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Journalist Jacque Talbot has dropped an interesting update regarding Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer target Goncalo Ramos as Lage aims to boost his attacking options.

What’s the word?

Football Transfers correspondent Talbot was speaking to the Talk of the Toon Newcastle United blog regarding Ramos and offered an update on the striker which will surely please Lage in his hunt, saying:

“He’s expected to leave, but it was thought that the striker would be making the move to Wolves this summer, should he join a Premier League club.

“My sources in Portugal seemed surprised by the level of noise that’s emerged this week surrounding a possible move to Newcastle.”

This statement can hopefully breathe new life into Wolves’ bid for the Benfica frontman with under three weeks left of the transfer window to go.

Lage needs to act now

Having made only two permanent signings this summer in defender Nathan Collins and Forward Goncalo Guedes, the Molineux faithful are desperate to see more new faces to bolster their shallow squad.

Benfica appear to be looking at around £30m in order to let the 21-year-old leave the club as they don’t see him as a direct replacement for recently departed striker Darwin Nunez.

With Raul Jimenez still unavailable due to injury and Fabio Silva sent out on loan to Anderlecht, Lage is extremely thin for attacking options.

Ramos has begun this campaign in fine form, netting three goals and registering the same amount of assists in just three matches, leading Benfica to the Champions League play-off round.

His performance against Midtjylland in the previous round gave Europe a glimpse of exactly what he can do. The 21-year-old netted a superb hat trick and received a SofaScore rating of 8.4.

Ramos won 80% of his aerial duels, had a total of six shots on target, and missed a further four big chances, meaning he could easily have scored more than three.

The 21-year-old also impressed over his 29 Liga Portugal fixtures – only 17 of which came as starts – last time out, scoring seven goals and providing two assists, despite playing backup to Nunez more often than not.

At a young age, to star at the highest-level shows signs of maturity and this is exactly what Lage requires in order to keep Wolves a top-half Premier League side.

With Talbot claiming that if Ramos was moving to England, then it would be to Wolves, this should give Lage all the motivation to go and make a deal happen.

Aston Villa chief Johan Lange could look to a familiar name in a bid to solve Steven Gerrard’s sudden problem in defence…

What’s the word?

At the weekend, on his home debut, £26m summer signing Diego Carlos suffered a ruptured Achilles and is now set to miss the next six months of action, leaving the Midlands outfit in need of finding a replacement before deadline day on September 1st.

And Galatasaray centre-back Victor Nelsson, who was at Danish outfit Copenhagen at the same time Lange was, could emerge as a viable target, according to the ever-reliable Ashley Preece of the Birmingham Mail.

“Lange will be busy this week, let’s just say that. I have no doubt Victor Nelsson will be a name that comes up as Lange/SG draw up DC replacements,” he told supporters in an online Q&A this week.

Diego Carlos replacement

Indeed, losing the former Sevilla colossus on only his second competitive appearance for the club has been a “massive blow” to Gerrard and co, as described by transfer insider Dean Jones, who has also tipped them to now act in the market to GIVEMESPORT.

Given Lange’s past involvement with Nelsson and his bargain mooted fee of £16.8m, the 23-year-old star could be a perfect replacement in the meantime.

Whilst Carlos was hardly injury-prone before he arrived at Villa Park, the Denmark international has proven to be a reliable option for the Super Lig giants, having featured 49 times for them across all competitions last campaign.

That included a run of five clean sheets from eight matches, one of which being at the Nou Camp as the Lions drew 0-0 with FC Barcelona.

It’s perhaps no surprise to have seen him lauded as a “lion” by one of the club’s directors, Resit Omar Kukner. Meanwhile, the 6 foot 1 colossus has also been dubbed a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig after another big display in Europe, holding off Celtic whilst at Copenhagen.

No other Galatasaray player won more aerial duels than the Dane (3.2 per game), whilst he ranked second to his former teammate Marcao in terms of ability on the ball, managing a passing accuracy of 87.5%, as per WhoScored.

These are two key attributes that attracted Villa to Carlos, with the same statistical website listing aerial and passing ability as two of his three biggest strengths – during the 2021/22 LaLiga season, he won an average of 2.4 aerial duels and registered an 87.6% passing accuracy.

Gerrard would have probably liked to bolster other areas of his squad before deadline day on September 1st but this gutting setback to one of his first-choice central defenders may have changed plans.

Nelsson, given the above evidence, his similar skills to Carlos, his rather low price tag and his past with Lange, would surely make the ideal candidate to fill that void for the next six months and potentially, beyond.

AND in other news, Aston Villa now could eye Ligue 1 titan to replace Carlos…

Aston Villa scouts watched FC Porto in action this weekend, according to a report from Portuguese newspaper A Bola (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The reigning Primeira Liga champions took on rivals Sporting Lisbon in their third game of the new season and ran out 3-0 winners at the Estadio do Dragao courtesy of a goal from Evanilson and penalties from Mateus Uribe and Galeno.

Villa’s recruitment team seemingly remain active even though they have already had a busy summer transfer window, having sealed five deals so far.

The latest

A Bola published a list of the clubs who had officials in attendance at the game, and Villa are included [via Sport Witness].

Also on the list are Premier League ‘big six’ duo Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, along with continental heavyweights like Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Juventus.

The verdict

The object of Villa’s attention may have been Porto forward Otavio.

Mais Futebol reported earlier in the summer that Villa were preparing an offer for the 27-year-old, while another source in Record also claimed that Steven Gerrard’s side wanted to sign him.

Otavio is predominantly a right-sided attacker, although he can also play on the left or as an attacking midfielder. That means he could be viewed as an alternative to the equally versatile Ismaila Sarr after Villa walked away from a deal for the Watford forward.

He produced a solid performance in front of his potential suitors, completing 34 out of 39 passes, recording two dribbles, winning nine duels and making four tackles in Porto’s emphatic victory (via SofaScore).

Therefore, it would be no surprise if Villa try to test the waters for him in the final few days of the transfer window, if they can tempt him to give up the Champions League football which is on offer at Porto.

Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that a Newcastle United move for Joao Pedro has still not been ‘ruled out’.

The Lowdown: ‘Progress’ made

It was reported last week that ‘progress’ had been made on a deal to take Pedro from Watford to St. James’ Park.

However, with the arrival of striker Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, that move could now be in doubt with just a few days left of the transfer window remaining.

The Latest: Not ‘ruled out’

Speaking on Sky Sports’ The Transfer Show on Friday evening, Sheth revealed that while Isak has now been signed, a move for Pedro as well has not been ‘ruled out’:

“The Isak deal came out of the blue a little bit, and up to that point Newcastle were in discussions with Watford about Joao Pedro.

“Since Isak has signed, the big question has been whether anyone else will come in. Eddie Howe certainly hopes so.

“I’m told it’s gone quiet with Joao Pedro, but also that it’s not been ruled out. Newcastle’s bid was worth £30m, with £25m guaranteed. It was the structure of the add-ons which was still under discussion.

“Now Isak is in, I wonder if Newcastle go back and try to sort out those add-ons? Yes, they do want to bring in players – let’s see if one will be Joao Pedro.”

The Verdict: Exciting

These are exciting times indeed for the Toon Army, as they could potentially get both Isak and Pedro in through the doors before the deadline.

Hailed as ‘sensational’ by journalist Josh Bunting after scoring a stunning counter-attack goal in the Hornets’ opening Championship game at home to Sheffield United, the Brazilian has scored 14 goals in total for his club at the tender age of 20.

Nonetheless, his ability to play in any position across the frontline would please Eddie Howe in particular, as he could shift Pedro out to the wing if he wanted to accommodate both him and Isak in the same team.

Leeds United could still make a late move for Wolves winger Adama Traore, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Hwang and Gakpo links

Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta appear to be open to the idea of landing a new forward before the deadline, with Angus Kinnear saying that they could capitalise on an opportunity, should it suit the club.

One player who Jesse Marsch confirmed was on the list of options is Hwang Hee-chan, however, Wolves have rejected an approach from Leeds for the South Korea international.

Another player of interest is PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo, and it looks as of Traore is also on the radar.

The Latest: Traore in, James out

90min shared a story on Wednesday, claiming Leeds have not ruled out the idea of Dan James joining Tottenham on loan. Their report adds that should James leave Elland Road, the Whites could reignite their interest in Traore.

Described as a ‘game changer’ by Leeds employee Noel Whelan, Traore is into the final 12 months of his Molineux deal and is yet to start a Premier League game this season.

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The Verdict: Perfect replacement?

Leeds supporters will be desperate for a striker to arrive before tomorrow’s deadline following an injury to Rodrigo on Tuesday, but it looks as if they may have to settle for a versatile forward like Gakpo or Traore.

Both are primarily wingers, though, so should James head for north London, Traore or Gakpo would indeed be a like-for-like replacement.

The Spaniard has scored 19 senior goals during his club career, the same amount as James, and with the pair both known for their pace, this could be one to watch if Leeds green-light an exit for the Welshman.

West Ham and owners GSBK (Gold, Sullivan, Brady and Kretinsky) could face off-field ‘issues’ due to their partnership with cryptocurrency firm PEAKDEFI.

The Lowdown: Hammers announce May partnership…

The Hammers announced an off-field partnership with PEAKDEFI back in May as their “official decentralised asset management partner”.

West Ham also claimed in their official statement on the matter that the company will promote their brand across the Premier League side’s social channels whilst educating supporters about investment opportunities.

Nathan Thompson, Chief Commercial Officer, stated that the club are ‘keen to remain at the forefront of technological innovation’ and relayed West Ham’s excitement over the partnership.

However, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail, PEAKDEFI appear to be making an effort to grow their brand in Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Latest: Magure makes concerning claim…

Amid this controversy, football finance guru Kieran Maguire has told Football Insider that the east Londoners and their owners could be facing off-field ‘issues’ as a result.

He explained:

“All clubs have an obligation to do proper due diligence.

“We have seen time and time again that links with the crypto token industry have come back to bite the clubs in terms of reputational damage. This would also appear to be the case with West Ham and PEAKDEFI.

“I think there are two issues here. First of all, if the company is targeting the Russian market, does that mean that assets can be transferred from the UK to Russia? That wouldn’t go down particularly well with the Government.

“Secondly, if you look at Coinbase, you’ll see that PEAKDEFI’S price has decreased by 97.5 per cent over the course of 2022.

“Do West Ham really want to be associated with a product that appears to have little inherent value in its own right?”

The Verdict: Relinquish branding?

It appears PEAKDEFI’s standing is plummeting both financially and in terms of global reputation, so it could be time for West Ham to consider cutting ties.

The Irons have been, for the most part, a revelation on the pitch in recent years and are steadily growing their name among Europe and England’s most elite sides.

Off-field controversy of any kind is surely unwelcome amid the glowing David Moyes’ era and it will be interesting to see what course of action the club take, if any.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has revealed that the Whites have an emergency recall option for defender Charlie Cresswell.  

The Lowdown: Cresswell’s Millwall stint

Cresswell, hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Leeds presenter Joe Wainman, made the move to Championship play-off hopefuls Millwall over the summer on a season-long loan.

Since then, the 20-year-old has started seven of a possible ten second-tier games, scoring three times and providing one assist. He is actually Millwall’s top scorer at this moment in time and appears to be enjoying a productive loan spell away from Elland Road.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay shared an in-depth story and interview with Cresswell for The Athletic on Tuesday. He stated that there is ‘a provision for his parent club to recall him in January, though that safety net is for emergencies’.

The reliable reporter did add that ‘the whole point of the transfer was that he stayed at The Den and played’, something which he is currently doing.

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The Verdict: Stay at Millwall?

As long as Cresswell continues to play regular first-team football, then it would make sense to avoid a potential recall in the New Year. Jesse Marsch doesn’t have a shortage of centre-backs, especially with Liam Cooper returning from injury in recent weeks.

Therefore, Cresswell, who has been Millwall’s best-performing player this season, as per WhoScored, should remain in the capital and could well break into Marsch’s plans next season if he continues his impressive form.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has outlined the ‘mistake’ that Glasgow Rangers may have made in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Seven new signings

The Ibrox outfit did make seven new signings in the summer, but also let go of experienced heads like Calvin Bassey, Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun (Transfermarkt).

They have reportedly been exploring the possibilities of signing Fabian Delph and Gary Cahill as free agents since the window closed, which suggests they may not have been completely satisfied with their business.

The Latest: Rangers ‘mistake’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that it was a ‘mistake’ by Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side not to buy an extra central defender as well as a goalkeeper:

“I’m sure most managers would look at the window, you’re not going to land all your top targets, that’s never going to happen, it just doesn’t happen that way in football.

“And I’m sure Van Bronckhorst thinks he should have maybe brought in another new central defender after losing a few with the likes of Leon Balogun leaving in the summer.

“Maybe not bringing in another central defender was a mistake as well as perhaps a goalkeeper because (Jon) McLaughlin has struggled in some games this season as well, while (Alan) McGregor is not getting any younger.”

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The Verdict: Reinforcements needed

Given their start to the season, where they have lost 4-0 to bitter rivals Celtic and have also been defeated in both of their UEFA Champions League group stage games to Ajax and Napoli respectively, it is clear that the Gers need more reinforcements on top of the signings they made in the summer.

Cahill is still available as a free agent, and so would offer them that extra central defensive cover, but they could also do with upgrading the goalkeeping department.

McLaughlin has been criticised for some of his poor performances this campaign, while McGregor is 40 years of age and so does not have many years left at the top level.

Nonetheless, it could be a busier than usual January transfer window for the Light Blues.

Tottenham Hotspur saw their seven-match unbeaten Premier League record come to a devastating end on Saturday afternoon, with Arsenal running out 3-1 winners in a largely one-sided north London derby at The Emirates.

Indeed, after a fast start by Mikel Arteta’s side, Thomas Partey gave the Gunners the lead on the 20-minute mark, affording Hugo Lloris no chance as the midfielder’s spectacular strike from outside the box flew into the top corner.

However, Harry Kane was handed a perfect opportunity to draw Spurs level shortly before half-time after Gabriel Magalhaes brought Richarlison down in the penalty area, with the striker managing to outwit Aaron Ramsdale from the spot.

Despite the parity of the scoreline, it was once again Arsenal who started the second half the brightest, with Gabriel Jesus taking full advantage of Cristian Romero and Lloris’ mixup to restore the Reds’ advantage with 49 minutes gone.

And, any hopes of a Tottenham comeback were dealt a significant blow just after the hour, when Emerson Royal foolishly lunged in on Gabriel Martinelli, a challenge that saw the wing-back receive a straight red card from Anthony Taylor.

The result was then well and truly sealed just five minutes later, when Granit Xhaka slotted beyond Lloris after Gabriel Martinelli easily drifted past Romero, before the Gunners comfortably saw out the remaining 20 or so minutes to seal the three points.

However, while it was the incredibly rash challenge of Emerson that ultimately killed the game off, arguably the most disappointing performance from a Tottenham player actually came from the usually so reliable centre-back, Romero.

Indeed, over the course of the 90 minutes, the £70m-rated defender endured a torrid afternoon, completing a lowly 76% of his 34 attempted passes, losing possession of the ball on 11 separate occasions, committing one foul and winning just three of his six duels – a success rate of a mere 50%.

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Furthermore, as mentioned previously, the Argentine’s poor touch – albeit as a result of Lloris’ parry – allowed Jesus to restore the Gunners’ lead in the second half, while the £165k-per-week talent was also beaten far too easily by Martinelli for the third.

Rather unsurprisingly, the 24-year-old who Gabriel Martins claimed “left his brain at home” on Saturday earned an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 5.7 for his display – joint-worst of the match, alongside Emerson.

As such, while one poor performance by no means makes Romero a bad player, Antonio Conte will no doubt be concerned by the display of the Argentina international on Saturday – as the centre-back very much let the Italian down at The Emirates.

Bruno Lage’s future as Wolves head coach is in “major doubt”, according to reliable reporter John Percy.

The Lowdown: Bottom three

The Old Gold have had an extremely poor start to the season, netting just three times in their opening eight Premier League games, the fewest of any team in the top flight.

They have won just once and suffered another defeat on Saturday evening at fellow strugglers West Ham, with a 2-0 loss leaving them in the bottom three.

Going back to the latter weeks of last season, Lage has won just one of his last 15 top-flight games, and it looks as if the walls are starting to close in when it comes to his future at Molineux.

The Latest: Wolves considering Lage’s future

The Telegraph’s Midlands football reporter Percy took to Twitter on Saturday evening following the defeat at the London Stadium.

He revealed that Wolves officials are ‘are considering the future of Lage’, adding that the 46-year-old’s position is in ‘major doubt’.

The Verdict: Matter of time?

The warning signs were there for Wolves at the end of the previous campaign, which they ended with two points from a possible 21, and things have gone from bad to worse during the current season.

Therefore, it wouldn’t come as a complete shock if the Old Gold hierarchy decide to pull the plug on Lage’s time in charge, and it seems from Percy’s update as if they are considering doing just that.

One victory in 15 Premier League games would leave any manager under big pressure, so it could just be a matter of time until Wolves are on the search for the 46-year-old’s successor at Molineux.