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Liverpool scouts were in attendance at the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday night to witness Darwin Nunez scoring twice as Benfica thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League.

The Lowdown: Young, talented goalscorer

The 22-year-old Uruguayan came through the Penarol academy before moving to Almeria in 2019. In his only season in LaLiga2, he scored 16 goals in 30 league appearances as they were defeated 3-1 on aggregate by Girona in the promotion play-offs.

He became Benfica’s most expensive signing in 2020 for £21.6m and has continued his brilliant form with 20 goals in 51 appearances for the Lisbon club.

His performance against Barcelona would have had scouts licking their lips, with the Uruguay international raising his price tag after his Champions League exploits.

The Latest: 35 clubs had scouts in Portugal

The Independent’s senior football correspondent Melissa Reddy confirmed on her Twitter profile that Liverpool scouts were joined by compatriots from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio da Luz.

As per This Is Anfield, as many as 35 clubs had scouts in attendance to witness Benfica compounding a miserable start to the season for crisis-stricken Barcelona.

Nunez, who is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, scored twice and Rafa Silva also netted in a convincing win for Jorge Jesus’ side to put them second in their Champions League group.

The Verdict: He could be what the Reds need

At only 22, Nunez is destined for great things. Given the extensive list of clubs who sent scouts to watch him play, he looks set to be at one of the best teams in Europe sooner or later. His current boss Jesus has said that he ‘will be a world-class player’ and the Uruguayan is going about proving his manager right.

With both Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane having their critics in recent months, a new breath of fresh air in attack may be exactly what Liverpool need if they are to reclaim the Premier League title.

Aside from the mercurial Mohamed Salah, a consistent goalscorer is something the Reds have perhaps lacked in previous seasons, with Firmino often deployed in a deeper-lying false nine role. The potential signing of Nunez could add that clinical touch if Liverpool were to follow up on what is sure to be a glowing scout report.

In other news, Liverpool fans have been reacting to this contract news. Find out more here.

Many Wolves fans have been left fuming as some news emerged involving their plans for the January transfer window.

As per The Express & Star, the Midlands club are now getting a cash injection of £23m by taking a loan secured against transfer funds due after they sold Diogo Jota to Liverpool.

They received part of the transfer fee up front with the rest of the funds coming in instalments, however, the money that they will now receive is not understood to be part of an effort by them to build up a winter war chest.

Bruno Lage has previously complained about having a small squad before, and with injuries at the back, as well as Willy Boly and Romain Saiss set to play in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Ivory Coast and Morocco respectfully, reinforcements are certainly needed next month.

However, it looks as if none of the £23m coming in will be spent on transfers, much to the anger of the Molineux faithful.

Wolves fans slam transfer news

These WWFC supporters fumed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one Wanderer even going as far as to claim that it was ‘depressing’:

“Depressing that it’s not for signings”

Credit: @aepearson02

“This doesn’t bode well for the January window does it? No wonder we were sponsored by the Money Shop a while back….pay day loans to keep the club ticking over. Open the cheque book Fosun”

Credit: @Retrowolves1

“Why on earth did we let him go on tick…make it make sense?”

Credit: @GladonK

“Bed.”

Credit: @wwfcglover

“What’s the loan for? Club are in a good position financially and it’s not for players in January so what’s the point?”

Credit: @Giddo_90

“Why doesn’t Liverpool cough up the monies instead they have had the asset best part of a year! I’ve never heard of a business taking out a loan in advance of a debtor paying an invoice – what a joke”

Credit: @stuartmblatch

In other news, find out why Wanderers players have now received praise here!

Aston Villa captain Tyrone Mings is ‘at risk’ of losing his place in the team, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Mings, a Villa mainstay, has started 29 of their 31 Premier League matches so far this season, with only injury or suspension keeping him out of the line-up.

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Villa paid just over £20million to sign him from Bournemouth in the summer of 2019, and he signed a contract extension in September 2020. His £80,000-per-week deal runs until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Mings has faced criticism in recent times, with journalist Zach Lowy insisting in February that he was ‘far too error-prone to be a starter, let alone captain’ and urging Villa ‘to move on from him and upgrade with a new CB this summer’.

Steven Gerrard has said he will pick his ‘long-term’ skipper in the summer and admitted that he could recruit someone from elsewhere to don the armband.

The latest

Jones, speaking to GMS, says Gerrard will be considering Mings’ ‘position in the side’ in light of a succession of errors in recent seasons.

He explained:

“I think his position in the side has to be at risk at this stage,” he said. “He has also made quite a few errors over the past couple of years.”

The verdict

Since Villa were promoted to the Premier League, Mings has made five errors directly leading to an opposition shot and four leading to a goal and given away two penalty kicks (via SofaScore).

And those figures don’t account for more subjective errors.

It seems that Gerrard is determined to strengthen at the heart of his defence, with Football Insider claiming he plans to approach his old club Liverpool over a deal for Joe Gomez.

Gomez, valued at £19.8million by Transfermarkt, is described as his no. 1 target.

His public comments about the captaincy might have been a veiled challenge to Mings, who could be fighting for his spot in these final weeks of the campaign. If he can respond, then perhaps it will be enough to avoid the axe.

In other news, Villa could make this move after Sean Dyche’s sacking.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped a promising injury update concerning Kyogo Furuhashi.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Scottish Sun, the Bhoys boss revealed that, despite being brought off due to a knock after just 15 minutes of Sunday’s fixture against St. Johnstone, the 26-year-old centre-forward’s injury does not look to be anything serious.

Speaking about the hamstring strain suffered by the Japan international, Postecoglou briefly said: “He will be fine.”

Celtic fans will be buzzing

Considering just how important a part of the Celtic side Kyogo has become since his £4.6m move to Glasgow earlier this year, the news that the centre-forward does not look as if he will be ruled out for any real length of time is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 14 Premiership appearances this term, the £1.8m-rated forward has already bagged eight goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes and taking 2.1 shots per game.

These returns have seen the £18k-per-week man average a SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Postecoglou’s 11th-best player in the top flight of Scottish football – of those who remain in the 56-year-old’s first-team squad.

The 26-year-old hitman has also scored a further eight goals and provided three assists over 12 fixtures in the Europa League, Europa League qualifying and the League Cup, taking his total to 16 goals and five assists in 26 appearances for the club.

As such, it is clear for all to see that it is undoubtedly a case of the sooner Kyogo recovers the better for Celtic, meaning Postecoglou’s latest update regarding the striker’s injury is certainly fantastic news for everyone involved with the Hoops.

In other news: Game-changer: Huge Celtic injury update emerges that will leave Postecoglou buzzing

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has ‘called’ former Liverpool forward Luis Suarez ahead of a possible summer swoop.

That’s according to journalist Gerard Romero, and, as to be expected, the update has received plenty of interaction from Villa supporters on social media.

Romero, who has over 300,000 Twitter followers, had previously shared details of an offer from Villa, with Suarez apparently turning down approaches from Palmeiras, Corinthians, Atletico Mineiro and a Saudi Arabian side to focus on a move to the Midlands.

He’s now added that Gerrard has ‘called’ Suarez ‘for the summer’, with the 34-year-old into his last six months on his Atletico Madrid contract.

Gerrard’s former Reds teammate will turn 35 on Monday, but it seems as if a return to the Premier League to reunite with Gerrard and possibly Philippe Coutinho could be on the cards.

Villa fans react

@villareport relayed Romero’s update regarding Suarez on Twitter. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with one labelling a possible move as ‘incredible’.

“Stop it now Stevie”

Credit: @BlackMarcus__

“Would never imagine we’d have Coutinho, Ings and potentially Suarez at Villa with Gerrard as a manager a year ago”

Credit: @JaiGhuman_

“This Will Be An Incredible Signing If It Happens”

Credit: @Jack31998773

“Get him on a 6 month loan then sign for free in the summer”

Credit: @casper197635

“Stevie G getting the band back together at villa park!”

Credit: @VivaAVFC

“Makes more sense. Allows us to offload one of the strikers in the summer then”

Credit: @UTVilla10

In other news: ‘We’ve actually broken Lange’ – Many Villa fans ‘excited’ as more transfer news is now confirmed. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson has found a new gear under Marco Silva this season but Nikola Vlasic’s form at CSKA Moscow suggests that he could be the man to eventually step into the Iceland international’s shoes.

Sigurdsson has been released of the manacles which restricted him under Sam Allardyce last season and Everton are reaping the rewards. A return of nine goals and three assists from 24 Premier League appearances is just reward for his fine performances, while his link-up play has been at the heart of Everton’s best performances under the Portuguese manager.

However, if Everton want to improve then no player should be considered untouchable. The very best sides are those which demand constant improvement throughout the squad, with competition for places often serving as the best way to guarantee that desired progression.

With that said, Sigurdsson may well be looking over his shoulder now that Vlasic is beginning to thrive with CSKA Moscow. The creative midfielder is showing signs that he can dethrone the Iceland international and become the next coveted playmaker to operate in the hole.

Indeed, Vlasic has already scored seven goals and provided four assists this season, including a memorable winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

At just 21-year-old Vlasic is showing the level of promise which Silva will naturally want to see from the player he offloaded temporarily in the summer, and his return in 2019 could signal the beginning of a glowing career on Merseyside.

Boasting a similar level of creative instinct, technical prowess and ability to influence the game in the final-third, the Croatia international could yet blossom into the next Sigurdsson-esque figure at Goodison Park despite his slow start in English football after completing his transfer from Hajduk Split in 2017.

Vlasic’s return in the summer will effectively represent a new signing for Silva.

Everton fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Fernando Henrique to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Brazilian media outlet Globo (via Everything Celtic), who claim that Ange Postecoglou’s side have made contact with the 20-year-old’s representatives after the Celtic scouting department identified the Gremio midfielder as a target for the winter window.

In Everything Celtic’s tweet, the account state: “Celtic have made contact with the representatives of Gremio defensive midfielder Fernando Henrique ahead of a potential move this January.”

The report goes on to state that the Brazilian side value the youngster at a fee of around R$25m (£3.2m), while there is also reported to be interest in Henrique from The City Group and Al Ain.

Fans will be buzzing

While Henrique has not featured all that much for Gremio so far this season, the defensive-minded midfielder has nevertheless impressed when given the opportunity by Vagner Mancini.

Indeed, over his four Brazilian Serie A appearances this term, the £810k-rated man has made an average of 2.3 interceptions, 2.8 tackles, 0.5 clearances and won 5.8 duels per game.

These returns have seen the 20-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Gremio’s 12th-best performer in the Brazilian top flight.

And, while the style of football in South America is undoubtedly rather different to that of the Scottish Premiership, when comparing Henrique’s metrics to Celtic’s current squad, the youngster stacks up rather well.

Indeed, his average of 2.3 interceptions per game would rank him as Celtic’s best performer in this particular field, while his returns of 2.8 tackles would rank him as the Bhoys’ second-most efficient tackler.

As such, should an opportunity to sign the 20-year-old for a figure around the quoted £3.2m arise, it would seem a highly advisable move to do so, as not only would the midfielder appear to possess the ability to improve Postecoglou’s options in the middle of the park, Henrique’s tough-tackling and hard-working nature are very player much traits that will get the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

In other news: 61 game-changing actions prove Ange is finally living up to his biggest Celtic promise

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a loan move for Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley in January, with a transfer ‘under consideration’.

The Lowdown: Barkley not playing for Chelsea

The 28-year-old has been a peripheral figure for the Blues so far this season, starting just one Premier League match in total.

Barkley finds himself well down the midfield pecking order, and with the 2022 World Cup looming, he may be looking for minutes elsewhere.

With Leeds potentially looking at midfield reinforcements in January, the former Everton man looks like a genuine target.

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The Latest: Leeds keen on loan move

According to The Daily Mail, Leeds are keen on acquiring Barkley’s signature on a temporary deal, seeing him as a strong contender to come in.

The £15.3m-rated Englishman has registered 11 goals and assists apiece in 94 appearances for Chelsea.

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The Verdict: Strong mid-season addition

Barkley may not have made the grade at Chelsea but he could be an excellent signing for Leeds, given the technical quality he possesses.

He was once hailed as a potentially ‘world-class’ player by Roberto Martinez and has scored six goals in 33 caps for England, so he could add an extra dimension to Leeds’ midfield.

A loan move also feels less risky than a permanent deal because if he fails to excel at Elland Road he will simply return to Chelsea in the summer.

In other news, a journalist has made a Leeds transfer claim regarding one player. Read more here.

Transfer insider Dean Jones expects Aston Villa to sign either Kalvin Phillips or Yves Bissouma this summer. 

The lowdown

According to The Guardian, Gerrard is keen to add a defensive midfielder to his ranks, as well as a striker.

And The Times recently reported that Villa are ‘leading the race’ to sign Phillips from Leeds United.

They’re apparently willing to break their transfer record with a £60million swoop for the Englishman.

Football Insider, meanwhile, claimed this week that Villa had been in contact with Bissouma’s camp ahead of the transfer window.

They allegedly made a ‘£20million-plus’ bid in January, which was rejected by Brighton.

The latest

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones said Villa could submit bids for both players but will ultimately only sign one of them.

“I think they’ll go for both players, but I only expect them to sign one,” he said. “I’ll be very surprised if they got both of those players through the door.”

The verdict

If Villa were to see bids accepted for both players, who should they prioritise?

Intriguingly, the duo are of somewhat different moulds. Phillips, described as a ‘quarterback’ by Rio Ferdinand, likes to launch long passes from deep, averaging 3.3 a game to Bissouma’s 1.9.

So Villa need to choose a stylistic direction, with Bissouma more of a defensive mind with the fourth-most tackles per game in the division, but there’s also a financial calculation to be made.

If Phillips is to cost as much as £60million, might it be more prudent to pursue Bissouma, who is out of contract in 14 months’ time, putting Brighton in a fairly weak negotiating position.

Signing the Malian could leave Villa with considerably more to spend on the striker position.

In other news, this Villa star is attracting interest from Arsenal.

West Ham United have been linked with summer swoop for Blackburn striker Ben Brereton Diaz, according to reports in Spain.

The Lowdown: Brereton Diaz in fine form

The 22-year-old has been in fantastic form this season. The Chile international is the third-highest scorer in the Championship, having netted a sensational 20 goals in 30 games.

This total may have been even greater if it wasn’t for him suffering a ruptured ankle ligament in Blackburn’s 0-0 stalemate against West Brom in mid-February. This has seen him ruled out of action ever since, having amassed seven games on the sidelines so far.

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The Latest: West Ham’s interest

According to fresh reports emerging out of Spain (via Claret & Hugh), West Ham are interested in a summer move for Brereton Diaz.

Alongside the Hammers, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Everton are all said to be closely monitoring the 22-year-old, whilst there is further interest from Leeds and La Liga outfit Sevilla.

The Verdict: Very possible

When compared with the other clubs listed with an interest in Brereton Diaz, West Ham should be confident that they can persuade the Chilean to join David Moyes’ ranks.

However, competition will only step up if Blackburn fail to get promoted to the Premier League. Otherwise, Rovers would be far less willing to sell their star man as they make their long-awaited return to the top flight, while the player himself might be happy to remain at Ewood Park if his side go up.

Backed by Colin Hendry to be Blackburn’s “catalyst” for promotion, West Ham will be closely monitoring the 22-year-old’s situation as the summer approaches.

With their two top scorers in Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen both spending significant periods on the treatment table this season, the Irons could do with adding a player of the Chilean’s goal record to their ranks.

In other news – ‘Ahead of schedule’: ExWHUemployee shares huge West Ham boost as unexpected injury news emerges