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Sunderland have submitted an enquiry to sign Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer in January, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Archer out of favour

The Walsall-born talent has found first-team opportunities hard to come by this season, having played just 44 minutes of league football under both Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery.

As a result, a number of clubs have now been alerted to his situation ahead of the winter market, and following a fresh update, the Black Cats are name-checked to be keen on bringing him to the Championship.

The Latest: Sunderland make Archer contact

According to Football Insider, Sunderland are among the clubs to have ‘made enquiries’ regarding Archer’s availability in the New Year.

Tony Mowbray’s side are believed to be ‘chasing’ the 20-year-old, although they aren’t alone in their pursuit, with several second-tier outfits ‘queuing up’ to take the striker on loan for the remainder of the season.

Emery must now ‘decide’ whether to keep him as a backup option at Villa Park or let him go out and get some regular minutes under his belt in 2023.

The Verdict: Potential advantage?

Despite there being multiple unnamed clubs interested in Archer, he shares the same agent as five players who are already at the Stadium of Light, which could give Sunderland an advantage in the race for his services.

The England under-21 forward posted eight goal contributions in 20 outings during his previous loan spell at Preston North End, which saw him hailed as ‘bullish’ by their manager Ryan Lowe.

The Black Cats are reportedly ready to sell Ross Stewart in January should he not want to sign a new contract, so Archer would be an ideal temporary replacement if the Scotland international departs the Stadium of Light.

Aston Villa defender Ludwig Augustinsson is expected to leave the club at the end of the 2022/23 season, according to a recent report regarding his future.

The Lowdown: Augustinsson out of favour

The Swede’s time at Villa Park has been disappointing so far, having arrived on loan from Sevilla during the summer transfer window. As a side note, he has taken issue with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in the recent past, describing him as ‘immature’.

Augustinsson has been limited to just one start in the Premier League overall, and one substitute appearance, with Lucas Digne often preferred to him at left-back.

The 28-year-old is on a season-long loan in the Midlands, and it doesn’t look as though his time at Villa will go beyond that.

The Latest: Summer exit expected

According to Football Insider, Augustinsson’s services won’t be retained once next summer arrives, given his lack of impact since arriving at Villa Park.

The club’s new manager Unai Emery seemingly doesn’t see the 50-cap Sweden international as a key figure moving forward, so he will simply return to Sevilla once the current campaign ends.

The Verdict: Logical time to leave

Augustinsson has done nowhere near enough to justify earning a permanent move to Villa at the end of the season, so letting him go back to Sevilla in May makes perfect sense.

There is still time for the Swedish left-back to show Emery that he is worth persevering with beyond his loan spell, but it is hard to see where he will get opportunities to shine given Digne’s superiority – the Frenchman has been Villa’s fifth-best player this term according to WhoScored.

Some signings just don’t work out and Augustinsson is likely to be one of those for Villa, possessing plenty of experience at international level but ultimately not really settling in England.

Sheffield Wednesday’s hopes of automatic promotion this season have taken a blow after it was confirmed that Michael Ihiekwe will miss a few months through injury.

The Owls have already lost influential centre-back Ben Heneghan to an ACL injury which has ruled him out for the rest of the season, and it seems as if Ihiekwe could now be sidelined until 2023.

The former Rotherham man was forced off in last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Derby County and Sheffield Star reporter Joe Crann provided an update on his injury after the game.

He said: “A bitter injury blow for SWFC as Michael Ihiekwe is ruled out ‘for a couple of months’ after sustaining knee ligament damage. No surgery required, but Wednesday don’t expect him back until early next year.”

Since making the move to Hillsborough during the summer, the 30-year-old centre-back has made 18 appearances in League One for Moore’s side, averaging a superb 6.97 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranks him as the fifth-best performer at Hillsborough so far this campaign, which emphasises how important he has been to Moore, and it is undoubtedly a worrying blow that he will miss the busy Christmas period.

Ihiekwe also has experience of promotion, as he featured in 42 third-tier games for Rotherham last season as they finished second in League One, earning a fantastic 7.22 rating from WhoScored for his performances, so losing him could certainly have a big impact on Sheffield Wednesday’s hopes of moving into the top two.

Crann was full of praise for the English defender, along with Reece James and Heneghan, after they produced a strong display in a 1-0 win against Port Vale earlier in the season.

He said: “Didn’t dare say anything while the game was still going, but Heneghan, Ihiekwe and James were tremendous for SWFC today. Monumental defensive performance.”

The Owls are certainly short on centre-back options now with Heneghan and Ihiekwe sidelined, and Moore will surely be considering a move for another defender in the January transfer window due to his worries in the position.

It is far from ideal that the 30-year-old is injured at such an important time of the season, and Owls fans will be hoping to see him back fit and on the pitch as soon as possible.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Sevilla left-back Marcos Acuna, with the move now looking like it is off the cards.

The Lowdown: Wolves’ Acuna interest

Earlier this month, Spanish sources confirmed, via Sport Witness, that Wolves were ‘interested’ in a move for Acuna in the January transfer window, in a deal that could be worth around £10.3m.

Journalist Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that the Argentinian arriving at Molineux, alongside Matheus Cunha and Felipe, would be a ‘big signal of intent’, but it now appears that a deal for one of the trio is not going to happen for Julen Lopetegui.

The Latest: Development at Sevilla

According to Spanish outlet Marca, the 31-year-old has now been removed from the transfer list at Sevilla after an injury to fellow full-back Alex Telles.

The La Liga outfit now believe there is no benefit to selling Acuna in January, despite him having previous disagreements with the club.

The source claims that ‘Acuna will stay at Sevilla’, closing the door to the proposed switch to Wolves this winter, and Fosun will now have to look elsewhere to find Lopetegui a new full-back.

The Verdict: Blow for Lopetegui

The news will come as a big blow for the Wolves boss, largely because of the fact that he knows his level from the time they spent together with Sevilla, and clearly trusts him if he was willing to bring him to his new club amid a relegation battle.

Not only that, but the defender has been seriously impressive en-route to Argentina’s run to the World Cup final, being lauded as ‘fantastic’ by reporter James Dodd, featuring in all five games before being suspended for the semi-final against Croatia.

While Hugo Bueno is a promising prospect at left-back, he is only 20, and Lopetegui’s options would be bolstered by having an experienced head to rely on in the defence.

Acuna is a player who is evidently capable of playing at the highest level, as indicated by his World Cup displays, most notably achieving the second-highest SofaScore rating behind Lionel Messi in the quarter-final clash with the Netherlands.

West Ham United have recently expressed interest in Brazilian midfielder Pablo Maia, with the 20-year-old possibly growing into the role of the potentially departing Declan Rice, should a move to the London Stadium materialise for the Sao Paulo gem.

Brazilian journalist Andre Hernan recently revealed in a video that Irons manager David Moyes attempted to lure Maia to London by contacting Sao Paulo with a loan offer containing an option to buy, which was rejected.

Moyes has since pondered over launching a bid to bring Maia to the London Stadium on a permanent deal this winter, and with Premier League trio Southampton, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur all said to be eyeing the youngster as well, a move should be swiftly instigated by GSB and co.

Available for a reported £9m, Maia could indeed adapt to the role that Rice currently holds so well, with The Guardian recently reporting that the 23-year-old Englishman wishes to depart the Hammers before the expiry of his contract in 2024.

Rice will leave big boots to fill, with the Irons owing a large portion of the recent success over the past couple of years to his leadership from the middle of the park.

With the midfielder – who West Ham have valued at £150m – seeming likely to leave in search of Champions League football, the club must act diligently if they are to make the transition from his departure a seamless one.

Signing Maia for a low fee in comparison to what Rice’s prospective departure is likely to yield would not only be a shrewd move, but would leave ample funding to bolster other positions in the squad.

Maia himself could certainly prove a worthwhile replacement. Labelled a “mini-Casemiro” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he ranks within the top 4% for pass completion, 10% blocks, and 14% for aerial success rate when compared to positional peers across Men’s ‘next eight’ leagues worldwide (the division below the top five European leagues, as per FBRef).

Rice ranks within the top 5% for pass competition among midfielders across Europe’s big five leagues in 2022, with also illustrating his defensive aptitudes with 2.4 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game at the heart of West Ham’s midfield in the Premier League this season (Sofascore). 

Maia could adapt to that role at the London Stadium and make it his own, providing a “stability” to the team, as remarked by Sao Paulo sporting director Muricy Ramalho. 

There is evidently an abundance of talent within this budding Brazilian gem, who has already earned plaudits for his Casemiro-esque ability; and with Moyes needing to make the correct replacement for Rice if the West Ham captain departs, Maia appears to be the man for the job.

Manchester United are among a host of clubs keeping tabs on Preston North End’s prodigious teenage talent Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile.

What’s the word?

According to The Mirror, Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag is among the suitors for the 16-year-old forward, who came to attention after sinking Rotherham with five goals in a 6-1 FA Youth Cup win earlier this month.

Reportedly scoring 18 times from just ten appearances for Preston’s development squad this season, United are joined by the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in their intrigue. 

Speaking to Preston’s official website, he praised the “amazing club” and lauded his development since his arrival three years ago. 

The Red Devils could now be set to pounce, despite claims that he has alreasy agreed a two-year pre-scholarship deal at Deepdale.

Imagine him and Garnacho

The South American starlet was hailed by Preston’s official Twitter channel for his “bit of Brazilian magic” after sealing his hat-trick with a gorgeous strike in the rout over Rotherham, displaying every ounce of the offensive aptitude required to prosper as a top-class forward in the future.

Speaking to the club’s media platform earlier this month, Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe spoke of his adulation for the budding star’s progress, hinting at an appearance in the first-team in the near future.

The 44-year-old said: “He’s a good little player, we’ve got to be careful he’s only 16 but he will come up and train with us soon. He’s an exciting prospect, we will obviously keep tabs on him but we can’t let ourselves get too carried away with him yet.”

Born in Brazil but yet to make an appearance for the nation’s youth teams, Rodriguez-Gentile could emulate the success of the likes of Alejandro Garnacho within the Red Devils’ ranks, with the club signing the Argentine from Atletico Madrid in 2020 when he was just 16.

Now 18, Garnacho has forged his way into the United first-team, scoring two goals and grabbing two assists across his first 11 professional appearances, including a monumental stoppage-time winner at Fulham in the club’s last Premier League match, keeping his team within three points of the Champions League places with a game in hand.

Should the Preston starlet indeed choose to test his mettle with United, he can hold the knowledge that this is a club renowned for putting the onus on youth, offering a clear pathway to a shot at senior action.

Time is on his side, but if Manchester United come calling, the offer might just be too good to resist. Imagine the prospect of him and Garnacho dovetailing with one another at Old Trafford in years to come…

Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar ‘definitely’ should not have been awarded a penalty against Leeds United, according to Dermot Gallagher.

What’s been said?

Eddie Howe’s Magpies were forced to settle for a point over the weekend in their home clash against Jesse Marsch’s Leeds. But there was some controversy in the first half of the game at St. James’ Park when Schar felt he was brought down inside the box by Tyler Adams.

The Swiss defender was not awarded with a penalty despite the coming together inside the box which saw Schar seemingly tripped by the legs of the American midfielder.

However, former referee and Sky Sports pundit Dermot Gallagher has suggested referee Simon Hooper and VAR Michael Salisbury come to the right decision:

“Well, I think this is definitely not a penalty,” Gallagher said on Sky Sports Ref Watch.

“He’s running out of legs, I think. He’s got there, he bumps into him, it’s hip to hip, but I think it’s as much him going into [Adams].”

Another big decision at Newcastle

This is not the first time the Newcastle fans may feel a big decision has gone against them at the Leazes End of St. James’ Park this season with the disallowed goal against Crystal Palace also happening down that end of the pitch.

But it seems as if Gallagher was in favour of the referee’s decision on this occasion with the Sky Sports man actually suggesting the Newcastle man had initiated the contact with the Leeds midfielder.

Regardless of whether Gallagher believes Schar initiated the contact, Adams did not make any contact with the ball and, therefore, it does perhaps suggest it was a slightly clumsy challenge from the Leeds man to make inside his own box.

There will likely be some frustration among those at St. James’ surrounding this decision, however, the story of the game was of missed opportunities for the Magpies.

Chris Wood’s time at Newcastle has seen the New Zealand international’s opportunities come few and far between due to Callum Wilson’s tremendous form on Tyneside.

However, he certainly didn’t do himself any favours on Saturday with two big opportunities missed during the draw against the Yorkshire side (via SofaScore).

And with Dan Burn and Fabian Schar also missing big chances themselves, it seems as if Gallagher feels Newcastle dropping points was on them and not the decisions of the officials.

West Ham United are reportedly eyeing up a move for Torino central midfielder Sasa Lukic in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Signings needed

It is safe to say that West Ham need to make some signings in January in order to help push them up the Premier League table.

They are currently sitting in 16th place, just one point outside of the relegation zone, and also have a UEFA Europa Conference League campaign to contend with in the second part of the season.

The lack of quality depth behind Declan Rice in the centre of the park is definitely a concern, and it looks like GSBK are looking to strengthen the spine in the winter window.

The Latest: Lukic interest

As per Italian news outlet Calciomercato, the Hammers are one of four clubs to have ‘shown interest’ in Lukic, alongside Leicester City, Napoli and Roma.

The 26-year-old would like to leave Torino, and if he is not sold in January, he will go in the summer instead.

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The Verdict: Midfield upgrade

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by journalist Josh Bunting, Lukic would certainly feel like an upgrade on David Moyes’ current options in the middle of the park.

Only Declan Rice is able to match his 88.7% pass accuracy in the Irons squad in their respective domestic leagues (for players to have made at least one start so far this season), while his two goals and 0.5 crosses per game are unmatched by any West Ham midfielder.

Hammers supporters would have caught a glimpse of Lukic playing for Serbia in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he came up against Irons maestro Lucas Paqueta for Brazil, showing that he can perform on the big stage.

Nonetheless, at 26 years of age, he is a player about to enter his prime, and could really shine at the London Stadium.

The January transfer window is now underway and Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale is looking to strengthen his squad at Ibrox this month.

He has confirmed that he wants to add to his team by dipping into the transfer market and stated that he will be attempting to make signings for the long-term benefit of the club, rather than short-term deals that could provide a small boost in the immediate future.

However, he could save Rangers and Ross Wilson millions in one area of the pitch by helping Ianis Hagi to get back to his best as an attacking midfielder.

The winger has been out of action since January of last year with a knee injury but is now reportedly set to make his comeback in the not-too-distant future.

Former Romania Under 21s boss Florin Bratu recently revealed that the gem will be back in action this month, saying:

“Ianis looks good physically, his legs look good. After such an operation, it is very important to restore your muscles and he seems to have restored them.

“But I have been told he will start playing for Rangers again in January. I believe he will start playing substitute appearances for 20 or 30 minutes.”

The £21k-per-week maestro could be like a new signing for the Light Blues as he is a player who has the quality to be a difference-maker in the Premiership.

There may be a question mark over whether or not he can get back to his best after such a devastating injury but ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard once hailed the gem’s worth ethic, saying: “We’re really happy with Ianis Hagi, he’s a joy to work with.

“He’s a student of the game. He’s always looking at areas to improve, whether that be from a physical point of view or tactically or technically. He’s someone you have to drag off the training ground.”

This indicates that he has the right type of character to bounce back from this kind of setback, which bodes well for how he will deal with working his way back into Beale’s side.

In the 2020/21 campaign, Hagi scored seven goals and provided 11 assists in 23 Premiership starts for the Scottish giants. He followed that up with three goals and five ‘big chances’ created in 18 starts across the top-flight and Europa League last term prior to his injury.

The Romania international, who turned 24 last October, is a midfielder who is capable of winning a match with his individual brilliance, by scoring or creating a goal, and that is why his return could be a huge boost for the Gers.

If Beale can get back fit and playing to his full potential then he will be like a new signing who could save Wilson from needing to splash out on more attacking reinforcements.

Tottenham Hotspur could now use Emerson Royal as part of a swap deal for Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham targeting centre-back

90min ranked strengthening the centre-back position third on Tottenham’s list of January priorities, and for good reason, as their defensive record has really let them down in the Premier League, conceding 25 goals up to this point, more than any other ‘big six’ team.

Bastoni has been on Antonio Conte’s wishlist for some time, with Football London reporting that he was one of the Italian’s top targets in the summer, before Tottenham moved into a prime position to sign him towards the end of December.

The Latest: Potential swap deal

As per a report from CalcioMercatoWeb, Conte has personally requested Fabio Paratici sign Bastoni, and Spurs could now be set to make their first formal offer for the player.

This offer would include cash and Emerson Royal, who the Serie A side were recently rumoured to hold an interest in, however a deal being completed on these terms is currently considered unlikely.

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The Verdict: Make it happen

Inter may not be overly swayed by the inclusion of Emerson, but that does not mean that any deal is off the table, and it is vital that Tottenham sign a centre-back this January, as failing to do so will significantly hamper their chances of finishing in the top four.

Hailed as a ‘warrior’ by football writer Muhammad Butt, the 6 foot 2 defender has impressed considerably in his last few matches, particularly during the 1-0 win against Serie A leaders Napoli, winning all of his aerial duels and three ground duels to help secure a big three points.

With Inter adopting a 3-5-2 formation in every match this season, Bastoni would be able to adjust quickly to Conte’s style, and would be a big improvement on Eric Dier, averaging more blocks, tackles and interceptions per 90 than the Englishman over the past year.