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West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their upcoming Championship fixture.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the West Brom website, Valerien Ismael confirmed that Grady Diangana will not be available for selection for the trip to Swansea City on Wednesday evening, as the winger is yet to recover from a hamstring injury which saw him ruled out of the 1-0 win over Birmingham City last Friday.

Speaking about the current condition of the 23-year-old, Ismael said: “Grady won’t be available for the game because he only had his first session with the group on Tuesday. It’s too close for him to be able to play. If everything goes correctly then hopefully him being available for Saturday won’t be a problem.”

Meanwhile, the Frenchman also revealed that Alex Mowatt, who was brought off midway through the second half of the Birmingham victory due to a toe injury, will be assessed prior to Wednesday’s fixture.

On the central midfielder’s fitness, the 46-year-old said: “We’ll assess Alex before the game at Swansea. We’re going to keep a close eye on things and how he is before we make a decision on him.”

Ismael will be gutted

While it is undeniable that Diangana has not been in the best form of his career this season, having scored no goals and registered just one assist over his 11 Championship appearances, the absence of the winger for the trip to Swansea will nevertheless have left Ismael gutted. The 23-year-old proved in the Baggies’ promotion-winning campaign back in 2019/20 that he undoubtedly possesses the ability to help fire the club back to the Premier League.

Indeed, over his 30 Championship appearances that season, the £9m-rated forward bagged eight goals, provided six assists and created eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the £36k-per-week man earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.06, ranking him as Albion’s third-best performer throughout the campaign in question.

As such, while, as previously mentioned, the former West Ham United winger is yet to hit these heights so far this season, it is abundantly clear that Diangana can win a game in an instant for West Brom, a talent that Ismael will sorely miss on Wednesday night.

In other news: Forget Hugill: Ismael could save WBA millions by placing trust in 20 y/o “star boy”

Dean Smith would love to have Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie at Aston Villa, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

McKennie had been linked with a move to Villa last summer but ended up joining Juventus on loan from Schalke before signing permanently for the Serie A giants.

However, the £22.5m-rated USA international could be on the move again, with transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio recently reporting that Juventus are open to a sale after signing Euro 2020 star Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo.

It remains to be seen what happens with McKennie, but Hatfield is fairly certain that he is a player Smith would still take. He told FFC:

“I’m sure Dean Smith would love him at Villa. The question I suppose is where does he fit in?

“I think Villa really do need a defensive midfielder and you could stick Weston McKennie there, but he seems very much the type who wants to be kind of bustling around and getting forward.”

McKennie was a regular for Juventus last season, has not been at the Allianz Stadium for too long and is still young so has time to develop into a better player, so it is a surprise that Juventus are willing to let him go.

Of course, they do have a new manager in Massimiliano Allegri and have obviously just brought in Locatelli.

Glasgow Rangers were not at their best away to Hearts earlier this afternoon, but early goals from Alfredo Morelos and Joe Aribo ensured that they got another three points.

It was actually the home team who had more possession and recorded more shots on goal than Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side, and The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who the three worst Gers players (to have featured for at least 45 minutes) were on the day:

Glen Kamara (6.8)

Kamara was ranked by SofaScore as the Light Blues’ third-worst performer with a 6.8 overall rating.

The Finland midfielder lost out on three of his duels in total and also failed to record a single clearance, interception or tackle in the game, while losing possession of the ball twice.

Fashion Sakala (6.7)

Sakala actually got the assist for the first goal scored by Morelos, but was still given a relatively low 6.7 rating by SofaScore.

The Zambia international lost nine duels, the most out of any of his teammates, while he failed to get on the scoresheet with any of three of his attempts on goal.

Sakala was also guilty of giving the ball away far too often throughout the match, 16 times in all, the second-most out of any Rangers player.

Scott Arfield (6.5)

Despite his efforts, Arfield was ranked as the Gers’ worst player with a 6.5 rating given by SofaScore.

The 33-year-old lost six of his duels and was also unsuccessful with his two shots and one dribble attempt.

In addition, Arfield lost the ball six times in what proved to be a frustrating afternoon individually for him.

In other news, another man’s performance against Hearts was slammed by many Gers fans

Some Everton fans have been left buzzing over some transfer news involving Max Aarons.

As per a report from earlier in the week by Calciomercato, which has since been shared by EFC DAILY on their Twitter page, the Goodison Park faithful are one of a number of clubs who are ‘very interested’ in signing the Norwich City ace, along with Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma.

The Merseyside club are in desperate need of some cover at right-back, with Seamus Coleman and Jonjoe Kenny their only senior options.

Coleman is now 33 years of age, while Kenny has only played in a mere three games in total over all competitions so far this season.

Aarons would provide a significant upgrade to Coleman offensively, as he has averaged more shots, key passes and dribbles per match in the Premier League this term, and at just 21, is a player very much for the future, and so can be a mainstay in the Toffees team for years to come.

Everton fans on Aarons transfer news

These Blues supporters buzzed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter:

“For the love of Coleman, please”

Credit: @edward_a_james

“For the sake of Coleman get it done”

Credit: @Jay____177

“Get him in.”

Credit: @just_doodlin86

“Yes yes yes”

Credit: @EFCMichael7

“Please”

Credit: @stilllsound

“Get him in”

Credit: @Michael59567315

In other news, find out what transfer news has Evertonians fuming here!

Wolves haven’t exactly had the most exciting of transfer windows.

The biggest priority for Bruno Lage was holding onto the club’s best players and so far, the new Old Gold manager has done exactly that.

On the chalkboard

Heading into the final weeks of the transfer window, the Midlands club are still looking to raise some cash through player sales.

One of their most expendable assets appears to be Romain Saiss.

The Moroccan made a number of errors last season and gave away a penalty against Celta Vigo last weekend, starting the new campaign in a disastrous fashion.

Due to his versatility, however, he’d be a great loss. Saiss can play at centre-back, in defensive midfield or even at left-back as he proved last term.

Consequently, Wolves will need a player with similar qualities to replace him should he leave.

The solution

One player who has been on their radar since the days of Nuno Santo is Amadou Diawara.

The Roma midfielder has reportedly turned down Wolves before and this summer, they rejected the chance to sign the powerful holding player.

Diawara could have been included in the deal that took Rui Patricio to the Italian capital but Lage turned that proposal down.

However, we can’t help but feel as though that was a bit of a mistake. Valued at around £17m by CIES Football Observatory, Diawara possesses plenty of qualities that would improve the Wolves midfield.

Consequently, they should make moves to sign him.

Described as a “phenomenon” by his former coach, Fabrizio Tazzioli, he’s also been compared to the great Marcel Desailly for the way he plays.

It’s clear to see why too. He is calm in possession but a brute force when it comes to winning possession back from opponents.

The 24-year-old completed 89.7% of his passes last season according to WhoScored, a tally that would have placed him above Saiss and at the top of the tree for Wolves in terms of regular starters.

Furthermore, he won 1.6 tackles per 90 minutes throughout 2020/21 via FB Ref. The same source also proves he reads the game tremendously well, a facet of the game that Saiss lacks. For instance, he is in the 61st percentile for interceptions.

Diawara would be a bargain option this summer and would undoubtedly add extra muscle to Wolves’ midfield ranks.

They must reverse their initial decision and head back in for the Guinea international before the window closes.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Neto: Wolves can terrify PL defences by signing “special” 13-goal wizard…

West Bromwich Albion are believed to be one of a number of teams keen on signing Newcastle United midfielder Matt Longstaff on loan [Chronicle].

The Lowdown: Baggies prepare for 2021/22 title challenge

Moving into 2021/22, the Baggies will undoubtedly be eyeing up a Sky Bet Championship title charge as they look to bounce back from relegation in a positive manner.

Though they haven’t yet ventured into the transfer market, they have been heavily linked with moves for Sam Clucas and Dwight Gayle respectively.

However, could the energetic 21-year-old Geordie be the first Hawthorns import this summer following recent reports?

The Latest: West Brom eye Longstaff; numerous other teams interested

As it stands, West Brom are said to be interested in a loan swoop for Longstaff, who is available for a temporary move away from St James’ Park [Chronicle].

Manager Steve Bruce is set to let Longstaff explore regular first team football next season – he has admiration from Belgian side Anderlecht, accompanied by Norwich City, Middlesbrough and the West Midlands club [Chronicle].

Serie A outfit Udinese were also monitoring his situation heavily last summer [talkSPORT].

The Verdict: Longstaff would be an excellent addition to the Baggies

In need of some fresh impetus heading into the forthcoming campaign, Longstaff would be a shrewd addition for West Bromwich Albion.

Labelled as ‘terrific’ by former Newcastle United star Malcolm McDonald [Chronicle], he burst into prominence owing to a stunning strike from outside the box for the Magpies in a famous 1-0 triumph over Manchester United in 2019 [BBC].

Only making five senior appearances on Tyneside in 2020/21 [Transfermarkt], a move to the second tier could be the perfect tonic for the youngster after an injury hit season with his parent club.

West Bromwich Albion should be doing all they can to get the deal over the line.

Saido Berahino is excited to be at Sheffield Wednesday, former Owls midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast after speaking to the player.

Berahino has been away from English football after leaving Stoke City for Belgian outfit Zulte Waregem in 2019 but is back again following his deadline day move to Wednesday.

The 28-year-old striker recently made his debut for the club in that disappointing 3-0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle.

It is only a minor setback for Wednesday, though, with the Owls only a couple of points off the play-off spots and it obviously still being very early in the season, a season where they will be expected to challenge for promotion following their recent relegation from the Championship.

And Palmer has spoken to FFC about Berahino’s excitement over the challenge that lies ahead.

“He was round the other day. He’s very excited,” the ex-Wednesday player said. “I’ve told him all about Sheffield. Obviously Darren knows him really well from West Brom.

“If he can get off and get scoring goals, the fans will get behind him and I’m sure he’ll enjoy his football. But he’s super excited and he really wants to get going.”

With the likes of Berahino, Lee Gregory and Callum Paterson, Darren Moore certainly has options up front this campaign.

Last season was mooted as Joao Moutinho’s final as a regular in the Wolves XI.

Indeed, had Bruno Lage acquired summer target Renato Sanches in the transfer window, that claim may have become a reality for the Portuguese maestro.

At the age of 35, Moutinho’s legs are growing older and on paper, should struggle with the pace of the frantic Premier League.

However, he’s begun the new campaign in wonderful form for the Old Gold. Immediately the Portugal international has become one of the most important players for Lage.

He and Ruben Neves ran the show against Spurs for example as the veteran midfielder registered three key passes and completed two key passes.

Moutinho was also impeccable against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup, taking 128 touches and playing a jaw-dropping nine key passes.

When his last campaign at Wolves does come remains to be seen but they may already have the midfielder’s heir in waiting already in the Molineux set-up.

We’re talking about Luke Cundle, a 19-year-old who is already modelling his style of play on Moutinho.

In an interview with the official website, Cundle was asked who he was trying to replicate: “Joao Moutinho,” he responded. “When I train with the first-team, he has a lot of energy and is really enthusiastic. He’s always trying his best to win.”

The teenager added: “I admire the way he plays, his work ethic and his professionalism on and off the pitch.”

Those comments have been supplemented by The Athletic’s Tim Spiers who called him a player in the ‘Moutinho mould.’

It’s easy to see why too. Against Wigan in the EFL Trophy last month, the midfielder made four tackles, three key passes and produced 104 touches.

Capable of dictating the tempo of a match, Cundle has plenty of tools at his disposal to make it in the senior game.

Speaking about his best attributes, Wolves U23 boss James Collins hailed his footballing brain: “With Cundle, I’m making a sub and about to tell the sub what I want him to do on the pitch, and I can already hear him telling the sub before I can, so it’s a real pleasing thing when you have intelligent footballers out there.”

He has played just twice for the Wolves first team but based on that review, further opportunities could emerge in the not too distant future.

Lage has already picked him multiple times on the bench in the Premier League this season so he is clearly on the radar.

AND in other news, 15x possession lost: £84k-p/w Wolves gem massively let Lage down on Saturday…

Speaking to West Ham World, Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry has made a claim on club owners David Gold and David Sullivan.

The Lowdown: Transfer window opens…

The summer transfer window is now open and West Ham United fans will be eagerly anticipating who is brought through the door in east London.

Manager David Moyes’ priorities are said to be the permanent signing of Jesse Lingard, a new forward and a top class centre-half (Claret & Hugh).

However, clubs up and down the Premier League appear to be experiencing financial turmoil amid the coronavirus pandemic – an aspect of this window which could make business tricky.

The Latest: Fry makes encouraging West Ham claim

Speaking to West Ham World, Fry has made a claim involving Gold and Sullivan, who he has personally worked with, and reassured supporters that they will want to improve the squad after European qualification.

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“I know Gold and Sullivan, when they went in they wanted in the next five years to get into Europe,” he explained.

“They’ve done that, it’s been a difficult journey along the way but they’ve done it and knowing the two David’s they’ll want to go on from that, or the three David’s, they’ll want to improve the squad and go higher than where they’ve gone this year, which is great news for West Ham fans.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed…

The Hammers face an unfamiliar challenge next campaign in the form of more matches and longer travel distance for midweek games.

To cope with the demands of playing both in the Europa League and maintaining their current level domestically, signings to bolster the squad this summer are pretty much mandatory.

Fry’s claim that West Ham’s controversial co-owners will in fact want to push on comes as encouraging, and with the window closing on August 31, they now have plenty have of time to scour the market.

In other news: West Ham fans rave over promising Lingard development…find out more here.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has addressed the absence of Nir Bitton from the matchday squad in the Hoops’ 2-0 victory over Ross County on Sunday. 

The lowdown: Bitton’s importance to Celtic

The 30-year-old has endured an injury-ravaged time at Parkhead, missing 99 matches in a nine-year stint as a Bhoy with varying degrees of problems including a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee issue.

Despite the injuries, the Israel international has still amassed 269 appearances for the Hoops and has been a favourite of several managers at Parkhead over the years.

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Following the player’s latest non-appearance, Postecoglou has explained the situation surrounding the defensive midfielder…

The latest: ‘Slight issue’ for Bitton

Speaking to BBC, as quoted by the Daily Record, the 56-year-old has revealed the latest on the Israelim saying: “He’s got a bit of an issue. A slight issue.”

Bitton has not been seen in action since a fleeting 28-minute appearance in the 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox on April 3, having been an unused substitute in the subsequent 7-0 rout of St Johnstone.

The verdict: Worrying signs

Although Postecoglou seems undeterred by Bitton’s latest issue, unfortunately the problems keep mounting up for the 39-cap ace.

So far this season, the man who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by the Celtic manager has scored twice and provided two assists in 36 appearances across all competitions.

With Bitton out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt), the upcoming summer is a pivotal one for him, as the experienced midfielder will likely be hoping to receive a new deal, whilst the club could be considering selling him in order to avoid losing their man for nothing.

To that end, the Israeli will be desperate to play a part in this season’s run-in to try and secure a new contract.

In other news, one expert has made a key claim regarding the ownership of Celtic. Read more here.