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A big development has emerged on Sunderland and their plans to secure the future of one of their key players…

What’s the talk?

According to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, the Black Cats are planning to offer central midfielder Corry Evans a contract extension in the coming weeks.

His current deal is due to expire in the summer and Kristjaan Speakman is now looking to strike an agreement with the 32-year-old to extend his stay at the Stadium of Light.

The former Blackburn Rovers man is currently sidelined until the end of the 2022/23 campaign with a knee injury but this has not stopped the club from wanting to retain his services.

Big boost for the gaffer

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray should be left delighted by this news as keeping hold of Evans would come as a big boost for him heading into the 2023/24 season.

His current contract situation means that he would become a free agent heading into the summer transfer window and the club would not receive any compensation for losing him, which is why pinning him to a new deal as quickly as possible will be key to retaining his services.

At the time of the gem’s injury blow, the Black Cats boss said: “He’s got a tough period coming trying to do the work that’s required to strengthen every part of his body again.

“My feelings are with Corry and he’s a huge loss to our football team because of the balance he brings.”

These comments highlight how highly the head coach rates the midfielder, who he has managed for a whopping 124 matches between his time at Sunderland and Blackburn.

The 32-year-old started 22 matches in the Championship in the first half of the campaign, playing 24 times in total, and this aligns with that as it shows that Mowbray trusts Evans to be a reliable performer in the middle of the park at that level.

In those 24 appearances, the Northern Irish battler made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game and won 54% of his individual battles in midfield. This shows that the gem is capable of regularly winning the ball back for his side and does not allow opposition players to get the better of him the majority of the time.

His position as the captain of the club also suggests that the midfielder provides leadership qualities on and off the pitch, which is another reason why Mowbray should be delighted by Sunderland’s efforts to extend the veteran’s contract.

Newcastle United’s bid to sign wonderkid Matheus Franca from Flamengo has fallen short of the asking price, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What’s the word?

The versatile attacking midfielder has already made 28 appearances for Flamengo, scoring seven times and the 18-year-old is wanted by Newcastle.

Romano claimed that Eddie Howe’s side have had a bid of around €16m (£14m) rejected, with the Brazilian club wanting around €20m (£17.6m) – and it remains to be seen whether a deal will be struck before the end of the window.

Speaking on the Here We Go Podcast, Romano stated that not only are Newcastle currently short with their own valuation, but there are other clubs also interested in a deal for the midfielder.

He said: “They made a second bid last week for Franca, it was a bid around €16m total package.

“The answer from Flamengo was no. From what I’m told, Flamengo want €20m. Also, Olympique Lyon are interested in the player; Real Madrid have sent their scouts to keep an eye on him; but Newcastle are the priority for Franca, so let’s see how it will continue.”

One for the future

If Newcastle do secure Franca’s signature, it seems likely that he will be a signing for the future rather than one who comes into the first team straight away.

Although he could provide cover for Miguel Almiron or Joelinton, he will need regular minutes to develop, and a loan move – perhaps back to Flamengo – could be beneficial once his future is secured at Newcastle.

He has “a very good understanding of the game” according to Flamengo youth coach Fabio Matias, whose comments certainly suggest Franca could bring a lot of outstanding technical quality as an attacking midfielder.

Considering Newcastle have Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton on their books, they will be hoping that the increasing Brazilian contingent at the club could help convince Franca to join over the likes of Lyon.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says that Newcastle United seem ‘more keen’ on signing target Marcus Thuram than Manchester United.

The Lowdown: In demand

Thuram is a player in demand, with the Red Devils strongly linked with a January move for the Borussia Monchengladbach striker.

Newcastle are also reportedly interested in his signature, so there could be a battle brewing for Thuram over the next few weeks.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘more keen’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones says that Thuram is a ‘feasible option’ for United, although the Magpies seem to be ‘more keen’ on him:

“From United’s point of view, he’s one feasible option currently out there. At the moment, the other option he would have in England is Newcastle, and they do seem more keen on this than Man United.”

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The Verdict: Sign him up!

It is imperative that Erik ten Hag’s side do not let the Toon beat them to Thuram’s signature in this window.

With the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Anthony Martial is the only recognised senior out-and-out striker at the club, and so another needs to be signed in order to give them sufficient depth in that position.

Lauded as ‘world class’ by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer, and ‘a little crazy‘ by former team-mate Denis Zakaria, Thuram ranks in the top 5% for non-penalty xG, top 7% for dribbles completed and top 8% for shots of all strikers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year (FBRef).

He boasts an impressive 13 goals and four assists in his opening 17 matches for Gladbach in total across all competitions this season (Transfermarkt), and with his contract set to expire in the summer, Thuram could be available for a bargain price.

Nonetheless, United should be all over this deal.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Alexis Mac Allister to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian transfer insider revealing in a recent column for CaughtOffside that, despite the central midfielder being linked in the last few days with a switch to Spurs this winter, it would appear unlikely that the Brighton & Hove Albion manager, Roberto De Zerbi, would be willing to part with the 23-year-old in January.

Regarding the interest in the Argentina international, Romano said: “Alexis Mac Allister has been really impressive in the Premier League and now at the World Cup. It’s not surprising to see transfer rumours involving the player.

“I think Brighton will try not to sell him in January as Roberto De Zerbi really appreciates the player. I think the second part of the season will be crucial for him.”

“Unsung hero”

Considering just how impressive Mac Allister has been for both club and country so far this season, it is easy to see why Antonio Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the 23-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January.

Indeed, over his 14 Premier League appearances for Brighton in the current campaign, the £30m-rated talent has been in sensational attacking form, having already scored five goals and created one big chance for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.9 shots, making 0.9 key passes and completing 0.6 dribbles per game.

The £50k-per-week midfielder has also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 3.1 tackles – the joint ninth-most in the league – 1.4 interceptions and winning 5.8 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per match, as well as enjoying an average of 72.9 touches, playing 2.2 long balls and completing 51.1 passes – at a success rate of 89% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the 23-year-old who Adam Stenning dubbed “sensational” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.31, not only ranking him as De Zerbi’s best performer in the league but also as the tenth-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole so far this season.

This is form Mac Allister has carried into his four outings at the Qatar World Cup this winter, with the midfielder having scored one goal and created one big chance, in addition to making an average of 1.3 key passes, 1.8 tackles and winning 5.0 duels – at a success rate of 63% – per game.

These returns have seen the player who Roy Nemer labelled Argentina’s “unsung hero” average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.18, currently ranking him as Lionel Scaloni’s second-best performer in the competition – behind only a certain Lionel Messi – playing a crucial role in helping his country reach the semi-finals of the tournament.

As such, considering the fact that the Brighton starlet is very much an all-rounder in the middle of the park – something Spurs somewhat lack at present – coupled with the sensational form the 23-year-old has been in for club and country this season, it is not difficult to see why Conte would be keen on the Argentine, as Mac Allister would certainly be a sensational signing for Spurs.

Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen is continuing to impress at the World Cup with Denmark, with the centre-back solid once again on Saturday despite defeat against France.

The former Lyon man has been a mainstay in Patrick Vieira’s side since joining in 2021, making 52 appearances, in which he has contributed one goal and three assists.

His strong performances in the Premier League this season, which have seen him average a solid 6.91 rating from WhoScored, meant that it was perhaps always likely that he would start in Kasper Hjulmand’s defence in Qatar.

Although Denmark now face a battle to get out of their group, after drawing to Tunisia and suffering a narrow defeat against the holders, Andersen’s displays will only encourage Vieira ahead of his Premier League return next month.

Saturday saw him up against the frightening Kylian Mbappe for France and while the PSG star would hit a match-winning double, the Palace defender can be proud of his performance.

As per Sofascore, Andersen would earn a superb 7.3/10 rating for his display, with only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Andreas Christensen rated higher from those in Hjulmand’s side.

The 26-year-old defender earned plaudits from his manager last season for his ability on the ball and he emphasised that quality against the holders on Saturday afternoon.

Vieira said:

“He is massively important. Joachim played in France, he played in Italy, he was in the Premier League last year. He has this experience of moving around and going to a new club.

“When you want to have possession and you have a centre-back who is really comfortable having the ball at his feet it’s quite important.”

During the 90 minutes against France, Andersen would lose possession just four times, which was the second-fewest of any player on the pitch, while he completed 92% of his passes and even popped up with an assist for Christensen’s equaliser.

He also completed six long balls and six clearances during the game, which was more than any other player bar Christian Eriksen, who also contributed six long balls in the game.

It was another impressive display from Andersen against the world champions and if he performs well again against Australia in their next fixture, the Danes still have a good chance of progressing to the knockout stage, should they earn three points and France beat Tunisia.

If the centre-back continues to catch the eye on the world stage, then the Eagles could be in line to make a big profit on their centre-back in the near future, given they paid just £17m to sign him last year.

West Ham United’s recent defeat to Crystal Palace saw summer signing Thilo Kehrer deputise at right-back, with Vladamir Coufal forced to watch on from the bench.

The German, clearly playing out of position, was handed the worst SofaScore rating of anyone on the pitch (5.9) yet still managed the full 90 minutes.

Whether Moyes has an issue with the Czech Republic international, or just wanted added defensive solidity up against the Eagles’ fluid front three, he blundered massively with this tactical decision.

If he is so keen on leaving Coufal out of the side, perhaps he could turn to the academy to unearth a success story similar to the one Ben Johnson has enjoyed in recent years.

Another fine right back in the making is young Harrison Ashby, who will be hoping to build on his seven senior appearances for the Hammers.

Upon first making his debut for the first team back in 2020, journalists Sam Delaney and Roshane Thomas spent time on the U Irons Podcast to praise his talents (via This Is Futbol).

Labelling him “one to watch”, the former was particularly vocal in his praise, stating: “He’s big as well. He’s like a big unit. He’s only young, but he’s like a giant.

“Usually, you’re used to seeing smaller players in those wing-back positions, but he looked big, strong, he was very fearless, decent on the ball.”

The powerful 20-year-old full-back has endured a tumultuous year, struggling for consistency given his constant swap between the youth and senior team. This has resulted in a lack of goal contributions, of which he recorded nine last season.

What was a previously crowded position at right wing-back seems to be thinning out with each season, and soon Ashby could announce himself as the outstanding candidate for the position for the foreseeable future.

With Moyes clearly keen on handing youngsters a chance to show what they are capable of, outlined in the four academy graduates that started in their midweek win over FCSB, there is a huge possibility that soon this bombing Scotsman could be ready to set the Premier League alight.

Crystal Palace put on a resilient performance at Selhurst Park this afternoon after losing 3-0 to Everton last week, beating Southampton 1-0 in front of their home support.

The three points for the Eagles means that they have now broken into the top half of the table and are currently 10th, with their position hanging in the balance of other results around them this weekend.

Patrick Vieira will be proud of his team, who despite having less possession (45%), fewer shots on goal (12 v 14) and fewer big chances (one v three) showed their determination and hard-working attitude throughout the game in south London.

In a relatively uneventful first half, Palace showed how clinical and threatening they can be when in possession, which was inevitably rewarded with a 32nd-minute goal from Odsonne Edouard after he was set up by left-back Tyrick Mitchell.

Despite the Saints doing their best to make a second-half comeback, their desperate efforts were not converted, with 10 of their 14 shots taken in the final 45 minutes of the game, and the Eagles duly reigned victorious, claiming all three points with their first-half goal.

Although Edouard’s goal was the obvious lynchpin in Crystal Palace’s success, there was another player who was key to their victory today.

Luka Milivojevic was an absolute star in the engine room and put on a midfield performance of which Vieira would be proud.

Over his 90-minute display, the 31-year-old took 60 touches, made 33 accurate passes and won 72% of his duels, along with making one key pass, four clearances, four tackles and two interceptions, proving that he ran the show in his role.

The Serbian midfielder’s display against the Saints was his highest-rated performance of the season so far in eight Premier League appearances according to SofaScore, so Milivojevic will be really pleased with the positive impact and hard work that he put in this afternoon.

There are just two more opportunities for Palace to pick up points in the league before the World Cup starts next month, and Vieira will be hoping that this win can inspire further victories when the Eagles face Nottingham Forest and West Ham United over the next couple of weeks.

West Ham can count themselves unlucky after coming away from Anfield with nothing on Wednesday night but the reality is that the Hammers have just nine goals in 11 Premier League games.

Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat against Liverpool was the fifth time this season that Moyes’ side have failed to find the back of the net and they certainly didn’t lack chances against the Reds, with Jarrod Bowen missing a first-half penalty, while Tomas Soucek was somehow denied from close range late on.

Moyes deployed a 4-4-2 formation against Jurgen Klopp’s side but inexplicably left Michail Antonio on the bench, with Bowen featuring as the second striker alongside Gianluca Scamacca.

If the former Hull City man returned to the wing against Bournemouth on Monday night, it would surely represent the perfect opportunity for Moyes to start Antonio alongside Scamacca in attack, something which fans are yet to see this season.

The Scottish manager provided an explanation for why the two haven’t started together earlier in the season but contradicted himself by playing 4-4-2 against Liverpool in midweek.

He said:

“I’m sure that in time, I will look at it. At the moment, to play two strikers, you have to play three at the back. It’s very hard nowadays to necessarily go with a 4-4-2, so to play two strikers is mainly three at the back. We might consider and look at it if we think we’ve got the players.”

Therefore, now that Moyes has shown that West Ham can play in a 4-4-2, surely it is time for Scamacca and Antonio to cause chaos together in attack.

The prospect of the two powerful strikers going up a managerless Bournemouth side, whose unbeaten run under Gary O’Neil came to an end in midweek, will surely terrify the Cherries.

Moyes was full of praise for the former Nottingham Forest man at the start of last season, saying:

“It says a lot about how he started the season because his goals have been excellent for us and his play has been very good.

“He came back in pre-season in good condition and worked very hard during that period. He’s been terrific for us and long may that continue.”

Antonio might have struggled so far this season, with just two goals and one assist in 11 domestic games, but the 32-year-old is West Ham’s top scorer in Premier League history for a reason and surely he can be a big help as they look to turn their poor start to the season around on Monday night.

He could be the man to give the Cherries a fright this weekend.

Sheffield Wednesday defender Mark McGuinness could miss almost a month of action through injury, reliable journalist Joe Crann has stated.

The Lowdown: McGuinness joins Wednesday

The Owls had a busy summer transfer window, bringing in a host of new players in order to boost their League One promotion push.

One of those who came in was McGuinness, with the 21-year-old centre-back moving to Hillsborough on loan from Championship side Cardiff City.

Having made four league starts so far this season, the Irishman has now seen his campaign halted in frustrating fashion.

The Latest: McGuinness injury news

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for The Sheffield Star, Crann stated that McGuinness would be unavailable for the next three or four weeks after a scan prior to Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Ipswich revealed a strain.

The journalist outlined:

“#SWFC defender, Mark McGuinness, will miss ‘three to four weeks’ after picking up a strain… Was due to start today, but they had to change things up after he’d had a scan. Big blow that, he’s been excellent.”

The Verdict: Setback for Wednesday

This is a clear setback for Wednesday, with McGuinness settling into his new surroundings impressively and winning 3.5 aerial duels per game in the league, the third-best of any player at Hillsborough in 2022/23.

Darren Moore isn’t without injury problems as it was, with Dennis Adeniran among a number of key absentees, and the hope is that both players return in the near future.

Thankfully, the Owls at least have the squad depth to negotiate such issues, with four other centre-backs available to the Wednesday manager in McGuinness’ absence.

Manchester United are looking to finalise a 2023 deal for AS Monaco defender Vanderson.

The Lowdown: Vanderson profiled

Vanderson is primarily a right-back who can also play further forward as a right-midfielder or right-winger. The 21-year-old only joined Monaco at the beginning of the year but has made 33 appearances for the French side.

Valued at a career-high £16.2m by Transfermarkt, the full-back has been labelled as a player that is ‘good at taking set pieces’, and he appears to be of real interest to those at Old Trafford.

The Latest: United links

Sports Witness relayed an update from Wednesday’s edition of Sport regarding Vanderson and United.

They claim that the Red Devils have ‘already begun to move to try to tie up’ Vanderson’s services, with the 2022/23 campaign thought to be the player’s final year with Monaco.

The Verdict: Busy January?

It looks as if United officials could be in for an extremely busy New Year when it comes to further additions to Erik ten Hag’s squad. The United manager reportedly wants a right-back, midfielder and centre-forward in January.

Contact has been made with the representatives of Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, while Ten Hag also wants Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans, so Vanderson appears to be the third real target over the coming months.