Aston Villa journalist Luke Hatfield has told Football FanCast that he would be “massively surprised” if a club registered serious interest in Ollie Watkins this summer.

£28.8m-rated Watkins was in stunning form last season, his first campaign as a Premier League player.

In 37 appearances, the 25-year-old striker scored 14 goals and provided five assists to help Villa to an 11th-placed finish.

Following his impressive showing, there has been some talk about Liverpool being interested, with Jurgen Klopp looking to bolster his forward options.

However, given how settled Watkins currently is at Villa Park, Hatfield cannot see any team making a serious play for the England international in this transfer window.

“They [Villa] obviously rate him very highly,” the Express & Star reporter said. “I’d be massively surprised if a club does end up showing some serious interest in him, because he seems happy at the club.

“He’s obviously broken into the England fold this season with Villa, scored plenty of goals at Villa Park and played basically every fixture bar, you know, one suspended game. So he’s been vitally important for Villa.”

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Even if Watkins was not completely satisfied with life at Villa Park and a club did make a move for him, it is still hard to imagine him leaving.

The former Brentford man was Villa’s top scorer last term and still has four years left on his contract, so the Midlands outfit will not want to and do not have to sanction a sale.

Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma is not an unrealistic target for Wolves, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

The Midlands club recently had a proposal knocked back by the player, according to Julien Maynard of Telefoot, as they look to strengthen their backline.

Zouma made 36 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season, featuring five times in the Blues’ successful Champions League campaign.

The 6 ft 3 Frenchman is quite clearly capable of playing at a very high level, explaining why Tottenham and Jose Mourinho, now manager of AS Roma, are also interested in him.

Even so, Hatfield does not believe Zouma is the kind of player who is out of reach for Wolves. On the club’s interest, he told FFC:

“If Wolves want to carry on improving after a season which was, you know, pretty poor in their respects, it’d be a really good signing – particularly if they’re going to a four at the back.

“I don’t think it’s an unrealistic target. In the same respect, I think there’ll be a fair few teams after him, so it could be a bit of a battle if he is up for sale.”

From Zouma’s perspective, joining a Premier League side like Wolves does not sound like the worst idea.

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The £28.8m-rated France international lost his starting place at Chelsea following Thomas Tuchel’s appointment, so he probably will not have a big role at the west London club this season if he does remain there.

Furthermore, if Wolves come back in again, perhaps he should give their proposal some serious consideration.

Many Everton fans have been left slamming a transfer update involving Harry Winks.

Speaking on his Twitch channel (via The Everton End), transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed that it is a ‘possibility’ that the Tottenham Hotspur man could end up at Goodison Park in the summer window.

With a mere four goals and just four assists in 173 games for Spurs over all competitions across the last seven consecutive seasons (Transfermarkt), the signing of Winks would not really be an inspiring one for the Merseyside club, and it is also arguably a position which they do not need to prioritise.

Rafa Benitez already has the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan, Andre Gomes and Tom Davies who he can call upon in the centre of midfield, and so the Toffees should perhaps be focusing on other areas of the pitch.

Everton fans on Winks transfer update

These Blues supporters slammed the transfer update by Romano on Winks as it was shared on Twitter:

“Not what we need at all. We need someone who can carry the ball forward not move it side to side.”

Credit: @bluetom_tom

“Maybe I was too hard on Mike Ashley… Rafa already losing the plot if this is true”

Credit: @1878_Shirts

“After a tough month I honestly think this may tip me over the Everton edge”

Credit: @GJS41991

“No absolutely not we don’t need him”

Credit: @mxrganhulme7

“Another Tom Cleverley for me. No thanks.”

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Credit: @scepticrealist

“Was accepting the other ones but this is a disgrace he is shocking”

Credit: @LiamAnderson66

In other news, find out what recent exit Evertonians are celebrating here!

Rangers kicked off their Scottish Premiership title defence with a comfortable 3-0 win against Livingston at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon, although Fashion Sakala struggled to impress on his first competitive appearance for Steven Gerrard’s side.

After scoring the equaliser in Rangers’ pre-season win against Real Madrid last weekend, with Alfredo Morelos out of action after returning from Colombia after the Copa America, Gerrard opted to start his new signing up front against David Martindale’s side.

The Zambia international, who joined from Belgian Pro League side KV Oostende earlier in the summer, impressed Gerrard with his attitude and performances in pre-season but failed to really make any inroads in the Premiership opener.

As per SofaScore, the 24-year-old earned a less than impressive 6.5/10 rating for his display, with only Glen Kamara (6.4) rated lower of the Rangers players to feature in the game.

During his 71 minutes on the pitch, the £3.6m-rated forward had just 15 touches of the ball, completing only five passes in total. In comparison, Rangers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin had 31 touches and completed 29 passes, which emphasises just how little Sakala contributed.

Much to the Ibrox faithful’s frustration, the new signing was caught offside on four occasions, whilst he also lost the ball six times in the game, which suggests that he struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premiership.

Although this was his first appearance for Rangers and there is undoubtedly more to come from the forward, Kemar Roofe’s goal from the bench suggests that he will be given the nod to start ahead of the Zambian against Malmo in the Champions League qualifiers on Tuesday night.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

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Hopefully Sakala will be able to put this disappointing first performance behind him and grab his first Rangers goal in the near future, as Gerrard will surely be hoping that the 24-year-old can provide stiff competition for Morelos and Roofe throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

In other news… Too slow, Wilson: Rangers miss out on “outstanding” beast loved by Gerrard

Wolves may no longer be actively looking to sell some of their most important players but after a dismal pre-season, it’s clear that new recruits are needed.

Just how the Old Gold manages that remains to be seen. After all, we were told at the beginning of the window that they lacked financial power.

What’s the word?

One player Wolves have been interested in since the winter months is Divock Origi.

Reports emerged again this week detailing the club’s attraction to the Liverpool forward but they’ve not taken their interest a step further.

According to Ekrem Konur on Twitter, they have now submitted a bid to sign Origi in the final weeks of the market.

That said, it’s an offer that falls short of the Reds’ valuation.

Konur commented: “Wolverhampton have made a £10m bid for Divock Origi to Liverpool. Liverpool are demanding £20m.”

Howler on the cards

Fans should be thankful that Wolves’ bid falls short of Liverpool’s estimations because he would be a questionable signing.

After a horrendous campaign in 2020/21 from an offensive perspective, there’s no denying that Bruno Lage needs to strengthen his options in attack.

Raul Jimenez was missing with a fractured skull from November onwards and those who stepped in for him didn’t exactly set the world alight.

Pedro Neto had an excellent season but finished as their top scorer on just five goals. Fabio Silva only found the net on four occasions after his club-record move while the less said about Willian Jose the better.

The big Brazilian scored once following a loan move back in January. Throw Patrick Cutrone into the mix and their options in the final third look rather shoddy.

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Origi, however, would not improve their options. The Belgian was once dubbed a “monster” by Vincent Kompany but his 35 Liverpool goals have come in a less than impressive 156 outings.

Furthermore, the 26-year-old only scored one goal in the entire of the 2020/21 campaign, starting twice in the Premier League.

If Wolves are going to find an able back-up to Jimenez, they should look closer to home. Rafa Mir anyone?

AND in other news, Wolves can find a new Traore by signing “elegant” 13-goal gem with “something special”…

Celtic may have their first win of the Ange Postecoglou reign under their belts but they cannot neglect the need to bring more new faces to Paradise.

Joe Hart and James McCarthy became members of the Hoops family last week but there is still plenty of work to be done.

On the chalkboard

Anthony Ralston has performed admirably this season after coming in for scrutiny that he wasn’t good enough for Celtic.

Those claims made sense considering he played just once for the Bhoys last term. However, he’s been ever-present since Ange Postecoglou took charge and even scored a wonderful goal against Hearts last weekend.

Ralston collected the ball from Odsonne Edouard before dancing beyond several defenders and then planting the ball past Craig Gordon from inside the area.

He also scored against Dundee on Sunday afternoon in their 6-0 thrashing to continue his mightily impressive campaign.

Though, if Celtic are serious about advancing in Europe and contending for the title again, they will need to sign an improvement.

That’s why supporters should be delighted that they are in discussions to sign Royal Antwerp defender Aurelio Buta.

He’s been on Celtic’s radar for a number of weeks now but Sky Sports reported last Friday that a bid of £4.5m was now being prepared.

If they can lure him to Paradise, it would be an almighty upgrade on Ralston.

The Glaswegian side haven’t replaced Jeremie Frimpong since he left for Bayer Leverkusen last January but Buta would help them significantly.

He is a tackling machine and is equally adept in forward phases of play. Dubbed “very gifted” by journalist, Aster Nzeyimana, the 24-year-old completed 1.2 tackles per match in 2020/21.

That’s a tally that would have equalled Frimpong’s success rate in a Celtic shirt from the same season.

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Hailed as one of the best full-backs in the Belgian top-flight, Buta would be an exceptional piece of business by Postecoglou and co.

They have needed a permanent full-back for the best part of eight months now and thus, fans should be excited at the idea of signing him.

Ralston has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign but he is still relatively unproven in the Premiership over a prolonged period of time.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Edouard: Celtic can boost title hopes by signing “wonderful” 19-goal beast…

An update has emerged on Sunderland target Daniel Jebbison…

What’s the talk?

According to the Sheffield Star, Sunderland have been put off by Sheffield United’s loan fee demands for the 18-year-old striker.

The report claims that the Black Cats have held talks over a swoop for the forward, but they are baulking at the Championship’s side £1m loan fee that they want in exchange to send him out on loan.

Fans will be livid

Sunderland fans will be livid with this news as it seems to all but rule out a deal for Jebbison before the end of the window, unless Sheffield United decide to lower their demands.

A £1m loan fee for a player with four senior league appearances for his name is steep, as there is no solid evidence to suggest that he will be a star player in League One.

Transfermarkt value him at a little less, around £900k, for example.

That is not to say he does not have the potential to be, but Sunderland would surely want a degree of certainty about what they are getting if they are shelling out seven figures to have a player for less than a year.

Therefore, the club’s stance on this move is understandable. It has the possibility of being a waste of money, which may be why they are not interested in meeting United’s demands for the player.

This will not stop fans from being gutted that Jebbison may not be coming to the Stadium of Light, though, as he is a talented young player.

Ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards hailed Jebbison as the shining light in Sheffield United’s squad as they were relegated from the Premier League. He told Sky Sports (via the Examiner):

“I really like the look of him. He just gets in the right areas, and they needed that with all the negativity that’s gone on at the club.

“You want to bounce back straight away, and you want to go to the end of the season with positivity.

“They’re playing for pride, and he’s the shining light.”

He scored one goal in four Premier League appearances for Sheffield United at the backend of last season, winning 1.3 aerial battles and 1.5 tackles per game.

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This is an impressive return for an 18-year-old striker and suggests that he could have the quality to make an impact in League One, which is why fans would be excited to see him come through the door.

However, you have to consider the financial element that comes along with it and – as it stands – the deal would be too much of a gamble for it to make sense for Kristjaan Speakman and Lee Johnson to pull the trigger.

So, the fans will be livid but it looks to be the correct decision on paper.

AND in other news, Forget Stewart: £3.6k-p/w SAFC beast who won 87% of duels stole the show vs MK Dons…

Wolves are looking to make more signings before the transfer window closes next week, journalist Luke Hatfield has told Football FanCast.

It has been a pretty quiet window for Wolves so far, with the arrival of goalkeeper Jose Sa to replace Rui Patricio and permanent signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri probably their main pieces of business.

Most of the transfer talk at Wolves this summer has been dominated by current players Ruben Neves and Adama Traore, who both continue to be linked with moves away from Molineux.

According to Fabrizio Romano (via The Here We Go Podcast), Neves is one name on a list of midfielders Manchester United are looking at. Meanwhile, The Telegraph are reporting that Tottenham are hoping to sign Traore on a loan deal with a view to a permanent transfer.

And Hatfield has spoken to FFC about that potential loan deal and Wolves’ overall plans for the rest of the month.

“The deal with a loan with a view, I don’t think it would work for Wolves,” the Express & Star reporter said. “They’d be losing a very good player, or one of their best players, for essentially a very small fee right now.

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“It would give them very little money to play with in terms of this window when they are looking to make signings before this window closes.”

It is shaping up to be an exciting deadline day at Wolves, with it certainly looking like they could get some last-minute deals done.

West Ham’s arduous search for a new forward may finally be coming to an end…

What’s the word?

According to ExWHUemployee, the Irons are in talks with Lille attacker Jonathan Bamba over a potential late deadline day switch to the London Stadium.

He revealed on his ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon site:

“We are also in talks with a forward at the moment. Jonathan Bamba is a player I have covered extensively recently on the podcast and it appears discussions are going on with his agents as we speak.”

Last week, the Express first linked the versatile 25-year-old with a move to the Hammers, claiming that the Ligue 1 champions wanted a fee in the region of £25m.

Late, late solution

They’ve left it late but the east Londoners could finally be about to sign the new frontman that they’ve been desperate to recruit.

West Ham have been linked with an array of names throughout the summer, one of which was Tammy Abraham, who was widely believed to be Moyes’ top target before he swapped Chelsea for AS Roma earlier this month.

The Scotsman is in dire need of someone to provide the perfect foil to Michail Antonio, especially as they are set to compete in the Europa League this season, meaning two games per week could quickly become the norm.

Antonio has suffered from injuries throughout his Hammers career, failing to start more than 24 league games in each of the last four seasons. He could not only do with a backup but perhaps another forward opens up the possibility of tactical changes, too.

In Bamba, they’d be getting the perfect solution as he will also be able to provide cover for the likes of Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen on the flanks.

The 5 foot 9 dynamo played an integral role in Lille pipping Paris Saint-Germain to the title last season – as per Transfermarkt, he provided six goals and 11 assists, averaging a direct contribution every 176 minutes.

Bamba also averaged 1.7 key passes, 1.6 shots and 1.4 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, proving to be a massive creative influence, on top of a lethal threat in front of goal.

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Indeed, the £18m-rated forward was dubbed the “creative leader” of Christophe Galtier’s side by journalist Zach Lowy.

If West Ham can secure a move for him before tonight’s 11pm deadline, then there will certainly be a sense of relief around the London Stadium. What a final few hours it could be for the club in this transfer window.

AND in other news, West Ham close in on 2nd deadline day signing, it’s another Moyes transfer masterclass…

Sheffield United are closing in on a deal to bring Robin Olsen to Bramall Lane.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist revealing on Twitter that Slavisa Jokanovic’s side are nearing a deal for the AS Roma goalkeeper, who is expected to join the Championship side on a season-long loan as Aaron Ramsdale’s replacement.

In his tweet, Romano said: “Robin Olsen is close to [joining] Sheffield United from AS Roma, here-we-go soon. He’s expected to be Ramsdale’s replacement, deal agreed on [a] one-season loan.”

Fans will be buzzing

While the loss of Ramsdale will have come as a major blow to everyone involved with Sheffield United, if Jokanovic manages to secure the signing of Olsen prior to Tuesday evening’s transfer deadline, it would undoubtedly soften the hit of losing the English stopper.

Indeed, the 31-year-old Swede impressed over his seven Premier League appearances while on loan at Everton last season, with the £2.7m-rated ‘keeper keeping two clean sheets, conceding an average of just 1.3 goals and making three saves per game.

These metrics saw the man who Alexander Isak dubbed an “incredible” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as the Toffees’ 12th-best player in the top flight of English football.

As such, considering that Olsen’s level of performance would more than likely improve upon dropping down a division – on paper, at least – the signing of the Sweden international would be quite a coup for the Blades.

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Furthermore, with Jokanovic desperately requiring a boost to kickstart Sheffield United’s Championship campaign – as the 53-year-old has seen his side pick up just two points over their opening five league fixtures of the season, leaving them languishing in 23rd place in the table – the last-minute signing of a player who boasts the quality and experience of Olsen could well prove to be the spark the Blades manager has been craving.

In other news: Witcoop drops SUFC transfer claim on “exciting” £2.6k-p/w ace, fans will be buzzing