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Tottenham Hotspur sit top of Group G on goal difference as they return to UEFA Europa Conference League action later this evening.

Nuno Santo and his side will be looking to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they head to the Netherlands to face Vitesse at the GelreDome.

The Portuguese is expected to ring the changes, keeping in mind their Premier League clash with West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, so not all of Spurs’ first-team stars will make the trip.

One player who shouldn’t travel is centre-back Cristian Romero, who narrowly made it back from South America to face Newcastle United at the weekend.

He started and played the full 90 minutes as the Lilywhites defeated the Magpies 3-2 at St James’ Park but you could tell that his preparation for the match was far from ideal, thus he should remain in England and be rested for tonight’s encounter.

During the match, the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick described the 23-year-old defender as “unsurprisingly very shaky”, whilst football.london’s Alasdair Gold made note of his blunder for the home side to open the scoring.

Romero was beaten far too easily by Callum Wilson just minutes into the game and he never really recovered, not that it was his fault for his selection.

Just a couple of days earlier, he featured for Argentina in their win over Peru in Buenos Aires, he then had to fly back on a private jet along with Spurs’ other three players who had been on international duty in the continent, only just making it back on Saturday – one day earlier.

Meanwhile, as per SofaScore, the £31.5m-rated colossus was dribbled past three times, the second-most in the match, whilst he also lost possession 13 times and made just 49 of his 60 passing attempts, only proving that he was sloppy and a little sluggish on the afternoon.

He should remain in Nuno’s first-choice XI, however, he could probably do with sitting this one out in order to be fresh for this weekend’s London derby.

This decision could be hugely beneficial heading into Sunday.

AND in other news, £27m-rated “freak of a talent” facing fight to save Spurs career amid latest Nuno call…

Lots of Wolves fans have been left buzzing as the Midlands club released their third kit for the 2021/22 season.

Footage of the new shirt was released on their Twitter page, with players like Raul Jimenez, Ruben Neves and Adama Traore modelling it.

The jersey boasts a pre-dominantly white colour, with traditional Old Gold strips across the shoulders and around the sleeves and neck line.

After the home and away strips, it is safe to say that Castore have done a good job here once more, as the Molineux faithful will now be looking forward to their team wearing it throughout the campaign.

Nonetheless, it is now available to buy on WWFC’s website for those supporters eager to grab hold of and wear it when going back to games.

Wolves fans on third kit

These Wanderers were left buzzing as the third kit was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘stunning’:

“Stunning”

Credit: @BVitler

“That is beautiful”

Credit: @jaijjordan

“Castore have smashed it with all 3 kits this season”

Credit: @joee290896

“Work of art”

Credit: @rmpoodles

“Wow doesn’t get better, beautiful well done Castore”

Credit: @GodersTim

“Love love love love it”

Credit: @clolouisez

In other news, find out what Fabrizio Romano update has been lauded by Wanderers here!

So far this season, Sunderland have managed to win 13 of their 21 played league games, drawing three and losing five, earning them 42 points and placing them in third place in the league table.

With Sunderland having had a number of injury issues to deal with for the past few weeks with the likes of Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin, Denver Hume, Aiden McGeady and Luke O’Nien all out, this shows how well manager Lee Johnson and the available players he’s had at his disposal have done lately.

Having gone unbeaten in their five previous league games, it seems as though the Sunderland fans could have something to be excited about and look forward to during the upcoming January transfer window that could help Johnson’s side make their final push for promotion.

On the subject of the January market, Johnson had this to say on the matter over the weekend.

He said: “Our aim will be to come out of the January transfer window better than we went into it. There’s always a natural evolution of any squad. I think we will be able to recruit – I expect us to be able to recruit. Nobody has told me any different.”

Taking this into account, it certainly sounds that Johnson will be looking to strengthen his squad in January as the Black Cats aim to finally win promotion back to the Championship after spending the previous three seasons in League One.

Given their injury issues, particularly in the defensive areas, perhaps this should be where the Wearside club look to add in the winter to make sure they don’t miss out on promotion.

With this in mind, January could provide Kyril Louis-Dreyfus with a great chance of giving Johnson exactly what he needs to get Sunderland through to the end of the season and in with a chance of securing their place in the Championship for next season.

In addition to any potential new players coming in, Sunderland also have the option of recalling some of their players currently loaned out elsewhere such as Jack Diamond and Josh Hawkes, which could also give Johnson some extra options in his squad to get them over the line to promotion.

In other news: Big blow: Sunderland dealt yet another injury setback that’ll surely have fans fuming – opinion

With Everton having racked up a mixed bag of results in the Premier League so far this season with five wins, three draws and seven defeats, they have the opportunity to do some business in the upcoming January transfer window to help revitalise the squad and get them on track for the second half of the campaign.

One bit of business which could be done at Goodison Park in January could see one of their current players wave goodbye to the club before any potential new signings walk through the door.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Everton journalist Phil Kirkbride in the Liverpool Echo, Toffees manager Rafael Benitez is seemingly keen to offload players in January, including Cenk Tosun.

Everton secured the signing of the Turkey centre-forward back in the 2018 January transfer window from Turkish club Besiktas in a deal worth a reported fee of £27m. Since then, he has had a loan spell at fellow Premier League side Crystal Palace, as well as a temporary return to Istanbul last season.

Overall, the 30-year-old has made 59 appearances for the Toffees across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists along the way.

Even though he has been injured for a significant period this season, Tosun has only played six minutes (in one game) in the six matches in which he has featured in Everton’s senior squad in the Premier League in 2021/22.

This suggests to us that he is not regarded fondly by Benitez, even though the Toffees have had Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured for quite a while.

With this in mind and the manager seemingly preferring Salomon Rondon, who has played in 10 league games without scoring for Everton so far this season, it’s not surprising to hear that the Spaniard would be willing to move Tosun on from the club in January.

Moving forward, if Everton receive an offer to take him off their hands on a permanent basis for a suitable transfer fee, this could be the best option for all parties if he’s able to get regular playing time elsewhere and the Toffees are able to get his £69k-per-week wages off their books.

Getting Tosun out the door could be a significant step in Benitez revitalising Everton’s stagnant season, especially if it helps to finance a new signing next month.

In other news: Moshiri risks further Everton fury as links emerge on “complete” £110k-p/w machine

Celtic talisman Odsonne Edouard has been shortlisted by European giants AS Roma as they look to beef up their offensive arsenal, as reported by Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Celtic undergo mini-exodus as 2021/22 gets underway

As the 2021/22 season gets underway, new manager Ange Postecoglou has began to initiate the rebuilding processes needed at Parkhead in earnest.

Multiple senior exits were always likely this summer, as reflected by the departures of influential figures such as Scott Brown, Kristoffer Ajer and Olivier Ntcham [Transfermarkt], and the Hoops now look set to lose yet another prize asset following recent reports.

The Latest: Edouard on Roma shorlist as Dzeko exit imminent

Edouard is rumoured to be on a shortlist at the Stadio Olimpico to help bolster their striking options, as per Daily Record.

Circumstantially, this has come around as a result of the imminent transfer of Roma striker Edin Dzeko to divisional rivals Inter Milan, creating a need for a new centre-forward in the Italian capital to replace the two-time Premier League winner.

Mauro Icardi is also said to be on the Giallorossi’s radar, but his prospective financial expenditure within the realm of a transfer fee and wages makes him an unlikely candidate. [Daily Record]

Could this pave the way for the 6 foot 2 Edouard to make the switch to Roma?

The Verdict: Right time for player and club to amicably part ways

With only 12 months remaining on his contract in Glasgow, it would be wise for Celtic to take advantage of the Frenchman’s value and try to make a profit on his services.

In 2020/21, he made a sustained impact for the Hoops , registering 28 goal contributions in 40 appearances with 22 goals and six assists [Transfermarkt]. Furthermore, his average of 3.5 shots per game in the Premiership last year illustrated his ability to trouble defences regularly [WhoScored].

Once labelled as “magnificent” by former Hoops manager Neil Lennon [Glasgow Live], now may well be the correct time for Celtic and Edouard to amicably part ways while they can still recoup a transfer fee for him.

In other news, a Premier League club are in pole position to sign this Celtic star.

Alex McLeish has dropped an Everton transfer claim on reported target Denzel Dumfries.

The Lowdown: Dumfries latest

According to Bild (via Sport Witness), the Goodison Park faithful are among the ‘hottest contenders’ to sign Dumfries in the summer window, along with Inter Milan.

However, the news outlet also claims that the Merseyside club are looking to raise funds first of all by selling players before making their move for the PSV ace.

The Latest: McLeish backs Dumfries to Everton

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish, who is now a pundit after building a career as a manager in the Premier League, has claimed that Marcel Brands will want to sign Dumfries, and was particularly in awe of his displays at Euro 2020 so far with The Netherlands:

“Big, athletic player.

“Every time I watched that first game he was always in the box, coming in at the back post.

“Eventually he got a goal. I thought (he’s an) absolute massive talent in terms of athletic (ability). Good in the air as well.

“Another Dutch talent unearthed. Marcel will be heavily into that one.

“Coleman was an exciting player for Everton for many, many years.”

The Verdict: Sign him up

McLeish is not wrong when he claims that Brands will want to bring Dumfries to the Toffees, given his Dutch connections and the fact that there are already reports he is a big fan of the flying full-back.

Scoring two goals in the group stages from the right-back position (Sofascore), he has taken the Euros by storm so far, and will be looking to continue his fine form going into the knockouts.

Dumfries also scored four goals and supplied a further nine assists in 41 games across all competitions in the 2020/21 term at club level (Transfermarkt), further showing his attacking qualities and proving that this is not just a flash in the international tournament pan.

Nonetheless, being the captain of PSV at just 25 years of age, Dumfries would be the perfect long-term successor to Seamus Coleman with both his quality and leadership.

In other news, find out which transfer update has Blues raving here!

Derby County have reached an agreement with the EFL regarding their punishment for breaching financial regulations.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a claim made by Mike Keegan, with the Daily Mail journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Derby have agreed to a 12 point penalty, nine of which will be deducted from their current points tally this season, with the other three suspended until next term.

However, a further report by the Daily Mail revealed that, as yet, there has been no agreement reached regarding an EFL imposed business plan, while a resolution regarding the club’s accounting is also required before the Rams’ can conclude their 18-month battle with the league’s governing body.

In his tweet, Keegan said: “I’m told agreement in principle has been reached between Derby County and the EFL. Would see club docked nine points now, with three (12 in total) suspended. No deal yet over business plan. Talks ongoing but this is being viewed as key breakthrough.”

Fans will be livid

While it is undoubtedly good news that Derby have finally made progress towards settling their ongoing argument with the EFL, something that has now been hanging over the club for a year and a half, the fact that Wayne Rooney’s side look to have agreed a nine-point deduction to their current total is sure to have left fans livid.

Indeed, with the club having maintained their innocence throughout their fight with the EFL, agreeing to a penalty which will see the club sent to the bottom of the Championship table – if applied before their fixture against Stoke City on Saturday – certainly seems to be something of an admission of guilt.

Furthermore, while Rooney’s side surprised many with their decent level of performances so far this season, picking up seven points over their opening seven fixtures of the 2021/22 Championship campaign, the impact of suddenly finding themselves seven points away from safety is sure to be negative on the 35-year-old manager, his players and fans of the club.

In other news: Derby County confirm exciting transfer news which is sure to have Rams fans buzzing

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a big blow as Ianis Hagi is now likely to miss their next two games.

The Lowdown: International break

Hagi was called up to the Romania squad for their FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia.

He certainly caught the eye against the former, grabbing himself an assist, as well as winning five of his duels and recording three successful dribbles and three key passes (Sofascore).

The Latest: Hagi illness

As quoted by The Daily Record, the Romanian FA have now revealed that Hagi has returned a positive Covid test, and as a result missed their clash with North Macedonia:

“Today (Tuesday) around noon, Ianis Hagi complained of slight headaches in the Skopje national team’s camp.

“He performed a quick test under the coordination of the medical staff of the national team and the result is positive.

“The player immediately went into isolation. Until today, on the occasion of this action of the national team, Ianis had performed 5 Covid tests, all with a negative result.”

It also means that he is now likely to miss the Light Blues’ next two games against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership and Lyon in the UEFA Europa League respectively.

The Verdict: Blow

It is certainly a huge blow for Steven Gerrard to now lose one of their key players in Hagi for their next two fixtures, especially against Lyon.

The Liverpool and England legend would have wanted to get off to a good start in the Europa League, but it looks like they will have to try and do it without the 22-year-old.

Dubbed ‘brilliant’ by Gerrard after his impressive performance in their 1-0 home win over Alashkert earlier on in the season, Hagi has certainly been playing well so far this season, scoring two goals and making one assist in six appearances in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, the Ibrox faithful will have to find another source of creativity for the next week or so.

In other news, find out which Premier League club tried to sign this ‘magnificent’ Gers star here!

Serie A expert Conor Clancy insists that Tottenham Hotspur won’t be signing Merih Demiral from Juventus this summer, because Fabio Paratici has left Juventus.

Spurs have previously been linked with a move for the central defender, who has grown into an impressive figure during his time in Italy, with Football London’s Alasdair Gold claiming they’re keeping a close eye on him.

Demiral enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Italian club last season, making 15 appearances in Serie A and at the age of 23, he has already won 25 caps for Turkey.

Clancy is the editor-in-chief at Forza Italian Football and he claims that there is next to no chance of Spurs bringing the player to the club in this transfer window, especially with the pending appointment of Paratici as Sporting Director.

Indeed, BBC Sport claims that he is set to be appointed, and his fingerprints appear to be over the club’s pursuit of former Roma manager Paulo Fonseca, but Clancy believes he may have allowed Demiral to leave if he were still in power at Juve.

Clancy was asked about the prospect of Spurs getting Demiral, and told The Transfer Tavern exclusively: “If they do, it’s a miracle.

“Maybe if Paratici was still there, they might sell him and make a silly decision like that but I’m not so sure. Particularly with Allegri back now, he’s the type of player Allegri would love.”

Liverpool will be among the clubs interested in signing West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice when the summer transfer window opens, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Contract rebel

A recent report from The Guardian has claimed that the 23-year-old has rejected a third offer a new deal at the London Stadium and is ‘open’ to a move away at the end of the season.

With Rice under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), Hammers boss David Moyes has previously placed a £150m price tag on the England international, who previously came through the Chelsea academy.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-29/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Amidst growing interest from Manchester City and Manchester United, the Reds have now been tipped to show their own admiration for Rice…

The latest: Jones makes Rice transfer claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Liverpool will be weighing up a possible swoop for the 29-cap England ace.

The journalist stated: “Of course, they’re going to be interested in Declan Rice because if Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have had that player on their radar, then you kind of at least have got to consider whether you’re going to need him.”

The verdict: An unnecessary expenditure

Currently, Jurgen Klopp has Fabinho as the only recognised senior defensive midfielder within the Anfield squad, although Jordan Henderson, James Milner and youngster Tyler Morton have all deputised in the role at times this season.

Nonetheless, the powerful Brazilian midfield general has enjoyed a stellar campaign, with five goals and four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions; and despite the lack of natural options in that position, spending anything like the mooted £150m on Rice simply isn’t a realistic prospect for the Reds.

Instead, as the two Manchester clubs potentially do battle for the 23-year-old’s signature, Klopp and incoming Anfield sporting director Julian Ward are more likely to set about pursuing an affordable alternative.

Using the FBRef comparison tool, statistically this term, 21-year-old Nice starlet Khephren Thuram-Ulien is the closest match to Rice, whilst Liverpool’s own Fabinho also appears in the top 10.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for one player. Find out who it is here.