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Chelsea right-back Reece James’ persistent injury issues are now a ‘problem’ for Graham Potter, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: James’ injury woes

James picked up a knee injury during a clash with AC Milan back in October, limping off the pitch, and he failed to recover from the issue in time to be selected by Gareth Southgate in his England World Cup squad.

That may have came as good news for Potter, as it gave the defender more to recover before the Premier League season restarted, however he suffered an immediate setback in his comeback game against AFC Bournemouth, and could now be out for another month.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

When Jones was asked by GIVEMESPORT whether the persistent injuries are now becoming a worry for the Blues, he said:

“Yeah, I think it’s a problem. Now, you could probably compare it to what Liverpool have just done.

“Luis Diaz suffering his injury led to Liverpool taking pretty immediate action and signing Cody Gakpo, and now Chelsea need to find their own version of this because the Reece James injury means they need to now take action and find a new version of James, basically.”

The Verdict: Concern for Potter

While Jones claims that Chelsea will now be need to find a ‘new version’ of the Englishman, in truth this is a very difficult task, given just how good he has been since breaking into the first team.

Not only is the Cobham youth product described as ‘defensively sound’ by journalist Okon Nya, but he also has lots to offer the Blues on the front foot, averaging 0.28 assists per 90 over the past year, in the 95th percentile compared to his positional peers.

A new right-back is definitely required, with back-up option Cesar Azpilicueta not able to provide nearly as much going forward, picking up 0 assists in the same timeframe, but it may be difficult to find someone at the same level as James.

Celtic ensured they would remain nine points clear of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership table by securing a 2-2 draw in Monday’s Old Firm meeting, with Kyogo Furuhashi’s 88th-minute strike somewhat sparing the Bhoys’ blushes.

Indeed, despite dominating the opening stages of the fixture, with Daizen Maeda putting Ange Postecoglou’s side 1-0 up in the fifth minute, the hosts clawed their way back into the game after the break, with Ryan Kent curling beyond Joe Hart to level the scores, before James Tavernier fired the Light Blues ahead from the penalty spot on the 53-minute mark.

However, despite failing to hit the target in the second half before the 88th minute, Kyogo made no mistake when the ball broke his way in the closing stages, with the Japan international’s strike ultimately being enough to seal a point for the Hoops.

Having said this, while it will undoubtedly be the centre-forward who steals tomorrow morning’s headlines, it was arguably the performance of the “immense” – in the words of Hoops legend Chris Sutton – Cameron Carter-Vickers that truly ensured Celtic continued their unbeaten streak on Monday.

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch, the £8.4m-rated centre-back was imperious in the heart of Postecoglou’s defence, making five clearances, one interception and blocking two shots – one of which was a ‘goal-saving’ intervention to deny Malik Tillman a would-be winner in the dying minutes –  as well as winning six of his ten duels – a success rate of 60%.

The £24k-per-week talent also impressed in possession of the ball, enjoying 94 touches – the second-most of any player to feature in the match – completing 71 of his 80 attempted passes – at a success rate of 89% – finding his man with five of his seven attempted long balls and making one key pass.

These returns saw the USA international earn an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 7.1 – ranking him as Celtic’s second-best performer on the day – while the Daily Record journalist Michael Gannon also awarded the centre-back a seven in his own player ratings, as well as stating of the 25-year-old’s display:

“Comfortably dealt with a lot of the balls coming forward into the feet of Rangers’ frontmen. Got a little more ragged after the interval but wasn’t helped by his partner alongside having an off-day but a brilliant stop to block Malik Tillman’s effort late on before Hoops leveller.”

As such, while it is true that Kyogo’s dramatic equaliser ultimately secured a point for Celtic at Ibrox, were it not for Carter-Vickers being an “absolute beast” – in the words of journalist Mike Sheridan – at the back on Monday, the Bhoys would have undoubtedly been heading back to Parkhead empty handed this afternoon.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Benfica sensation Goncalo Ramos of late as the Red Devils continue their quest to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

What’s the word?

Manager Erik ten Hag has already confirmed that he is on the lookout for a new centre-forward following Ronaldo’s recent departure, with the 37-year-old having left Old Trafford by mutual consent following a sour end to his second spell at the club.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the veteran’s Portugal team-mate Ramos is believed to be a player whom United are scouting at present, albeit with any move set to come at a cost as the 21-year-old’s current employers reportedly value him at around €120m (£103m).

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has now provided an update on the Premier League club’s apparent interest, with the journalist telling Football FanCast that the 6 foot 1 marksman is a player on Ten Hag’s radar ahead of a possible summer swoop.

He stated: “Benfica do normally end up selling their star players and I’m sure Ramos will be one of them. A number of Premier League clubs, as well as top European clubs, will be looking at Ramos if he continues his goalscoring exploits this season.

“And if Manchester United did fail to bring in a recognised number nine in January, I’m sure Ramos will definitely be on the list for the summer”.

Striking solution

While the aforementioned Ronaldo may not have left too great of a void – having only scored one league goal this season prior to his exit – there is certainly a need for an extra body in attack, particularly with Anthony Martial having been dogged by injury so far this term.

The addition of Ramos would certainly be more than just an ‘extra body’, though, with the “prolific” youngster – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – seemingly emerging as a truly leading presence in European football of late.

That has been evident as a result of the five-cap gem’s stunning start to the campaign at club level, netting 14 goals and providing six assists in just 21 games so far. That’s a far greater record than United’s current leading scorer Marcus Rashford, who has just eight goals to his name by comparison.

That hot streak has now been replicated in front of a wider audience, with the exciting talent having netted a clinical World Cup hat-trick on what was his first start for his country, with that treble helping to clinch a remarkable 6-1 triumph over Switzerland in the round of 16.

Such an “incredible” moment – as lauded by Gary Lineker – has announced Ramos as a real force to be reckoned with, while also earmarking him to be the long-term successor to Ronaldo for Fernando Santos’ Portugal side.

The eye-catching talent could well also step into the former Real Madrid man’s shoes at club level if he were to make the move to the Theatre of Dreams, with that signing likely to be a seamless and much-craved solution to Ten Hag’s striking problem.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has questioned West Ham United over their reported transfer links to Michael Keane. 

The Lowdown: Keane linked with West Ham

In April, it was reported that the Hammers were interested in signing the Everton defender during the subsequent summer transfer window if the Toffees were to be relegated from the Premier League, with neither of those scenarios ultimately materialising.

More recently, it has been claimed that current West Ham defender Craig Dawson is looking to exit the east London club in January.

With the winter market fast approaching, the possibility of seeing Keane come in for Dawson has not gone down well with Robinson.

The Latest: Robinson questions Keane transfer links

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Spurs goalkeeper had his say about Dawson’s potential exit and the possibility of West Ham looking to replace him with the Everton centre-back.

The 43-year-old said: “West Ham cannot afford to lose Dawson and not replace him. They would have to get someone else in.

“Michael Keane is a name that is always mentioned with West Ham but I think there is question marks over him. He is error prone at times.

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“I played with him at Burnley and he is a confidence player. He is extremely good when he is confident. When he is questioning himself, he does not excel. He is a top player when he’s at his best. He is not at his best right now though.

“If West Ham lose Craig Dawson, they need a replacement. They have been light in that area at times. Is Keane the answer? I’m not sure.”

The Verdict: West Ham must sign a defender

Having only made three appearances for Everton this season, the fact that Keane has struggled for consistent playing time doesn’t suggest that he’d be good enough to play regularly for West Ham.

However, with January in mind and if Dawson were to leave, this and the long-term absence of Kurt Zouma after recently having surgery on a knee injury ought to make the signing of a new defender a top priority for the Hammers.

That said, in terms of a potential swoop for Keane, the fact that he has been criticised for his performances in the past is not likely to make a move for him a particular popular one with the West Ham faithful, so Robinson’s reservations are understandable.

While Celtic are currently benefitting from the astute transfer dealings orchestrated by manager Ange Postecoglou, the Parkhead outfit have not always made the right decisions when it comes to incomings and outgoings in recent years, having potentially seen a handful of key figures slip from their grasp.

One notable error that the Old Firm outfit may well be regretting is their decision not to pursue a permanent deal for United States international, Timothy Weah, with the former Hoops loanee having already made his mark at this year’s World Cup.

The American starlet – who is the son of former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah – had been snapped up by the Glasgow side on a six-month loan deal from Paris Saint-Germain back in January 2019, with then-boss Brendan Rodgers having been keen to add the youngster to his forward options.

While his time in Scottish football was brief, the exciting talent certainly made a “significant impact” in that time – in the words of pundit Chris Sutton – having scored four goals and laid on one assist in his 17 appearances for the club, only four of which came from the start.

The New York-born starlet could well have made a greater contribution had it not been for the change in the dugout, with Rodgers’ departure just a month into his time at Paradise proving something of a setback, as Weah went on to play a limited role under his successor, Lennon.

The striker’s time at his temporary home was ultimately cut short as he was called up to USA’s squad for the U20 World Cup before the Scottish domestic season was at an end, with the player choosing to represent his country rather than remain on the fringes with the Bhoys.

That decision may well have played a factor in Lennon and co opting against trying to secure a permanent move or another loan swoop, despite the player admitting he would be open to a return to Glasgow, as the 6-foot menace went on to join Ligue 1 side Lille later that year for a reported fee of around €10m (£8.7m).

That inability to both adequately utilise Weah’s talents during his loan stint and also not to try and pursue a permanent capture has seemingly backfired as far as those at Celtic Park are concerned, with the 22-year-old having since gone on to thrive in his current surroundings.

While injuries have somewhat inhibited his impact for the French outfit of late, the £11.7k-per-week machine still boasts a haul of eight goals and eight assists in 81 appearances for the club, including eight goal involvements from his attacking berth last term.

It is on the global stage where the former PSG ace has truly stolen the headlines, however, having netted for his country in their opening game in Qatar against Wales on Monday evening, producing a composed, poked finish after latching onto Christian Pulisic’s threaded pass.

The wide man’s all-round performance also caught the eye as he completed two of his three crosses and two of his three long balls, while also showcasing his composure in possession after recording an 88% pass accuracy rate from his 34 touches.

That outing – which also saw the fleet-footed machine record one key pass – unsurprisingly led to an impressive 7.3 match rating, as per SofaScore, with Weah having been the “hero” for his nation, in the words of Javier Panzar.

The dynamic asset could well go on to impress even further as the tournament progresses, leaving Celtic to rue the previous handling of their former loanee.

Leicester City captain Jonny Evans looks set to miss Thursday’s match with Leeds United through injury, Ben Dinnery reports.

The Lowdown: Palace absence

Evans, who Keith Gillespie said is “like a Rolls Royce”, had been a regular under Brendan Rodgers prior to the weekend. The 34-year-old had played every minute of Premier League action for the Foxes but missed out entirely against Crystal Palace with a calf injury.

Leicester managed just a second clean sheet of the campaign in a 0-0 stalemate with Patrick Vieira’s side, but it looks as if Rodgers will be unable to call upon Evans once again on Thursday.

The Latest: Dinnery’s post

Injury expert Dinnery took to Twitter late on Sunday evening to relay a number of injury updates ahead of the midweek fixtures.

He shared comments from Rodgers, who admitted that the centre-back remains ‘doubtful’ for the visit of Leeds.

The Verdict: Not ideal

Rodgers is already without James Maddison through suspension against Jesse Marsch’s side, so it isn’t ideal that Evans may also be missing once again.

Daniel Amartey was the man who came in on Saturday to partner Wout Faes in what was his first start since August. The Ghana international had played just 41 minutes of action in five games prior to starting on Saturday, so two full 90-minute appearances in the space of five days could see a slight drop in performance levels.

Leicester and Rodgers will be hoping not, with Evans potentially back in the frame for the trip to Wolves on Sunday.

Aston Villa showed an element of desperation following the £100m sale of Jack Grealish, as not only were they tasked with replacing their main attacking threat and captain, but they also possessed essentially unlimited money to do so.

Whilst this may seem like a dream, it presents two directions with which to pursue.

 The first is to invest heavily into one big asset to directly replace him, and risk that big money signing might not work out.

The second, seemingly safer, and approach that ex-manager Dean Smith took, was to spend a multitude of smaller amounts of money to see his output spread out amongst various new additions.

During the 2021-22 campaign, he and Steven Gerrard spent around £116.84m on numerous players, including two wingers and a striker. It is a damning assessment of Smith’s work this window that he is no longer in a job anymore.

None of these arrivals has lived up to the name they were brought in to replace, with Leon Bailey arguably the most disappointing due to his lack of playtime.

The Jamaican joined with a great recommendation from Germany, having recorded nine goals and nine assists the season prior in the Bundesliga.

He featured 40 times that campaign in all competitions, yet after a full year at Villa Park has only managed 27 appearances, scoring three and assisting three.

The fact that he cost a whopping £25m makes this underperformance even more frustrating, as the 25-year-old has also been sat on a £65k-per-week wage.

That means that in total, across his 62 weeks at the club, he has cost £29m – just over £1m per appearance.

Injuries have halted his progress at the club, of course, but even when given the chance he has disappointed.

This season he has featured eight times in the Premier League, yet only has an average SofaScore rating of 6.67.

He is a luxury player that they simply cannot afford, and with Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia also vying for starting places, he has fallen well behind in the pecking order.

Gerrard must surely consider ditching this injury-prone and underwhelming dud, whilst he still has any money attached to his name.

Manchester City star Bernardo Silva could leave the club in January, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Exit links

As per a recent Spanish report, Barcelona remain interested in signing the 28-year-old after failing to secure a deal this summer.

The Spanish outlet claim the Catalan giants will need to ‘go all out’ to convince City into sanctioning the sale; something Xavi’s side are reportedly willing to do.

With the Portugal international open to the idea of a move to Barcelona, the Blues are said to value their player at £72m, as his Etihad contract still runs until the summer of 2025.

The Latest: McAvennie’s claim

Amid strong interest from the La Liga outfit, McAvennie can see City sanctioning the move if it is Silva’s wish to do so.

Speaking with Football Insider, the pundit claimed:

“It depends whether he wants to go home or not.

“Maybe he’s had enough of the Premier League and wants to go somewhere that he’s not getting kicked. He’s a wonderful talent and I would hate to see him go because the Prem needs that.

“He’s not going to sell him to another Premier League club, I can’t see that. He loves Man City and he thinks the world of Pep. I could see him going to Spain or Italy, maybe he wants to do that before he retires. It’ll be one of the big clubs that take him.

“He might try to leave in January. He might just feel that he’s been there long enough and he wants to move on and try something new. Pep will understand that.”

The Verdict: Would be a huge loss

Having finished last season with the fifth-highest average match rating at City from an impressive 35 Premier League appearances, Silva’s importance to Pep Guardiola’s setup is undeniable.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the attacking midfielder ranks in the top one percent for progressive carries per 90, touches in the attacking penalty area and progressive passes received, in addition to a top two percent rank for non-penalty goals.

Hailed for his ‘world-class’ abilities by journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Silva would be an extremely difficult player for Guardiola to replace.

Therefore, if it is Silva’s wish to leave the club in January, this will come as a huge blow to the City squad, with the midfielder paramount to their success.

Aston Villa suffered yet another Premier League defeat at the weekend, this time to West Ham, as they slipped to 15th in the table.

The 1-0 loss marked the club’s third league defeat from four matches this season and gives Steven Gerrard another conundrum to fix before deadline day.

With the loss of Diego Carlos to injury until at least next year, Gerrard is eyeing a move for another centre-back to cover the Brazilian’s absence, with Jan Bednarek and Abdou Diallo linked amongst others.

Having only scored three goals in four matches, however, a new problem has developed: a worrying lack of creative input in the team.

This needs to be resolved soon or Gerrard could be under severe pressure. Thus, a move for Portuguese talent Otavio could alleviate his problems and add some dynamism to his midfield, ensuring the Villans end the window with an almighty bang.

Villa scouts were present at Porto’s 3-0 win over Sporting Lisbon recently and with the move for Watford winger Ismaila Sarr breaking down, a move for Otavio makes a lot of sense.

Although Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes it might take something special for the club to secure the “phenomenal” player’s signature. Speaking to This is Futbol, he said:

“I think it’d be a big fee for Aston Villa because Porto don’t really want to lose him.

“It’s going to be an interesting one to see what Villa do for attacking reinforcements before the window closes.”

Porto could do business at around the £38m mark and this seems pricey but it could well revive Villa’s season.

Last season, Otavio played 41 matches in all competitions, scoring three times and registering nine assists, which was three more than the highest Villa player (Buendia and Ings with six).

Although mainly deployed as a right midfielder, he can be effective on the right wing, especially with his crossing ability. For instance, he delivered 87 balls into the opposition box last season, a tally that was only bettered by Matty Cash (94) at Villa Park. As a result, this would give the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings plenty of chances to grab more goals to send them soaring up the table.

With 5.17 shot-creating actions per 90, Otavio also presents a goal threat himself, something that is needed from the Villa midfield to take the pressure off the two forwards. After all, no player in Gerrard’s ranks last term managed anywhere close to that level, with Bertrand Traore sitting top on 4.50 and Philippe Coutinho in second with 3.66 per 90 minutes.

The Villa boss needs to ignite a bit of life into his side otherwise they could slip further and further into danger. Therefore, a move for the 27-year-old would certainly see them end their transfer window in stunning fashion as they bid to turn their fortunes around.

Sky Sports journalist and North East reporter Keith Downie has revealed that Nick Pope is a ‘doubt’ for Newcastle United’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Lowdown: Team news

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match, Eddie Howe confirmed two issues, sharing his concern over the fitness of Emil Krafth while also giving a timeline on Jonjo Shelvey’s injury.

The right-back looks likely to miss out alongside Shelvey against the Seagulls, but it now appears many more could be joining them on the sidelines.

The Latest: Pope adds another ‘doubt’

Reports are now emerging that as many as seven players could miss out, and taking to Twitter, Downie has revealed that Pope is also a ‘doubt’ for the game, with either Martin Dubravka or Karl Darlow ready to deputise in net for the visitors:

“Hearing Nick Pope is a doubt for the trip to Brighton tomorrow, with Martin Dubravka or Karl Darlow ready to deputise.”

The Verdict: Blow

It would be a blow if Pope was forced to miss the match through injury, given that he is now clearly the first-choice goalkeeper.

The England international was signed from Burnley in the summer, and deputised in net in the 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on the opening Premier League weekend, keeping a clean sheet.

There is no doubting his qualities, as he ranks in the 99th percentile for launch percentage and frequency of  defensive actions made outside the penalty area (FBRef) for goalkeeper’s in Europe’s top five leagues, and was the second-best performing goalkeeper in the Premier League last season, after Liverpool star Alisson (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, the Toon Army will be hoping that they can keep a clean sheet at the Amex Stadium without him.