier League record goal-scorer Alan Shearer as a ‘sensational’ player, it is clear to see why Conte decided to respond to Nagelsmann’s comments with Kane paramount to Tottenham’s success.

If Bayern do come in with an offer for their star man, the north London club should be asking for a quite simply astronomical fee to even enter negotiations.

West Brom finally sacked Steve Bruce after last weekend’s stalemate with Luton Town left the Baggies in the Championship relegation zone but they could have avoided the former Newcastle United man altogether had they hired top choice Tony Mowbray.

Before the sacking of Valerien Ismael in February, the Baggies were heavily linked with Mowbray, who was impressing with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship at the time.

Rovers were challenging for promotion for much of last season until a poor run of form saw them drop out of the playoffs towards the end of the campaign, with Mowbray departing when his contract at Ewood Park expired in the summer.

He could have been available at a cut price for West Brom due to his contract situation and it was suggested that he was definitely on the Baggies’ shortlist, with journalist Dean Jones reporting that a move to the Hawthorns looked likely for Mowbray in an interview with GIVEMESPORT.

He said: “My verdict on this is that the club are now seeking alternatives and are looking into options of who they could get right now.

“Tony Mowbray, I know, would be their top choice. He’s somebody that they definitely have at the top of the list if they could have anyone.”

In the end, Lai Guochuan would opt to appoint Bruce, and it turned out to be a nightmare, as the former Manchester United defender won just eight of his 32 games in charge. 

Mowbray is now impressing with Sunderland having returned to management at the Stadium of Light outfit following the switch that saw Alex Neil move to Stoke City.

The 58-year-old has well and truly steadied the ship, with the Black Cats winning two and drawing three of his opening seven games, which sees Sunderland sit comfortably in mid-table – an impressive feat considering they were only promoted last season and were rocked by the departure of Neil.

Mowbray has a huge amount of experience in the Championship and showed last season with Blackburn that he is still capable of delivering results, whereas Bruce looked to be well past it during his time at Newcastle, with their progression since his departure perhaps emphasising his limitations as a manager.

Mowbray’s points per game average in his previous spell at West Brom was 1.46, compared to Bruce’s 1.13, despite the former being in the Premier League for much of his time in charge, which again suggests that he would have been the better option.

Therefore, Lai got it badly wrong in appointing Bruce over Mowbray, and Baggies fans will be hoping that he does a better job when choosing the next manager to take over at the Hawthorns.

Journalist Gregg Evans was full of praise for Leander Dendoncker in Aston Villa’s win at home to Brentford, hailing him as ‘superb’

The Lowdown: Brilliant win for Villa

Life after Steven Gerrard started in memorable fashion for the Villans on Sunday afternoon, as they hosted the Bees in a Premier League clash.

Villa made a stunning start to the game, leading 3-0 before 15 minutes were even on the clock, with Leon Bailey opening the scoring and Danny Ings scoring twice.

They ended up winning at Villa Park, on what was a memorable day for interim manager Aaron Danks.

The Latest: Dendnocker receives special praise

Taking to Twitter during the game, Evans lauded Dendoncker’s influence, as he earned his first league start in a Villa shirt:

“A side-note: Dendoncker has been superb in these opening 15 minutes. Already making a big difference in midfield, winning challenges, mopping up when required and moving the ball forward efficiently.”

The Verdict: Excellent performance

Dendoncker fully repaid the faith that Danks showed in him against Brentford, putting in a dominant display that played a key role in Villa’s emphatic win.

The Belgian enjoyed a 95% pass completion rate, according to Sofascore, not to mention winning four out of his five ground duels and making three tackles.

On this evidence, Dendoncker deserves to keep his place over the dropped John McGinn and it will be interesting to see if the eventual new manager keeps playing him.

Journalist Samuel Luckhurst has described Casemiro as ‘immense’ after his hugely influential performance in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw away to Chelsea.

The Lowdown: United draw at Chelsea

The Red Devils made the trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, in what was an important game in the Premier League top-four battle.

When Jorginho scored a late penalty, it looked as though United were going to suffer a damaging defeat, only for Casemiro to head home in the dying seconds.

The Brazilian’s impact was great aside from the goal, as he made five tackles and three clearances, respectively, and won 10 out of 13 duels in total.

The Latest: Luckhurst lauds’ immense’ Casemiro

Taking to Twitter after the game, Luckhurst hailed Casemiro in one fitting word:

“Casemiro immense.”

The Verdict: Made a huge difference

United were absolutely desperate for a top-class defensive midfielder in the summer and Casemiro is already showing what a fabulous footballer he is, in that respect.

He has brought huge experience, quality and intelligence to Erik ten Hag’s side and his equaliser at Chelsea summed up a winning mentality that has seen him win the Champions League on five occasions.

At 30, Casemiro should still have a few years left in him at the very top level and he is the type of signing who could prove to be a revelation over time, if he isn’t already.