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Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage must unleash young midfielder Luke Cundle and give him more minutes on the pitch.

The 19-year old has risen through the academy at Molineux and has been described by U23 boss James Collins as a “super talent.”

He is rated at £180k but if he keeps up his performances then that figure will rise quickly.

On the Chalkboard

He has made three appearances so far this season for Wolves, with his first of two starts coming in February against Tottenham Hotspur where his side ran out 2-0 winners.

The Englishman stood out in that game with a 96% pass accuracy which included one big chance creation, according to SofaScore.

His most recent start came against Newcastle where he replaced Leander Dendoncker, with the Belgian out through illness. In that game, despite losing, Cundle had yet another impressive pass accuracy percentage of 92% and also won 60% of his ground duels.

He was arguably the best midfielder on the pitch for Wolves and across this season his pass accuracy percentage is higher than Dendoncker’s.

The 26-year old is expected to be fit to return for the Wanderers’ next game against Burnley, but given Cundle’s performance, it would be harsh for Lage to drop him.

He is highly rated by his manager and last month signed a brand new four-year deal, keeping him at Molineux until 2026.

Cundle earnt praise from fellow English midfielder Jude Bellingham who congratulated him on social media, and he will be hoping that he can follow in his footsteps and become just as good.

Lage also reportedly told the Wolves hierarchy that he did not need a new midfielder in January as he was happy to give the teenager a chance. This would have been a huge boost for the youngster and goes to show that he’s got a bright future ahead of him.

At youth level, his record also speaks for itself having contributed to 13 goals in 35 appearances in Premier League 2.

Cundle can certainly play a part in the remaining games of this season for Wolves, and if he continues to impress he could eventually become a regular, or earn a loan move to a club further down the pyramid.

IN other news: Wolves targeting “breathtaking” £32m-rated gem, he’s miles better than Traore – opinion

As per 90min, a concerning contract update has come to light regarding Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. 

The lowdown: The wait goes on

Despite all parties seemingly being at the table for some time, speculation continues to rumble on as to whether or not the 29-year-old will sign a new deal to remain at the club, having arrived from AS Roma in 2017.

Now into the final 18 months of a deal on Merseyside, Salah has already been linked with a sensational move to Barcelona in recent weeks, and the off-field discourse has seemingly impacted his on-field output as the usually lethal winger has failed to score from open play since netting against Norwich City in mid-February.

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However, perhaps unsurprisingly given his extraordinary goal return over the last five years, the club remain desperate to tie down the Egyptian King to a fresh contract.

The latest: Salah and Liverpool ‘some way apart’

According to 90min’s sources, Salah and Liverpool have been in discussions for ‘more than a year’ without a tangible breakthrough.

The report claims that the Reds’ owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are ‘willing’ to make the 82-cap Egypt star the highest-paid player at Anfield, but there is a ‘reluctance’ to pitch him amongst the best earners in the Premier League.

Furthermore, it is stated that the parties are still ‘some way apart’ in their negotiations as Salah attempts to earn a pay rise on a current £200,000-per-week salary (Spotrac).

The verdict: Just get it done

Of all the important decisions facing the club over the upcoming months and years, securing the services of the £90m-valued superstar is perhaps the most important alongside Jurgen Klopp’s own future beyond 2024.

Prior to recent struggles, the man hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by Ian Wright following a lightning-quick start to the 2021/22 campaign had been one of the leading lights in world football and remains pivotal to Liverpool’s trophy success this term and beyond.

Despite suffering a recent dip, so far this season Salah has scored 28 times and provided another 10 assists in 38 appearances – levels of output which make the potential completion of a new deal a salient moment in the Reds’ future at the very top table.

In other news, three Liverpool players in particular stood out against Benfica. Read more here.

With only one new player signed during the current January transfer window in the shape of Hayao Kawabe, it seems as though Wolves are not looking and letting that deal be their only piece of transfer business this month.

What’s the news?

Speaking on a live Sky Sports programme, presenter Rob Wotton revealed that Wolves are interested in signing AS Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile this month.

“Wolves and Newcastle both interested in the Monaco centre-back, Benoit Badiashile. The 20-year-old Monaco academy graduate is among a number of options in this position both clubs are looking at,” he said.

As a product of Monaco’s youth system, the 20-year-old has already made a total of 105 senior appearances for the club, chipping in with three goals and three assists in the process, showing how highly rated he must be there given his fairly young age.

Fans buzzing

In the four Europa League games that he’s played in for Monaco this season, Badiashile’s performances in those games have earned him an impressive overall rating of 7.36/10 according to WhoScored, comfortably making him the highest-rated player in the competition for Monaco, showing how capable he is of playing in a top European competition.

With his young age and vast experience, it’s easy to see why Wolves would be interested in signing a player such as Badiashile as he could potentially be a long-term player for them for many years to come.

Given how two of Wolves’ current centre-backs Romain Saiss (31) and Willy Boly (30) are two of the club’s five oldest players in their squad, it’s easy to see why the Old Gold would be looking at bringing in a young defender like Badiashile to freshen up their team at the back, an idea which would surely leave plenty of supporters buzzing.

Taking into account how Wolves manager Bruno Lage has come out and said that signing a centre-back is the club’s priority at the moment with Saiss away on international duty and Boly out injured, Badiashile could be just what the team needs at this moment in time.

That said, with recent reports from France claiming that Wolves have already had a bid for the Monaco defender rejected, it could prove to be quite difficult or expensive to secure Badiashile’s signature this month.

If a deal for the young defender isn’t viable for the Old Gold, they should turn their attention to some other potential candidates that could do a job for them at centre-back that may not cost so much.

However, the very idea that they’re targeting someone of the youngster’s quality should be music to the ears of fans at Molineux.

In other news: Journalist drops behind-the-scenes January update that’ll have Wolves fans sweating – opinion 

Celtic have been handed a late injury boost ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that, despite being brought off with a knock in the 2-1 win over Alloa Athletic last weekend, Liel Abada looks set to play a part in the Bhoys’ fixture against Hearts this evening.

The report goes on to reveal that the 20-year-old has been included in Ange Postecoglou’s provisional squad for the trip to Tynecastle, as well as stating: “Liel Abada should be available despite limping off against Alloa.”

Ange will be elated

Considering just how impressive Abada has been since his £3.4m move to Parkhead last summer, the news that winger will be available for selection in an otherwise depleted Celtic squad is sure to have left Postecoglou elated.

Indeed, over his 20 Premiership appearances this season, the £4.05m-rated forward has been in remarkable form for the Bhoys, having already scored six goals, registered three assists and created a whopping 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.7 shots and making 1.9 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £15k-per-week Israel international average a SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as the Hoops’ joint 11th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who remain a part of Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

As such, the winger’s availability for what is certain to be a challenging test against third-placed Hearts will undoubtedly provide Celtic’s chances of leaving Edinburgh with all three points with a substantial boost – with a victory against Robbie Neilson’s men very much being necessary if the Bhoys are to stand a chance of keeping pace in the title race before the Old Firm clash on February 2.

In other news: Celtic suffer yet another big blow as transfer update emerges that’ll have fans gutted

Ashley Preece has corroborated reports of Aston Villa being interested in Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips. 

The lowdown

Jonathan Northcroft of The Times claimed in March that Villa were ‘leading the race’ to sign Phillips.

And transfer insider Dean Jones has since described him as Steven Gerrard’s ‘number one target in that area of the field’.

Phillips is approaching the final two years of his contract with The Whites, the only senior side he’s played for.

Manchester United could compete with Villa with his signature, with the MEN reporting that they’ve already begun working on a move.

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The latest

A supporter asked Preece in a Birmingham Live Q & A whether there is ‘any truth’ in the links.

The journalist replied that ‘Villa’s interest in real’ and that ‘they have been quoted £60million’ by Leeds.

His personal prediction is that Phillips will remain at Elland Road ‘for at least another season’, but it remains to be seen as and when The Villans test the waters with a bid.

The verdict

To emphasise just how a big signing this could be, let’s look at Villa’s existing transfer record.

The most they’ve ever paid to sign a player is £34.6million. That’s what it took to sign Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City last summer.

If Villa cave to Leeds’ demands here, and they might have to given the competition, they could nearly double that benchmark.

It’s clear that Gerrard wants to sign a midfielder this summer, with Preece noting that the likes of Ibrahim Sangare, Boubacar Kamara and Geoffrey Kondogbia have all been considered too. But Phillips, an ‘extraordinary’ talent in the eyes of former England boss Fabio Capello, has the advantage of Premier League experience.

In other news, read this journalist’s reaction to a big Villa transfer update.

Manchester United have appointed Erik ten Hag as their new manager to join the club this summer, and there is already mounting speculation about players who may join him to be part of the new era at Old Trafford.

What’s the latest?

The Athletic has reported that Man United have begun “exploring” the idea of bringing Kalvin Phillips to the club this summer.

The sports publication tweeted: “MUFC have begun exploring the prospect of £50m move for Kalvin Phillips.”

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Ten Hag masterclass

If the Red Devils were able to convince Phillips to leave his beloved boyhood club at Leeds United to join Ten Hag this summer in Manchester, it would be an incredible coup for the club and would be the first masterclass in the new manager’s revolution.

The £38k-per-week ace who was hailed “outstanding” by Martin Keown and a “destroyer” by Steve McLaren, has been a force for the Yorkshire club in their push for promotion to the Premier League and last season when they finished 9th in their first season in the top-flight, as well as being a standout performer for England in the Euros last summer.

In midfield for Manchester United, Phillips is the exact profile of player that the team needs to integrate to improve the possession of the ball and control games better in the centre of the pitch, which has been a huge problem for the current team who, for example, lost the ball 167 times against Newcastle United earlier this season.

The 26-year-old Leeds midfielder this season had lost the ball on average just 11.8 times per game, compared to Bruno Fernandes who loses the ball 18.3 times, and Paul Pogba has lost the ball every 12.1 touches, so adding a player like Phillips could boost the ball retention in the team.

With that being said, there is a huge rivalry between Leeds and Manchester United that has existed for decades and with Phillips being a complete product of Leeds United, the golden boy at the club and in the city it would be surprising if he does make the move to Old Trafford, but from a quality perspective, he is exactly what the team needs.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano drops huge £50m transfer update that will excite Man United supporters

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Newcastle United fell to another demoralising defeat on Saturday, as they were beaten 2-0 by Watford in the FA Cup fourth round.

The Magpies are 17th in the Premier League and now have no chance of lifting silverware this season, while they have also yet to invest in the January transfer market.

On the chalkboard

Benitez picked a rotated XI against the Hornets, naming Joselu as his lone striker.

The 28-year-old has scored three goals this season, the last of which came in the FA Cup third round victory over Blackburn Rovers. His other two came in August, in defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

Perhaps he was picked on the back of his display against Rovers, but there is little about Joselu that marks him out as a first-choice centre-forward.

Check out the video below for Emma Conybeare’s rundown of which clubs need what in the January transfer window…

Salomon Rondon is first-choice at St James’ Park, and he has netted six times already this season. Indeed, he did not play in the FA Cup and now will not get the chance.

Benitez could well be politicking, choosing to play games as he attempts to convince Mike Ashley, the club’s tight-fisted owner, to finally dip into the transfer market this month.

The Magpies have roundly failed to add to their squad and The Telegraph has reported that the former Liverpool boss will leave if Ashley does not sign two players before the deadline.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

If Benitez really did play politics with the FA Cup, supporters are sure to be furious.

Joselu is not, and has never been, a first-choice striker in English football.

During his spell with Stoke City, he scored just four goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Never has a stronger message been sent to a boardroom; playing the player so ill-suited to a role that Benitez may well have sent ten men out to face Watford.

And, yet again, Newcastle will not be winning any silverware this season.

It is not Joselu’s fault, of course; he has been told to do a job and continues to try to do his best, but he finds himself at the centre of an apparent power play.

It remains to be seen if that will pay off and whether we will see any new faces arrive at St James’ Park in the next few days.

Having loaned out players such as Wesley, Anwar El Ghazi, Keinan Davis and Jaden Philogene-Bidace this month, Aston Villa have not been shy when it comes to moving players out of the club who they feel would be better off away from Villa Park for the time being.

With 10 days left until the January transfer window closes, it seems as though there could be another Villa player set to leave the club on a temporary basis in an effort to get some regular game-time.

What’s the latest?

In a recent article for the Birmingham Mail from Villa journalist Ashley Preece, comments from Steven Gerrard were relayed regarding Trezeguet’s current situation at the Midlands club.

The Villa manager said: “He could find [game time] challenging here so we’ll be respectful to him and we’ll see what lands from now until the end of the window.”

Preece then added: “There’s every chance now that Trezeguet, once he’s back from the Africa Cup of Nations, will find himself a loan move knowing minutes will be hard to come by in Gerrard’s favoured 4-3-2-1 system.”

Fans will be delighted

Villa signed the Egyptian back in 2019 from Turkish club Kasimpasa in a deal worth a reported fee of £8.75m.

Since then, the 27-year-old has made 64 appearances for the Villans across all competitions, with nine goals and five assists along the way.

After recovering from a knee injury which kept him out of action for almost eight months last year, Trezeguet has only played 10 minutes under Gerrard this season, which came during their 2-1 defeat against Brentford earlier this month.

Given his lack of minutes under the 41-year-old and his lack of regular goals and assists since his arrival at Villa Park, perhaps moving Trezeguet on this month, either on loan or permanently if a suitable offer comes through the door, would be beneficial for all parties.

It could please a lot of Villa fans if the Egyptian left and duly gave some of the squad’s younger talents such as Jacob Ramsey or Carney Chukwuemeka a bigger chance of receiving game-time throughout the remainder of the season.

In other news: Lange could finally replace Grealish with Villa swoop for “unique” £18m-rated beast

Leeds United have been tipped to consider moving for Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara this summer, LeedsLive report.

The Lowdown: January interest

Kamara was linked with a move to Elland Road in January, where a fee in the region of £10m would have reportedly been enough due to his contract situation.

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However, as we know, Victor Orta failed to make any senior signings for the club, despite speaking to Kamara’s agent.

The 22-year-old remained with the Ligue 1 side and has continued to be a regular but is set to become a free agent at the end of June.

The Latest: Leeds move?

LeedsLive reporter Danny Bloomer shared a story on Thursday morning, looking at five free agents the Whites could be interested in this summer.

One of those is Kamara, who is described as a perfect partner for Kalvin Phillips.

The report says he definitely won’t be extending his deal with Marseille, with the midfielder possibly a player the Whites could make a huge profit on further down the line.

The Verdict: Get it done

Due to Kamara’s contract situation, Leeds could actually secure a pre-contract agreement right now ahead of a free transfer in the summer.

It appears to be a no-brainer, especially with Jesse Marsch extremely short of midfield options at Elland Road. Andrea Radrizzani wouldn’t need to fork out a fee, which could allow the club to table an extremely tempting offer for Kamara, who is on £46,000-a-week at this moment in time.

He’s already made 161 senior appearances for Marseille at the age of 22 and is valued at £22.5m, so a cut-price move to Yorkshire could prove to be a major coup.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals big transfer blow for Leeds as key 21 y/o target now set to move elsewhere

A frustrating Rangers transfer claim has been made, regarding their chances of adding a winger to their squad…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that the Gers may not be able to complete a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville this month.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “There’s Summerville at Leeds and, obviously, van Bronckhorst knows all about the young Dutchman from his time at Feyenoord.

“But I’m not too sure Marcelo Bielsa will be willing to loan him out right now.”

Worried

This frustrating claim will surely leave Rangers fans feeling worried about the club’s chances of signing Summerville on loan. There is little the Gers can do to change Leeds’ mind if they are unwilling to let him leave on a temporary basis, as there would be no significant financial motivation for the Premier League side to outweigh their need to keep him in their squad for the second half of the campaign.

Therefore, the 20-year-old winger may not be on his way to Ibrox before the end of the month. This will frustrate supporters as he could be an excellent signing for Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad if the situation changes and they are able to bring him in.

His teammate Jamie Shackleton previously lauded the young talent’s quality, saying: “There’s specific drills in training that we’ll do. We’ll do those repeatedly. It’s also coming up against better players in training. Coming up against top-class forwards and wingers that we have inside the club definitely helps.

“Cry Summerville is a nightmare to mark. He’s really sharp. For his size he’s very, very strong. I do my best to keep up with him and the other wingers. We’ve got some very sharp wingers at the club.”

He has nine goals and ten assists in 24 outings for the U23 side at Leeds and this suggests that he is a player who is capable of both scoring and creating goals. Although he is yet to prove that he can do it at senior level, these statistics show that he would be an exciting signing for the Gers as he would come in as an electric winger who wants to beat players and make things happen in the final third.

This is why fans will be frustrated and worried by this latest claim from O’Rourke that indicates a deal is unlikely this month.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bassey: Rangers could pull off masterclass in £2m swoop for “calm” gem…