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Sunderland and Elliot Embleton’s representatives have started talks over a new contract at the club for the midfielder, according to Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith.

The Lowdown: Emerging talent

The 22-year-old has become a key figure in the Black Cats’ squad this season after helping Blackpool earn promotion to the Championship last term with two goals and four assists in 21 appearances while on loan at Bloomfield Road.

This season, the midfielder has already contributed to five goals (two goals and three assists) in eight League One games as Lee Johnson’s men sit top of the table, but his contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: New contract

According to Smith, who was talking on a Q&A for the Sunderland Echo, Embleton’s contract situation is a priority for the club.

The journalist said: “Elliot Embleton is the obvious priority and Sunderland have already made moves to start that process. Krisjaan Speakman is understood to have started talks with his representatives and at the moment, there seems to be a will on all sides to get that done.

“It’s by far the most important contract to get sorted at this stage, both in terms of protecting a real asset and also in retaining a player who has quickly become central to Lee Johnson’s plans.”

The Verdict: Needs to be done

Embleton showcased his talents last season for Blackpool and has continued his fine form into the current campaign since moving to the Stadium of Light. The midfielder has completed 81% of his passes and, as highlighted above, been a regular source of goals in terms of scoring them or setting them up, quickly justifying why the Wearsiders wanted to bring him in.

The left winger has formed a good partnership with Alex Pritchard and Aiden McGeady in Johnson’s 4-2-3-1 formation and has been a strong factor as to why they sit top of the table early in the campaign. Hopefully club and player can quickly come to a satisfactory resolution in contract talks, thereby securing his future at Sunderland for another few years.

In other news, Sunderland have received a boost ahead of this weekend’s game with Portsmouth. Find out more here.

Ipswich have had a less than ideal start to their new season, with a draw and a loss from their first two competitive matches.

The Tractor Boys were held to a 2-2 draw by Morecambe on the opening day of the League One campaign, twice going behind in the match. They then bowed out of the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 defeat at home to Newport County, with a trip to Burton Albion now on the horizon for Paul Cook’s side.

Burton beat Shrewsbury 1-0 in their league opener last weekend before being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Oxford United on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

On the Chalkboard

Although Ipswich scored twice against Morecambe, a couple of the players in Cook’s attacking line-up failed to make their mark. Wes Burns (6.4) and Joe Pigott (6.5) registered unimpressive WhoScored ratings and were not directly involved in either of the goals, and that could tempt the Blues boss into a change for this weekend’s match.

The former Wigan manager should unleash Louie Barry for his League One debut for the club, having been an unused substitute against Morecambe. He is a versatile forward who is capable of operating on either flank and down the middle, which means that Cook could bring him in for Pigott or Burns, depending on which role he believes is best for Barry, as the pair were unable to stamp their authority against Morecambe.

Former England international and Ipswich academy product Darren Bent has backed Barry to score ‘many goals’ for the Blues. He told Football Insider: “He can go and show what he can do, get some first-team experience. It’s just a perfect move to go and show Dean Smith what he is capable of.

“So it makes sense to go out on loan to League One and prove yourself. He can get himself into the first-team next season.

“Barry needs to focus, work hard, train hard. I’m sure if he does all that then he will score many goals.”

Bent clearly feels there is a talented player in Barry and the Ipswich boss seemingly agrees. Cook called the 18-year-old an ‘exciting’ player upon his arrival from Aston Villa on loan and his unpredictability could hold the key for Ipswich.

Given Barry’s inexperience at first-team level, Burton may not know what to expect from him, and that could give him the element of surprise in the game, potentially allowing him to flourish. He scored 19 goals in 25 youth team appearances for Villa last term, but it is now down to him to turn up against Burton and prove that he can do it at senior level.

If he can come good and surprise the opposition, he could be a real game-changer for Ipswich. The teenager could come in and contribute with a goal from out wide or through the middle and help the Tractor Boys get their first win of the season. Worth the gamble? We think so.

AND in other news, Ashton could land next Chambers for Ipswich with deal for beast with “football brain”…

Writing for 90min, journalist Tom Gott has made a claim involving Tottenham and Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij as he shares an interesting update.

The Lowdown: de Vrij edging closer?

As per numerous recent reports, the Netherlands international is certainly a name on the radar of new Spurs boss Antonio Conte as he plots an overhaul at N17.

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De Vrij shined as a ‘key part’ of the Italian’s 2020/2021 Scudetto-winning side and claims over this past month have hinted that both the manager and player could reunite at Spurs.

Calciomercato.it listed the 29-year-old as one of many Serie A stars being watched by Conte whilst Fichajes, perhaps dropping the most exciting rumour of all, believe it is slightly more advanced.

The Spanish outlet say he is edging ‘closer and closer’ to Tottenham as their manager seeks to solve a ‘severe’ problem in the middle of his defence.

The Latest: de Vrij ‘may relish’ Conte link up…

Writing for 90min, sharing news of Newcastle’s newly-found involvement in the saga of de Vrij’s future, has also made a Spurs claim.

The Magpies have apparently been offered the chance to sign him as both Everton and Tottenham continue to eye a move, but Gott believes the latter team could have one crucial attraction for de Vrij.

Indeed, as explained in the piece, Inter’s colossal centre-back ‘may relish’ a reunion with Conte and there’s also the added ‘bonus’ of Spurs not being in a relegation battle when compared to Newcastle.

The Verdict: Get it done?

We believe Tottenham may well be ahead of their Premier League rivals in the race for de Vrij and managing director Fabio Paratici would be remiss not to take full advantage.

The £116,000-per-week star has been labelled a ‘monster’ by former teammate Mauricio whilst pundits from England also hold him in high esteem.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan branded de Vrij a ‘worldbeater’ who could become a Spurs ‘legend’ alongside Cristian Romero in the centre of defence – even drawing a comparisons to Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.

An experienced international with plenty of pedigree, having amassed over half a century of caps, the only red herring to a potential deal could be de Vrij’s age.

Some sectors believe he’s valued at around £40 million, a high price to pay for a player nearing his twilight phase and the end of his contract which expires in 2023.

If Tottenham can whittle down de Vrij’s price tag significantly, it’s certainly a move worth making.

In other news: Conte and Spurs gifted January boost in race to sign ‘explosive’ playmaker who wants to move, find out more here.

A number of Wolves supporters are delighted after Jonny was pictured in training as he continues to work his way back from a serious injury.

Bruno Lage’s side are currently in the middle of the final international break of the year, with the players off representing their respective countries.

Wolves lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace last weekend, bringing an end to a positive run of form, but the hope is that they get back on track when the players reconvene next week for the visit of West Ham to Molineux.

One player who continues to work hard on his injury recovery is Jonny, with the 27-year-old suffering cruciate ligament damage back in April.

On Thursday, Wolves’ official Twitter channel posted a photo of the Spanish defender doing fitness work outside on the training pitch, suggesting that his return is edging closer.

Wolves fans react to Jonny latest

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to show their appreciation for the 27-year-old as he nears a long-awaited return to action, with one supporter describing the pictorial update as “lovely”.

“Amazed and happy by this picture. Technology eh “

Credit: @flipflo36521997

“Another Don back on grass”

Credit: @SmithyWolves

“Lovely. Thing is with Jonny he can easily play right-back too so very good depth for right-back and left-back when he’s back”

Credit: @Alfiewwfc_

“Let’s go!”

Credit: @MrR1g4t

“This is the content we like to see”

Credit: @PortuWolves

“Yes, come on”

Credit: @JonMoss89615310

In other news, some Wolves fans have been gushing over this contract news. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have reiterated that Harry Kane is not for sale this summer, with key figures behind the scenes confident he’ll remain with Spurs, according to The Athletic. 

The lowdown: Report outlines multi-million pound agreement

Spurs forward Harry Kane has previously voiced his intentions (Sky Sports) to leave the club earlier this summer, although a move anywhere is yet to materialise.

Part of that is largely down to Spurs of course wanting to keep him at the club, as well as Kane being away on international duty with England in the European Championships, so a move is unlikely to have been on his mind recently.

However, Manchester City have been keen admirers of striking a deal to sign Kane, with a fee in the region of £100million being quoted over a potential agreement.

The Sun had recently reported that Daniel Levy had accepted a £160million offer from Pep Guardiola’s side, although it doesn’t seem as though that’s the case just yet.

The latest: Senior Spurs figures confident Kane will stay

The Athletic are reporting on Saturday morning that Spurs have taken a ‘dim view’ of suggestions that an agreement to sell Kane had been reached.

That same report also claims that both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City were taken by surprise on that claim from The Sun, with Spurs reiterating that Kane is not for sale this summer.

The Athletic have also revealed that key figures at Spurs are confident that he’ll stay with the London-based club moving forwards.

The verdict: There will be plenty more twists and turns

There are so many conflicting reports, it’s difficult to know which one to believe.

Kane has revealed his intentions for a new adventure away from Spurs this summer, but Nuno Espírito Santo’s side clearly still value his impact in north London over any sum Manchester City could plausibly stump up.

City are always going to be a tempting offer for any player however, both financially and for the position they’re at in the Premier League.

They’re a team who have really impressed under the management of Pep Guardiola, and Kane could be the missing piece in their jigsaw, as they target Champions League glory in the near future.

With that in mind, it’s hard to rule anything out at this stage, and while it seems unlikely Kane would do something as drastic as to try and force a move from his boyhood club, there will certainly be more twists and turns to come.

Everton target Denzel Dumfries starred for the Netherlands in their opening game of EURO 2020, scoring the winner in a 3-2 win over Ukraine [BBC].

Seemingly snatching a draw from the jaws of victory, up stepped the 25-year-old at the back post to nod home a priceless winner for the Dutch national side.

Reported to be an Everton target as they look to build towards 2021/22 [90MIN], the marauding full-back has pretty much been ever-present for current employers PSV Eindhoven, making 41 appearances across 2020/21 [Transfermarkt].

Within that time frame, he has chipped in with four goals and nine assists, eventually helping his side to finish runners-up in the Eredivisie table [Infogol].

Making a lasting impression, the PSV captain has now taken his exploits one step further and onto a global stage. In light of last night’s performance from Dumfries,it was  no wonder that loads of Everton diehards took to Twitter to drool over his potential signing.

Everton fans react:

Here is what some of the Everton support had to say surrounding Dumfries’ display against the Ukraine:

“Has to be Denzel Dumfries. The lad is a monster. Really would love him at Everton”

Credit: @PaulMoorcroft9″Denzel Dumfries will be an Everton player”Credit: @RobMDK”Denzel Dumfries to Everton, who says no?”Credit: @evertonhub”Everton legend Denzel Dumfries”Credit: @MerseyBIue”Denzel Dumfries is a baller. Have him at Everton any day. Perfect replacement for Coleman.”Credit: @LifterUnknown”I would like Denzel Dumfries in an Everton shirt by next week thank you”credit: @aperhacs76In other news, Everton are eyeing a move for an international goalkeeper.

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the last-minute arrival of Djed Spence at the City Ground.

What’s the latest?

In a short statement posted on the Nottingham Forest website, the Reds confirmed the signing of the Middlesbrough right-back on a season-long loan deal, with the 21-year-old’s move to Forest being approved by the EFL following the passing of the transfer deadline at 11pm on Tuesday evening.

Indeed, it was reported that Dane Murphy’s side were scrambling to complete the defender’s deal late on Tuesday, with there believed to be a problem with the paperwork at Forest’s end, however, 18 hours after the transfer window closed, the Championship side finally confirmed the switch had been completed.

Hughton will be buzzing

The position of right-back had caused Chris Hughton something of a headache over the duration of the summer transfer window, with the 62-year-old manager first informing Carl Jenkinson that he was free to leave the club at the start of the summer, leaving the Reds with only Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel as a viable option in the position.

As a result, Hughton made a move for Arsenal youngster Jordi Osei-Tutu, who, after playing two fixtures for the club at left-back, suffered a hamstring injury, once again leaving the Reds boss with only Lawrence-Gabriel in the position.

So, on deadline day, right-back still appeared to be a position that required further reinforcements for the Garibaldi, who eventually finished the day signing two players capable of operating on the right-hand side of defence – Mohamed Drager and Djed Spence.

However, it is Spence’s signing that will likely have had the Nottingham Forest manager buzzing, as the versatile 21-year-old has proven during his time at Middlesbrough that he is a player who boasts a considerable amount of potential.

Indeed, over his 38 Championship appearances for Neil Warnock’s side last season, the £1.8m-rated defender made an average of 0.7 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 0.6 clearances and won 3.5 duels per game.

The man Jonathan Woodgate dubbed an “exceptional” player also impressed for his side going forwards, scoring one goal and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.3 shots and making 0.4 key passes per game.

As such, while these statistics are perhaps not the most breathtaking, the £4.4k-per-week right-back’s addition to Hughton’s options will nevertheless bring greater depth and experience to a position which it desperately lacked prior to his signing – something that will undoubtedly delight the 62-year-old and leave him buzzing.

Sheffield United are reportedly closing in on the loan signing of Republic of Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane.

The Lowdown: Blades look for late summer business

The summer transfer window closes late on Tuesday night, with clubs up and down the country looking to do some business at the 11th hour.

The Blades have been linked with signing a number of players recently, but they now appear to be on the verge of officially completing a move for the Aston Villa midfielder.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The Latest: Hourihane set for Bramall Lane move

According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law via Twitter, Hourihane is set to join Sheffield United on loan, with his medical taking place on Monday.

He claimed that the 30-year-old will be a ‘great signing’ for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side, having made some ‘huge contributions’ during his time at Villa, tweeting: “Conor Hourihane is close to joining Sheffield United on loan from Aston Villa with the player expected to have a medical today. Will be a great signing IMO. Hourihane has been such a great pro at Villa and made some huge contributions.”

Hourihane has scored 29 goals and registered 23 assists in 151 appearances for the Villains, not to mention winning 26 caps for Ireland.

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The Verdict: Strong signing for Sheffield United

This could be an excellent signing for the Blades, with Hourihane a hugely experienced player at Championship level, playing 145 matches in the division and winning promotion from the second tier with Villa in 2019.

He could help steer Jokanovic’s side clear of the relegation zone following a hugely disappointing start to the season, bringing some much-needed quality to the squad.

Hopefully Law’s prediction regarding Hourihane’s impact at Bramall Lane will come true – his reputation as a stellar professional and his promotion-winning experience suggests that the journalist could be proven right.

In other news, Sheffield United are thought to be eyeing up a late-summer move for a defender. Find out who it is here.

Sheffield United were boosted by the news recently that Daniel Jebbison has signed a professional deal at Bramall Lane, which should hopefully keep him with the Blades for a while longer.

The 17-year-old signed his first professional deal alongside fellow academy talents Femi Seriki, Andre Brooks, Jordan Amissah and Oliver Arblaster, with Sheffield United suggesting that they have all been tied down to long-term deals.

Jebbison has burst onto the scene at Bramall Lane in recent weeks, as he was handed his senior debut as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace before earning a start for the game against Everton at Goodison Park.

The young Englishman scored the only goal of the game as Paul Heckingbottom’s side picked up an impressive win against the Toffees, and the youngster has unsurprisingly started every game since.

It had seemed as if the teenager could well be on the move this summer, with the likes of Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund all reportedly interested.

Blades fans would surely be disappointed to lose such a bright young prospect so early, so will be delighted that he has now signed a long-term deal with the Bramall Lane outfit, one which should hopefully increase the chances of him staying with the club this summer, thus allowing him to make a positive impact in the Championship next season.

There seems no reason why, after a promising few appearances in the Premier League, Jebbison can’t have an impact in the second tier next season and potentially help the Blades challenge for promotion back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards was full of praise for the youngster recently, saying:

“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.”

Therefore, Blades fans will be buzzing that one of the few positives from a disappointing season has committed his long-term future to the club, as he looks to have a very bright future at Bramall Lane.

And, in other news… Winckel heading for huge mistake with “very good” SUFC academy gem

Liverpool will be among the clubs interested in signing West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice when the summer transfer window opens, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Contract rebel

A recent report from The Guardian has claimed that the 23-year-old has rejected a third offer a new deal at the London Stadium and is ‘open’ to a move away at the end of the season.

With Rice under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), Hammers boss David Moyes has previously placed a £150m price tag on the England international, who previously came through the Chelsea academy.

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Amidst growing interest from Manchester City and Manchester United, the Reds have now been tipped to show their own admiration for Rice…

The latest: Jones makes Rice transfer claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Liverpool will be weighing up a possible swoop for the 29-cap England ace.

The journalist stated: “Of course, they’re going to be interested in Declan Rice because if Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have had that player on their radar, then you kind of at least have got to consider whether you’re going to need him.”

The verdict: An unnecessary expenditure

Currently, Jurgen Klopp has Fabinho as the only recognised senior defensive midfielder within the Anfield squad, although Jordan Henderson, James Milner and youngster Tyler Morton have all deputised in the role at times this season.

Nonetheless, the powerful Brazilian midfield general has enjoyed a stellar campaign, with five goals and four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions; and despite the lack of natural options in that position, spending anything like the mooted £150m on Rice simply isn’t a realistic prospect for the Reds.

Instead, as the two Manchester clubs potentially do battle for the 23-year-old’s signature, Klopp and incoming Anfield sporting director Julian Ward are more likely to set about pursuing an affordable alternative.

Using the FBRef comparison tool, statistically this term, 21-year-old Nice starlet Khephren Thuram-Ulien is the closest match to Rice, whilst Liverpool’s own Fabinho also appears in the top 10.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for one player. Find out who it is here.