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Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie revealed that he is keen to see Tammy Abraham link-up with Dean Smith’s men again.

Abraham has struggled for game time under new Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel – though that has partly been down to injury – and is now being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.

Villa, where the 23-year-old enjoyed a successful loan spell back in the 2018/19 season, are said to still be admirers of the English striker, meaning the Midlands club could be interested in a move in the summer if he does become available.

And for Hendrie, it is a transfer that he would love to see happen. The ex-Villa player told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“I’m a big fan of Tammy, I really am. I just feel that he’s got great energy. When he was at Villa for that period of time, he was immense, he really was. He was a breath of fresh air, he gave it that belief, he gave fans a lot of pleasure and he scored a lot of goals. It might be that Tammy has to leave Chelsea, and I do feel that coming to Villa, I think it’d be a fabulous fit.”

Hendrie later went on to add:

“He’s a player I’d have all day at the club because, at the moment you’re looking at the overload that Ollie Watkins has gone through this season, [he’s] played a hell of a lot of games. Imagine having those two in your squad. I just feel that’d be a massive positive push for Villa.”

Without a doubt, the last couple of months have been difficult for Abraham, who is up against the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz for that No.9 spot at Chelsea. Furthermore, an exit really could be on the cards if his situation does not change.

The games are coming thick and fast for Swansea City in the Championship at the moment, and Steve Cooper’s side are still in with a good chance of securing an automatic promotion spot this season, as they look to seal a return to the top-flight.

The Swans are currently just one point behind second-placed Watford, with two games in hand on the Hornets, and have the opportunity to overtake them when they face Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday evening.

Two goals from Andre Ayew, including another late penalty, secured the points against Middlesbrough last time out, although it wasn’t a top performance from the Swans.

A poor run of form has seen Tony Mowbray’s side drop down the table after they were pushing for a playoff spot earlier in the season, so Swansea should be looking to pick up maximum points when they make the trip to Ewood Park.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Cooper to line his side up against Blackburn, with two changes from the side that started against Middlesbrough…

There’s one change in the defence from Cooper, as although Ryan Manning has done a decent job filling in at left wing-back recently, Jake Bidwell is perhaps likely to come back in for this one, especially after he won the late penalty as a substitute against Neil Warnock’s side.

The rest of the defence stays the same, although the Swans haven’t looked anywhere near as secure as they did earlier in the season, shipping nine goals in their last five games.

After deploying two attacking-midfielders against Middlesbrough, perhaps we will see Cooper revert to a 5-3-2 formation for this away trip, with Connor Hourihane dropping back into midfield alongside Jay Fulton and Matt Grimes.

This sees Korey Smith drop out, with Jamal Lowe restored to the lineup in the hope that he can rediscover his shooting boots at Ewood Park.

Steve Bruce has confirmed that Newcastle United will be without top scorer Callum Wilson against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday night due to his hamstring injury.

The 10-goal forward has missed the Magpies’ last five Premier League fixtures as a result of the issue sustained late in the first half of February’s 3-2 win at home to Southampton.

United are yet to secure all three points without the ex-Bournemouth forward leading the line at some stage, with defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United followed by draws with Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa.

Newcastle’s form in recent weeks has seen the Tynesiders let slip a nine-point lead over the relegation zone to now sit just two points clear of 18th-placed Fulham but holding two games in hand over the Craven Cottage natives.

Bruce would have hoped to have had Wilson available for Saturday’s trip to 16th-placed Brighton, but while the £20m frontman and Allan Saint-Maximin (groin) will both be absent, Miguel Almiron is in contention for a return from a knee injury.

“They’re both back on the grass. We still think with Callum that the international break is at the right time. He’s well into his rehabilitation, he’s back on the grass,” Bruce said on Friday.

“The same goes for Almiron, who trained for the first time yesterday [Thursday], so we’ll see how he is, but things are obviously improving, given the time.

“The same goes with Saint-Maximin, but we know with Saint-Maximin and Callum, in particular, were nasty muscle injuries, which are obviously going to take time. You have to let nature take its course.

“[Almiron]’s got a chance. We’ll see.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-newcastle-news” title=”Latest Newcastle news!”]

Bruce being without Wilson at the Amex Stadium on Saturday will see Newcastle face Brighton in a relegation six-pointer without the man responsible for 35% of his team’s 28 goals in the Premier League this season.

Wilson also accounts for 27% of the Toon’s 18 assists, having provided a team-high five in 21 games – only Saint-Maximin (three) has also provided more than two thus far.

Dwight Gayle and Joelinton have each taken on the role of filling in for Wilson since his injury, although neither have found the back of the net in their recent appearances to remain on one goal each in the top flight this term.

Joelinton struck his only effort of the campaign in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in November, some 14 appearances ago, yet impressed Bruce with his overall performance in the right-sided split striker position during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

“I thought Joelinton, arguably, had his best game in a Newcastle shirt,” Bruce said, via quotes shared by The Shields Gazette. “I thought he was terrific on the night. But, of course, a striker has to top it off by scoring a goal. He understands that, but his overall performance was very, very good. I thought he led the line very, very well.”

As Joelinton is now expected to once again start in place of Wilson against Brighton, Bruce must see the £40m Brazilian step up and end his long-running dry spell if Newcastle are to seal a crucial win in their fight for Premier League survival.

AND in other news, Newcastle’s hopes of signing a “standout performer” have taken a major blow…

In a season that has been nothing short of disastrous for Celtic this season, one of the only shining lights has been the signing of David Turnbull.

The Hoops signed the 21-year-old from fellow Scottish Premiership side Motherwell for a reported fee of around £3.25m, and he has hit the ground running at Celtic Park.

James McFadden raved about the Bhoys’ signing of the midfielder, saying: “He was a £3m player a year ago and I think it was a case of waiting to see how he recovered – and he’s recovered remarkably. He’s worked really hard, he’s level-headed, has a brilliant mentality and is a top talent.

“I speak about him every time I see him playing. He’s so adaptable and can play anywhere in midfield. If he gets in front of goal, very rarely if ever, will you see him snatch at it. I think he’ll step up again.”

And that goal-scoring instinct has been there for all to see, with Turnbull bagging an impressive five goals in just 17 games for his new side this season, including a run of four goals in just five league games between mid-December and mid-January.

The 6 foot 1 gem has brought a sense of energy and purpose to Celtic’s play going forward in that number ten role – his averages of 2.4 key passes and 1.6 accurate crosses rank him first and second respectively among the entire Hoops squad. And it’s no surprise that Neil Lennon is a big fan of him.

He said earlier last year: “Looking at him in the last few games, he’s got a touch of class about him and he’s a very good finisher from midfield. I think he’s a top player and we want him to flourish here.”

He might be under pressure in terms of his job, but it’s safe to say Nick Hammond got this transfer absolutely spot on.

Meanwhile, Desmond can spark real change at Celtic by firing this man; it’s not Lennon…

According to Forbes, Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up a potential move for Sevilla star Jules Kounde ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

Reports back in January suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are lining up a summer bid for the 4-cap France U21 international, and given Sam Pilger’s latest report, it seems he is still firmly at the top of their shortlist.

Questions over United’s defence have arisen once again after the Red Devils conceded a late equaliser in added time to draw 3-3 against Everton at Old Trafford.

The report adds that United have been keeping tabs on Kounde as they look to add depth to the centre-back berth.

Upgrade on Victor Lindelof

Harry Maguire is the clear first-choice in the position. However, the club captain does lack a suitable partner for his spot, and Solskjaer is keen to change just that by bringing in cover and competition for a place in his starting XI.

Paul Scholes was not impressed with Victor Lindelof’s latest display after United squandered a lead twice to draw with Everton on Saturday. Lindelof started alongside Maguire in the Premier League clash as United were forced to settle for a point at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils took the lead twice but were pegged back on both occasions, with Scott McTominay thinking he had scored the winner 20 minutes from full-time only for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to dash their hopes in a six-goal thriller.

When asked if Solskjaer’s squad is strong enough to mount a successful title challenge, Scholes said: “I still have question marks against Lindelof, I always will.

“I don’t think he’s quick enough to play alongside Maguire, I don’t think he’s aggressive enough.”

Signing Kounde would be an almost immediate improvement on the Swede. The 22-year-old, who is currently valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, averages 1.4 interceptions per game in comparison to Lindelof’s 1.2, demonstrating a strong sense of positional awareness.

Unlike Lindelof, he is also strong in the air, and is prepared to bring the ball out from the back to put his team on the front foot, as evidenced by his one dribble per 90 in La Liga this season. He also made the headlines after scoring a stunning solo goal against Barcelona, which suggests that he’d offer an alternative threat in attack as well.

If Ed Woodward can bring him to Old Trafford this summer, then the youngster could prove to be a very shrewd addition for Solskjaer’s side.

AND in other news, Manchester United urged to sign West Ham star Declan Rice by Trevor Sinclair…

Liverpool are reportedly one of the Premier League sides who are interested in signing Derby County 16-year-old this month.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, both Liverpool and Manchester United are ‘circling’ the youngster, with the piece suggesting that he is one of the best young footballers to keep an eye on for 2021.

The teenager recently made his first-team debut with the Rams under player-manager Wayne Rooney and is described as a quick and skilful forward.

Liverpool’s next Harvey Elliott?

Liverpool have shown that they can have great success in bringing in young talent in recent years, with Harvey Elliott perhaps the prime example.

The winger was signed as a 16-year-old in the summer of 2019 and has already made nine appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s first-team during his two years with the club.

Earlier this season, he joined Blackburn Rovers on loan and he has performed incredibly well in his time with Tony Mowbray’s side, having contributed four goals and six assists in 18 Championship appearances for the Ewood Park outfit, so clearly seems destined for a big future with the Reds.

Similarly to Elliott, Gordon is already making an impression in the Championship and was handed his first senior appearance as a late substitute in the Rams’ win against Birmingham City recently.

Following the game, Rooney was full of praise for the youngster, saying:

“I brought Kaide up with the first team initially to train with us for a week to see how he reacted to it, and he was one of the best trainers. I kept him with us and he has been training at the same level, if not better, as the others.”

Although Liverpool fans might not be the biggest fan of Rooney’s, there’s no doubting the success he had in England during his playing career and if he has put his faith in Gordon at just 16, then he must certainly be talented.

Therefore, the Reds must act on their reported interest in the Derby County ace and ensure that they are the ones to sign him ahead of Manchester United.

And, in other news, Forget Trent: “World-class” LFC star who made just 11 passes really let Klopp down vs Southampton…

Liverpool are reportedly looking at signing West Ham centre-back Issa Diop this month following the injuries to Joel Matip and Fabinho earlier this week, and if he were to rediscover some of his old form, then he could prove to be a strong addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Liverpool have enquired about taking the Frenchman on loan this month, as they look to add defensive reinforcements to their side.

However, it also suggests that any potential loan deal would likely include an obligation to buy for £20 million, due to the close proximity of the two clubs in the Premier League table.

A replacement for Matip?

If he were to join the Reds on a permanent deal, then he could well prove to be a long-term replacement for Matip in this Liverpool side, with the Cameroon international’s injury problems having caused frustration in his time with the club, none more so than this season, when he has regularly been sidelined at a time where Klopp needed him to stay fit.

Since joining West Ham from Toulouse in 2018 for a club-record £22 million, the defender has gone on to make 78 appearances for West Ham, contributing five goals and one assist.

After making 32 appearances in the top-flight last season, Diop has struggled to establish himself in the Hammer side this season, having made just four appearances in the Premier League.

The Frenchman has slipped down the pecking order in David Moyes’ side as a result of the strong form they have enjoyed with Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna at the back.

The defender’s performances in the 2018/19 season suggested that he could be a star of the future in this West Ham side but his performances have declined ever since.

However, if Klopp could get the best out of him, he could prove to be a solid addition to his side, especially in the current defensive crisis, where the German manager is desperate for some experience at the back.

Back in 2019, Jose Mourinho was full of praise for Diop after he impressed against his Manchester United side, saying:

“(He had a) fantastic match. Congratulations to the scout that found a 21-year-old kid Diop – a monster who dominated in the duels.”

Therefore, considering Diop is just 24-years-old, it could be worth the risk for Michael Edwards to bring him to Anfield this month, especially if he can produce those sorts of performances on a more regular basis under Klopp’s tutelage.

And, in other news… Edwards swoop for 6 ft 2 beast with a “big voice” would leave both Klopp and FSG satisfied

Manchester United have a huge selection headache on their hands ahead of the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain after Edinson Cavani spared Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s blushes against Southampton on Sunday.

The Uruguayan striker came off the bench to inspire the Red Devils to a remarkable comeback victory over the Saints at St Mary’s at the weekend, scoring two goals in the second half to secure an unlikely three points and stake his claim for a place in the starting line-up.

There’s no doubt that this will be one of the biggest dilemmas that Solskjaer will have had to deal with since he first took over at Old Trafford.

Whilst Anthony Martial has been the club legend’s trusted man for the big occasions, Cavani could keep his place with Martial still seeking his best form.

As per WhoScored, the veteran versatile forward is averaging more shots in the Premier League than the France international so far this season, whilst he has also managed to score more goals than Martial, despite the fact that he hasn’t started a single game in the top flight as of yet.

In five appearances in the Premier League this season, Cavani has scored three goals and supplied one assist. WhoScored lists one of his main strengths as being able to hold onto the ball and that has been proven as he hasn’t been dispossessed in the Premier League at all so far.

It’s worth remembering his former boss Thomas Tuchel favours a possession-based style of play, as PSG tend to start their attacks from the back, so United’s ability to retain possession in forward areas could prove useful to disrupting their supply chain for the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Valued at £10m via Transfermarkt, it’s safe to say that the monster striker has turned out to be an absolute bargain so far, as he proved to be the decisive factor in turning the tide against the Saints at St Mary’s on Sunday.

Now Solskjaer must reward him with a start against his former club as he still has a point to prove having left the French Ligue 1 league leaders in the summer after seven seasons in Paris.

AND in other news, Manchester United must cash in on Timothy Fosu-Mensah in January…

Just before the summer transfer closed, Leeds United were on the brink of adding a new midfielder to their ranks. Victor Orta and co were working hard on securing an £18million move for Michael Cuisance, until his failed medical saw the newly promoted club pull out of the deal.

At the time, Marcelo Bielsa was extremely disappointed, as going ahead would mean the Frenchman would be sidelined for a number of weeks (L’Equipe, via TEAMtalk). However, his recent form will have undoubtedly changed the manager’s mind on the failed transfer.

 Why failed Cuisance medical was a positive

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Had Bielsa caught a snippet of how Cuisance would perform this season, he wouldn’t have gotten himself so worked up about not seeing him at Elland Road.

The 21-year-old returned to his native after Bayern sent him out on loan with Marseille. But despite their impressive start to the season, Cuisance has contributed just one assist in 13 appearances so far (via Transfermarkt).

One thing Bielsa is lacking at the moment is creativity from his midfield. Only Mateusz Klich currently stands out as someone who can cause trouble for the opposition. A lot of pressure lies on Patrick Bamford when it comes to finding the back of the net.

The Whites also already have a young, up and coming playmaker in Jamie Shackleton, who hasn’t had much game time this season due to injury and off performances. Had they signed Cuisance, it would only hinder his growth after working so hard to come through the academy.

In the Bayern loanee’s last two appearances, he managed to muster up a measly 20 passes and failed to register a single shot towards goal (via Sofascore). Considering Leeds’ record signing is Rodrigo at £30million, spending half of that on a player who has done little more than Shackleton would have been a huge waste of Orta’s effort and Andrea Radrizzani’s money.

In other news, Raphinha was Bielsa’s unsung hero against Newcastle…

Things haven’t gone to plan for Christian Eriksen since his departure from Tottenham Hotspur last January, but that doesn’t mean chairman Daniel Levy should pass up the opportunity to create the unthinkable in north London at the turn of the year…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Spurs along with several other Premier League teams have been offered the chance to re-sign the Danish playmaker ahead of the winter transfer window.

It’s claimed that Serie A outfit Inter Milan are keen to trim their wage bill and thus, will need to raise funds through player sales or loan spells away from the club.

Eriksen, who is on £200k-per-week at the San Siro, with more details here on how to get that sort of money, fits into that category.

Levy and Jose Mourinho brought back Gareth Bale to the club, so should they repeat that masterstroke here?

Big mistake not to

The 28-year-old’s form has undeniably tailed off over the past 18 months, contributing to just four goals in 20 appearances in his final half-season in N17 whilst in Italy, he’s yet to score or assist this season after three goals and three assists last term, via WhoScored.

However, the speculation over Eriksen’s future at Spurs clearly had a negative effect on the pitch and he’s just not been fancied by Antonio Conte at Inter.

This is a player that has undisputed numbers for the club – originally signed by Andre Villas-Boas in 2013, the attacking midfielder would go onto provide at least six goals and nine assists in all but one season between his arrival and 2018/19, per Transfermarkt.

Now valued at €70m (£63m) by CIES, Eriksen could prove to be his own solution back at Spurs as Giovani Lo Celso is yet to convince as a no.10, contributing to just eight goals since the start of last season.

Mauricio Pochettino once dubbed his star man “special” and claimed that he has “amazing quality and can shoot from outside the area” whilst Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said to the Daily Mail (via 90min) that Eriksen was a “ruthless playmaker” who can “destroy you” with time and space.

It remains to be seen what sort of deal could happen in January, but Levy would be making a mistake by not bringing him home. Imagine a front four of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, Bale and Eriksen – on top of Tanguy Ndombele and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg a little deeper.

That’s the stuff of dreams. We’ve seen the impact the returning Welshman has had, this could be similar if not better.

AND in other news, £40.5m-rated star’s snub a worrying sign for his Spurs future…