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Newly-appointed West Brom boss Sam Allardyce has been thrown straight into the deep end for his first game in charge of the Baggies as they welcome an arch-rival to the Hawthorns this evening.

The 66-year-old has it all to do if he’s to salvage something from Albion’s woeful start in the Premier League, and it begins with an encounter against Dean Smith’s high-flying Aston Villa.

He replaced the axed Slaven Bilic earlier in the week despite the Croatian steering his side to an impressive 1-1 draw at Manchester City.

It’ll be interesting to see what sort of lineup Big Sam selects as his next survival bid takes shape – here’s the XI we’re predicting tonight…

Allardyce is known for his direct style so there may well be a change in system, though he’s expected to be without a quintet of Baggies stars.

The influential Matheus Pereira is serving the third and final match of his suspension while defensive duo Kyle Bartley and Conor Townsend are still on the treatment table, as is Sam Field and Hal Robson-Kanu.

We’re likely to see no change between the sticks, so Sam Johnstone keeps his place but there could be a recall for Premier League veteran Branislav Ivanovic to partner Semi Ajayi at centre-back. Kieran Gibbs and Darnell Furlong should continue at full-back.

In midfield, we’re expecting Jake Livermore to take up a place alongside Conor Gallagher as a two-man engine room. The pair are the perfect box-to-box types to play Big Sam’s 4-4-2 formation.

It means Grady Diangana also keeps his place on the left, though there may be a shock return for 32-year-old outcast Kamil Grosicki as he comes in for Matty Phillips on the right.

Allardyce could also make a huge call in attack, dropping the out-of-sorts Karlan Grant for Charlie Austin with Callum Robinson also returning to the XI in the fourth and final change to partner him up top.

Romaine Sawyers will therefore join the likes of Filip Krovinovic, Lee Peltier and Kyle Edwards on the bench.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Sam Allardyce tipped to bring Premier League striker to West Brom in January…

When you narrow down the transfer business that every Premier League club is set to do this January, Leeds’ expectations will probably be somewhere near the bottom.

It’s unlikely they will add any bodies but an exceptional circumstance may have presented itself to Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta.

What’s the word?

Last month, it was revealed that former Chelsea striker Diego Costa would be leaving Atletico Madrid on a free transfer.

The forward’s contract was set to expire at the end of the season but he had his terms in Spain mutually terminated.

As a result, a number of clubs have put themselves in the race to land the Spain international. Wolves are one team, but Leeds have now been thrown in the hat by pundit Kevin Phillips.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said:

“They might need someone like Diego Costa, he might be looking at Leeds and thinking: ‘Look at the way they play football, I could score goals in there’,”

“I know he’s been linked with Wolves but he’s a free agent, isn’t he, so it would not surprise me with Bielsa if he pitched up at Leeds.”

Bring him to Elland Road

This is an interesting take from Phillips and it will be interesting to see whether Orta tries to pursue this deal.

Last January, they got things horrifically wrong they brought Jean-Kevin Augustin to the club. On paper, it looked an eye-catching addition. However, what followed was just 48 minutes of football and a legal battle after Leeds refused to pay their obligation to buy the striker from RB Leipzig.

Consequently, Bielsa may think twice before green-lighting a transfer this January. Though, if they do choose to sign anyone, they wouldn’t go too far wrong with Costa.

Patrick Bamford is having a fabulous season with ten Premier League goals in 16 outings, but the man in question here is a proven international footballer. He’s capped 24 times and has enjoyed enormous success throughout Europe.

It would also give Leeds a different option in attack and provide a quality they haven’t necessarily had since the days of Chris Wood. The Kiwi was a brute in the air and used his seismic strength to bully opponents.

That’s exactly what Costa does too. For context, the former Atleti attacker won 3.1 aerial duels this season in La Liga, which is only 0.2 below the number Wood amassed in his final campaign at Elland Road.

Speaking about the 32-year-old in 2019, Diego Simeone typified him perfectly: “Costa is a beast, he’s raring to go, he’s ambitious and as everyone knows, he’s a warrior.”

This would be a brilliant addition, especially on a free transfer. Costa could carry Leeds to a top-half finish.

AND in other news, Forget Rodrigo: Leeds must move for “extraordinary” £30m gem, Orta has found Pablo 2.0…

This has been a rotten season for Celtic and one feels that not even a few additions in the transfer market will improve things.

At the end of the day, the Hoops are 19 points behind Rangers and supporters will settle for nothing less than a tenth successive league crown.

What’s the word?

Celtic have been eyeing a few transfers this month. From Ben Pearson and Alfie Doughty in England, they are now seeking a move for someone in France.

According to Foot Mercato, Celtic have started approaches to try and sign Stade Reims winger Nathanael Mbuku.

The 18-year-old is facing fierce competition for his signature with Parma also in discussions to try and sign the Frenchman.

Lille have also expressed an interest in signing the France youth international who could cost in the region of €8m (£7.2m).

The next Edouard?

Celtic have had enormous joy when buying French players in recent years. Whether it’s Moussa Dembele or Odsonne Edouard, more often than not they’ve garnered immense success.

In Mbuku, it would surely be a similar story. In fact, he could well be the club’s new Edouard.

The Hoops striker has been linked with a move away on a regular basis but regardless of whether he stays in Glasgow or not, the teenage target could be his natural successor at Parkhead.

That’s because he’s a powerful forward capable of bullying the opposition. Although he’s scored just once this term in Ligue 1, the winger has a wonderful record at youth level and is “able to destabilise any defender,” according to his manager David Guion.

At the U17 World Cup in November 2019, he scored five goals in six outings for France, sealing his place as the second-highest goalscorer in the competition. He did so all while playing out wide.

Now, you might wonder how he could replicate Edouard given his position but it’s important to remember that he often played on the flanks when he was younger. For instance, the Bhoys talisman netted three in five games from the right-hand side while playing for PSG in the UEFA Youth League.

The striker has since progressed enormously and Neil Lennon will hope for a similar story with Mbuku if he arrives. He certainly has the talent and potential to become a big player.

AND in other news, “The only way he can stay” – EXCLUSIVE: Pundit delivers verdict on Lennon’s Celtic future…

Crystal Palace have completed the signing of Jean-Philippe Mateta from Mainz 05 on an 18-month loan with an option to buy, and it could be bad news for Michy Batshuayi.

What’s the word?

Mateta arrived in London for a medical last night ahead of a move worth up to £16m, with the initial loan costing £2.5m whilst the option to buy is worth a further £13.4m providing he starts 15 games in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old told the club’s website: “I’m very happy to come to Crystal Palace and I look forward to training.”Playing in the Premier League was my dream when I was a child. Now I can play, I will show the fans of Crystal Palace what I can do.”

📸 No Worries. #CPFC | https://t.co/utMcYSDkhb pic.twitter.com/VN4FHWjxcu

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 21, 2021

“We have followed Jean-Philippe’s development with keen interest for some time, and I’m so pleased that we have been able to bring him to south London,” said club chairman Steve Parish.”He is a player that is full of potential with a proven goal-scoring record, and his signing reiterates our commitment to ensuring we have a well-balanced squad in terms of youth and experience for the seasons ahead.” Bad news for Batshuayi

Mateta has impressed with his performances in the Bundesliga for Mainz, bagging 27 goals in 71 appearances across all competitions, including a hat-trick against SC Freiburg.

The Paris-born Frenchman has continued his prolific form since the start of this season, scoring seven goals in 15 top-flight games, resulting in a solid 6.72 average rating.

His arrival at Selhurst Park could spell trouble for Michy Batshuayi as it may have all but ended his hopes of joining Palace on a permanent basis in the summer.

Palace signed the Chelsea striker on loan until the end of the season, with the option to make his move permanent at the end of his loan spell, but he has been restricted to just four starts in the Premier League this season so far, with the last of his appearances coming off the bench in the 4-0 defeat to Manchester City.

It’s been nearly six months since the misfiring Batshuayi signed for Palace, and it’s fair to say that his second stint at Selhurst Park hasn’t quite worked out, having so far failed to find the back of the net for Hodgson’s side this season.

The 27-year-old, who is currently valued at £10m via Transfermarkt, has done little to justify such a hefty price-tag, and he may in fact cost even more if Palace wish to make his move permanent after he agreed a one-year contract extension with his parent club in the summer.

Should Mateta hit the ground running – and he has certainly shown that he should be able to do this, given his excellent goal return for Mainz – it’s hard to imagine Parish will want sanction such a move for Batshuayi, given his struggles in front of goal, as he may struggle to get a decent amount of game time under Hodgson as he already finds himself behind Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke in the pecking order.

The Palace flop may in fact be forced to return to Chelsea with his tail between his legs instead.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace must avoid signing Fiorentina striker Christian Kouame in January…

This time last week it looked as though Wolves were going to fall silent in the transfer window.

Nuno Santo had reportedly been told to forget about splashing a large sum of money and consequently, it appeared they’d be stuck with returning loanees Patrick Cutrone and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Yet, in the last 24 hours that has changed. A deal to sign Willian Jose on loan with an option to buy is being negotiated with just a few finer details left to be ironed out.

This would be the perfect deal for Wolves, mainly because he possesses similar qualities to the injured Raul Jimenez.

Yet, if Jeff Shi completes any further business, another loan move could be on the cards for 31-cap Brazilian Douglas Costa.

Reports in Italy emerged this week that Juventus were unhappy with his lack of game time during a temporary stint with Bayern Munich, and thus, the Premier League had emerged as an option for Costa ahead of the second part of the season.

If they are able to bring the dynamic winger to Molineux then he could be an ideal successor to Adama Traore. It’s unlikely the Spaniard will leave but he has been linked with pastures new heading into January so Wolves can never be too careful.

Irrespective of Traore’s future, Costa would be a superb signing. That’s predominantly because he offers very similar qualities to the Spanish wing wizard.

Like the former Barcelona man, Costa possesses incredible dribbling skills and has frightening speed, traits that can terrify defenders.

When the Juve attacker first signed for Bayern, then-sporting director Matthias Sammer said: “He has great technical ability, a powerful left foot, he is very agile and extremely quick.”

Although they use different feet, the vast majority of what Sammer says can also be applied to Traore.

For further context, you only need to consider their statistics. The Wolves forward is incredible when it comes to beating a man, amassing as many as 4.3 dribbles per game in the Premier League last term.

This season, he’s completed 3.7 dribbles, a tally that usurps Costa’s best season for take-ons by just 0.3. That happened to be during the 2017/18 season.

Of course, that was a while ago but Costa hasn’t relented too much in terms of dribbling. He started just seven times in Serie A last season but still managed 1.9 dribbles a match.

That’s an eye-catching total, one that just goes to show how dangerous he can be. Although this would be a stop-gap loan signing, he has what it takes to succeed Traore if he does indeed depart the Midlands.

AND in other news, Forget MGW: Wolves must unleash rarely-seen “special” talent, he’s shades of Moutinho…

In a game where the result favoured neither side, West Brom talisman Jake Livermore was once again found wanting.

Two of the Premier League’s relegation rivals locked horns at the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon with the match ending in a 2-2 draw, which hasn’t affected the Baggies’ cause whatsoever.

Sam Allardyce’s faltering side remain six points adrift of safety, and if their captain’s performance is anything to go by, then the 66-year-old has one mighty task to keep Albion up this campaign.

Heading into the encounter, Livermore was already ranked among West Brom’s worst players, and that hasn’t changed with an average WhoScored rating of 6.17.

The only other regular starter (ten or more games) worse than the 31-year-old is Romaine Sawyers (6.13), who did not feature.

Livermore was tasked in a defensive midfield role but ended up being graded as the home side’s worst player (6.3).  That’s even worse than Dara O’Shea, who was hooked after just 24 minutes as he was enduring a nightmare afternoon.

The skipper is supposed to be an imposing figure holding fort in front of the backline, and he was anything but after he won only two of eight duels (25%), via SofaScore.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-this-weeks-latest-west-brom-news-and-transfer-rumours” title=”Read this week’s latest West Brom news, transfer rumours and more…”]

Only the two strikers (Callum Robinson & debutant Mbaye Diagne) were weaker in their battles.

Livermore was also completely ineffective in the passing game, making only 56% of his 34 attempts – the worst of any Baggies midfielder.

Given his position in the engine room – right in the heart of the pitch – he should have been frequently involved though, in the end, he ended the game with fewer touches (45) of the ball than their goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone (48), as per SofaScore.

The former Spurs ace was eventually hauled off in the 83rd minute having also lost possession 16 times, adding a wasteful element to his appalling and abysmal display.

It meant the midfield enforcer handed the ball back to the Cottagers once every 2.8 touches – or once every 5.1 minutes.

Simply put, Livermore, who is supposed to be the leader on the pitch, was futile, lightweight and pretty abysmal, so you could forgive Big Sam if he felt at all let down by the veteran.

Indeed, the long-serving £10m ace shockingly disappointed his side in a game in which he should’ve steered them to victory. It would’ve given their relegation battle the world of good.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Pereira: West Brom could create a lethal duo by landing £10m “complete package”…

Former Glasgow Rangers defender Alan Hutton has slammed Alfredo Morelos and believes teams interesting in signing him will think he is a liability.

Morelos causing problems

For the second time this season, Alfredo Morelos received a retrospective ban after stamping on Hibernian’s Ryan Porteous during the Gers’ 1-0 win over the Edinburgh outfit (BBC) – the Colombia international scored the only goal of the game.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton suggested teams will be put off signing him due to his temperament. Asked whether his indiscipline is causing his market value to drop, Hutton responded:

“Yes.

“Clubs and managers are always looking at and thinking ‘is he a liability? Is he too much of a risk? Is he going to cost us in those situations and scenarios?’

“He has to be careful to not push it too far.

“We keep saying he has to learn and learn quickly and it doesn’t appear as if he’s been able to do that so far.

“It’s a shame because he’s obviously a talented player and a good goalscorer. But he just has to keep his head under control.

Hard to disagree

It is hard to disagree with Hutton – Morelos is turning into a player that just cannot be trusted. He still knows where the back of the net is – he has scored 11 times in 32 matches so far this campaign, while he has 88 goals in 168 games throughout his time at Ibrox (Transfermarkt) – but he is no use to Steven Gerrard if he is constantly on the sidelines.

At the age of 24, you would have hoped he would have eradicated these problems from his game by now. However, there is a real worry that he may never learn the error of his ways. If that remains the case, it would be foolish for any club to invest heavily in the former HJK Helsinki forward.

In other news, Rangers fans rage at this latest SFA decision.

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Lyon forward Memphis Depay this summer and he could be an excellent addition to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

According to reports from Spain, the Reds are battling with Barcelona to sign the Dutch international this summer and could bring him in on a free transfer, due to his contract with the French side expiring at the end of this season.

Depay is well known to Premier League fans for his disappointing spell with Manchester United between 2015-2017, when he would make 53 appearances for the Red Devils, contributing just seven goals and six assists in all competitions.

However, the 26-year-old has been superb since joining Lyon in 2017, with 68 goals and 49 assists to his name in just 149 appearances for Les Gones, so it is no surprise that he is attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona.

The £40.5 million-rated forward has been in sensational form so far this season, having contributed 13 goals and six assists in 24 Ligue 1 appearances, resulting in an average rating of 7.47/10.

If we compare that to another attacking player who has been linked with Liverpool in recent weeks, in Leeds’ Raphinha, we see that the former PSV man would perhaps be a better option for Michael Edwards in the summer.

Raphinha has four goals and four assists in the Premier League this season for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, which has earned him an impressive 7.01 average rating.

However, whilst they play in different leagues, this is not particularly close to the level of performance that Depay has consistently produced this season, and the Lyon ace would also come a lot cheaper than the Brazilian, as he would likely be available on a free transfer.

Depay scores extremely highly on the football scouting website FBref, with his dribbling, shooting and shot-creating actions in particular impressive, which suggests that he would fit well into this Liverpool side, and could challenge Roberto Firmino for a starting spot in Klopp’s team.

Therefore, Edwards should forget about trying to sign Raphinha this summer and instead focus on bringing Depay to Anfield on a free transfer.

And, in other news… Klopp can unlock “world-class” beast with positional switch at Liverpool 

Leeds United have been linked to Romain Perraud recently and former footballer Danny Mills has suggested that the transfer would be an excellent acquisition.

What Mills had to say about Perraud

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills said: “It’s one of Bielsa’s top priorities. When you look at the left-back position, Alioski fills in from time to time, as does Dallas. They’ve done incredibly well, don’t get me wrong, but they are filling in. You do need at some point a specialist in that position.

“It’s bizarre isn’t it that the first thing we talk about is how many assists a full-back’s got? He’s a left-sided defender, ‘defender’ being the keyword.

“But that’s how the modern game is, it’s no so much ‘Oh, he’s a great defender, he’s been involved in X clean sheets,’ it’s ‘How many assists has he got? How many crosses has he put in?’ But having a natural left-sided player can be so useful in terms of adding a little bit of balance to the side.”

Should Leeds sign the defender?

Perraud is valued at £7.20m and is only 23 years-old, but looks to already be a very solid full-back and is currently having a brilliant season in Ligue 1. He has made 21 appearances in the division, managing on average 1.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and two clearances per game (WhoScored) – stats that rank him in the top six among all of his teammates at Brest.

He has also been a great attacking threat for his side, managing 1.3 shots and one key pass a game, which ranks him fourth in both categories. The Frenchman has an impressive three goals and five assists to his name this season, with no defender providing more assists than him in the entire French first division.

Perraud looks to be a typical Bielsa player as he offers a lot going forward and loves bombing down the wing and overlapping the forward players – only two Premier League defenders have more than five assists this season.

It is interesting to see Director of Football Victor Orta scouting summer targets so Leeds can be more than just a club who battle for safety next season, and it shows Andrea Radrizzani wasn’t lying about the club’s plans for the future.

In other Leeds news, the club have managed to tie down an exciting prospect. Have a read here!

Many West Bromwich Albion fans have lavished praise on Okay Yokuslu following his Man of the Match performance against Brighton on Saturday.

The Baggies picked up a vital three points against the Seagulls as Kyle Bartley scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 victory. It was not a clash without controversy – Brighton missed two penalties and had a perfectly valid goal ruled out following a mishap from Lee Mason and VAR.

However, Sam Allardyce and co will not lose too much sleep, and the boss will have been delighted with the performance of Yokuslu. He was a rock in the middle of the park as he won all five of his duels and made four tackles (SofaScore) – the Midlands outfit will need plenty more showings like that from the Turkey international if they are to stay in the Premier League.

Yokuslu won West Brom’s Man of the Match vote, and the club shared the news on their official Twitter account. These supporters then took to the social media platform to share their delight with the 26-year-old, who one Baggies fan hailed as “pure class”.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Yokuslu below

“Amazing what having a recognised CDM can do for a side likely to be struggling at the wrong end of the table. Shame Super Slav got carried away with signing the flair players like Krovi and Diangana in the summer #wba”

Credit: @ianmurphy89

“Gonna kill me when he won’t resign for the championship”

Credit: @azza_leva3

“The best to do it”

Credit: @LouisTopham9

“Pure class this man is”

Credit: @deakiiin

“We need to bust the bank to keep this guy. Been missing a player of this style for ages. Not only an enforcer, but quality and calmness on the ball. I just hope he enjoys his time here enough to give us a season in the Championship.”

Credit: @WayneBa63372096

“He’s been great no way he signs for us in the championship. Enjoy him while we can.”

Credit: @jimmyhillish

In other news, many West Brom fans slam one player’s display against Brighton.