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Ex-Premier League footballer Mark Schwarzer has raised doubts over Aston Villa’s potential spending in January.

The Lowdown: Villa could be set for a quiet transfer window

After picking up a very impressive three points away from home at the weekend, Aston Villa fans will surely be praying for a big transfer window to help them kick on under Unai Emery.

A flurry of activity this month could ensure Villa avoid a relegation fight on their hands during the second half of the season, which isn’t totally out of the question given the wealth their owners possess.

However, things might not go exactly to plan for the club if Schwarzer is correct in his verdict about how January is perhaps not the ideal time for the Midlands side to go big in the transfer window.

The latest: Schwarzer unconvinced by Villa’s expected transfer business

Schwarzer was asked on the Football Daily podcast if it could be a very interesting window for Villa after their shock win against Tottenham Hotspur, and he had this to say:

“Maybe not necessarily in January because obviously we know how difficult January can be.

“But certainly moving forward, I think, for so many reasons – first and foremost, the football; the way that Villa have started under Unai Emery, but also the fact moving forward, the type of players that want to play under him.”

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The verdict: Villa must back Emery

It would be a very dangerous game for the Villa owners to play if they were to not back their new manager as they are still only seven points above the relegation zone.

When Emery took the job, you would imagine he would have asked to be backed financially to ensure he could put his own stamp on the club, or leaving Villarreal for the Midlands side would seem a questionable decision.

While the Villa owners will want to carefully spend their money after splashing it out so lavishly under Steven Gerrard, the fact they have a European giant of a manager in the dugout, they have to act sensibly.

Everton have joined the race to secure a move for Birmingham City’s 18-year-old midfield prodigy George Hall. 

The Lowdown: Hall’s emergence at Birmingham

In 22 appearances for the Midlands club across their under-18 and under-21 teams, the teenager has six goals and three assists to his name.

Having now made 20 senior appearances for Birmingham, 18 of those have come in the current Championship campaign.

Now that the January transfer window is shortly due to open, the youngster has found himself on the radar of numerous Premier League clubs.

The Latest: Everton join Hall transfer race

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Everton and their Merseyside rivals Liverpool have joined Leeds United in the race to sign the Birmingham teenager.

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The report adds that the Toffees are ‘on Hall’s trail as they hunt for dynamic young midfielders who can slot straight into their first team and play a big part in their future at Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium’.

The Verdict: A long-term option

Hall found himself on the receiving end of high praise last year from Birmingham’s under-18 coach Martyn Olorenshaw, who raved about the young midfielder.

He said of the 18-year-old: “He is explosive, dynamic and has the prowess to influence games. He is a really exciting player that has the ceiling to achieve whatever he wants to achieve. He has received international recognition recently which is a huge achievement, a testament to all his hard work and a reflection of his character.”

While Hall may be a very promising young talent who seems destined for a strong career, he may not be exactly what Everton should spend their time and money on in January.

Given how the Toffees are currently hovering just above the relegation zone, it appears that Frank Lampard will need some experienced players to come in who can hit the ground running and help the team to improve straight away, rather than signing someone like Hall who is more likely to be someone for the future.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will no doubt be looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window, with the mid-season market providing the Englishman with the chance to freshen up his squad again, both with regards to incomings and outgoings.

In terms of potential departures, the 44-year-old is set to oversee something of an exodus with Football Insider claiming that four first-team players will be up for grabs in the New Year, with one of those deemed to be surplus to requirements that of club captain, Jamaal Lascelles.

This follows a previous report from the same publication that suggested the Magpies would be hoping to recoup around £10m for the long-serving centre-back were he to depart, with the Englishman having joined the club from Nottingham Forest alongside Karl Darlow for a combined fee of around £7m back in 2014.

As pundit Alan Hutton suggested, the Tynesiders appear to have “moved on” from the 29-year-old in recent times, with the former City Ground star having made just six appearances in all competitions this season, including just a solitary Premier League start.

The addition of towering Dutchman, Sven Botman has seemingly served to shunt the skipper down the pecking order in the early months of the campaign, with the former Lille man already making a “huge difference” to the side, according to journalist Josh Bunting.

That has been laid bare by the fact that the northeast side have shipped just 11 league goals so far this term – the best record in the division – after previously shipping 62 goals last season with Lascelles playing a prominent role after making 26 top-flight appearances.

Howe could well strengthen his backline even further – and hasten the Derby-born dud’s exit – with the addition of Inter Milan sensation, Milan Skriniar, with the Slovakia international believed to be a firm target for the St James’ Park outfit.

The 27-year-old titan has caught the eye of a number of England’s top clubs as a result of his sparkling form in Italy of late, with the 6 foot 2 “leader” – as described by former coach Tibor Goljan – also offering the benefit of potentially being available for nothing at the end of the season, due to his expiring contract.

The 58-cap brute – who has racked up 236 appearances for the Serie A giants to date – has started 14 of his side’s 15 league games so far this term, notably averaging 1.4 tackles per game as a marker of his defensive prowess.

Lascelles, by contrast, only averages 0.3 tackles per game despite having featured far less frequently, while the former England U21 international is also less comfortable in possession as he ranks in just the bottom 2% in Europe for pass completion among those in his position, with Skriniar ranking in the top 4% for that same metric.

That difference in quality showcased just why the latter man could well be an all-round better fit for Howe’s side, with the “incredible” asset – as described by former teammate Adam Zilak – set to be a notable coup for PIF if a deal can be agreed.

As for Lascelles, it may well be in his best interests to push for an exit due to his limited involvement, with the player having become something of a spare part of late.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their attempts to secure Ross Stewart’s future at the Stadium of Light…

What’s the talk?

Black Cats chairman and owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has confirmed that the club are in talks with the forward over an extension to his current deal.

When asked about the striker’s contract situation at a fan Q&A, he said: “We are having ongoing conversations and we’re all hopeful that it will lead to a successful outcome.

“Football is unpredictable, you don’t know what will happen between him coming back and January, which clubs might be interested in him etc.
“All we can do is A) do our very best to retain Ross and B) plan for all eventualities so that we’re not in a situation where we are panicking and don’t know what we’re doing. Plan A is to keep Ross and secure a longer contract, but we will be prepared for all possibilities.”

Tony Mowbray should be excited

The Black Cats manager, and indeed the whole of Sunderland, must be incredibly excited with this news as it shows the club are actively trying to pin Stewart down to a new contract to ensure his long-term future on Wearside.

Transfermarkt states that his deal is due to expire in the summer of 2023 but Sunderland have the option to extend it for a further 12 months, which means that he could remain at the Stadium of Light through to 2024.

This does, however, mean that he will only have 12 months – assuming they exercise their option – left on his contract at the end of this season and the club would have a decision to make on cashing in on the striker if he has not signed an extension by that point.

Therefore, Mowbray will be excited about the talks between the club and the player as keeping Stewart in the long-term would be a huge boost to his side.

The 6 foot 2 Scotland international has proven himself to be a phenomenal goalscorer for the Black Cats in both League One and the Championship since joining from Ross County at the start of 2021.

Stewart, who teammate Alex Pritchard dubbed a “revelation” last season, scored 26 times in 49 matches in the third tier last term – including two goals in three play-off matches. He has followed that up by plundering five goals and assisting three in seven appearances in the second division.

The marksman also has plenty of time left ahead of him to improve and potentially step up to a higher level which means that he could be a key player for Sunderland in the future as well as in the here and now, with his ability to score goals consistently.

Therefore, Mowbray should be delighted by the thought of the attacker putting pen to paper on a new deal and will now be hoping that the talks are successful in the coming weeks and months.

Tottenham Hotspur are now ‘looking’ for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ long term replacement after a ‘massive decision’ from Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Wonderful servant…

The Frenchman, who is a near-certain inclusion for his country’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar as Les Bleus captain, has proved a long-serving, reliable and dependent mainstay since joining from Lyon in the summer of 2012.

A decade has passed since Lloris’ move to the Premier League, with the Spurs figurehead going on to make 436 appearances in all competitions. Even now, the 35-year-old is an ever-present under Antonio Conte, playing more league minutes than anyone in the squad (WhoScored).

However, Lloris has been criticised for some of his performances this season, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher even questioning the Spurs number one’s fading abilities.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘looking’ for Lloris replacement…

In light of the 35-year-old’s apparent downturn in form, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared an update on the goalkeeper’s long-term future at Spurs.

Conte has apparently made a ‘massive decision’ in regards to Lloris, with Tottenham now looking at his future heirs as they draw up a shortlist. It is believed that Spurs are eyeing Jordan Pickford, Robert Sanchez and Illan Meslier as possible candidates, with it being ‘unlikely’ that the Frenchman remains their number one after this season.

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Bailey explained (via TEAMtalk): “Hugo Lloris has a deal until 2024, but it is highly unlikely he will be Tottenham number one after this season. He has been up and down and it is understood Tottenham are looking for his long-term replacement. And we can reveal that a number of options are in the Premier League.

“They have been linked to the likes of Jordan Pickford, Robert Sanchez and Illan Meslier, and these are the options for them. They really like Sanchez at Brighton – but it is likely that won’t be until the end of the season.”

The Verdict: End of an era…

Spurs supporters will surely look back fondly on Lloris’ long tenure at their club’s number one shot-stopper with great memories, and he is hardly over the hill despite a recent slump.

Just this season, the goalkeeping veteran put on a brilliant performance away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, with reporter Alasdair Gold describing him as a ‘bright light’ in that Tottenham defeat.

Lloris does deserve to see out this season as Conte’s first choice at the very least, even if all eras must come to an end eventually.

West Ham United could be set to wave goodbye to Craig Dawson once the upcoming January transfer window opens for business. 

The Lowdown: Changes to the squad

The previous summer transfer window saw the east London club make some changes to the defensive area of their squad by seeing Issa Diop make a move to Fulham as well as bringing in the likes of Thilo Kehrer and Nayef Aguerd.

Looking ahead to the upcoming January window, it appears that the Hammers could let Dawson follow in the footsteps of Diop and make a move away from the London Stadium.

The Latest: Bye-bye Dawson?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, the centre-back is looking to leave West Ham in January to be nearer his family in Cheshire after a seeing a late transfer move to Wolves collapse during the summer window.

The report also adds that with the £45k-per-week defender’s current contract set to expire at the end of the season, David Moyes could allow Dawson to depart in January rather than see him potentially leave as a free agent in the summer.

The Verdict: Time to go

Bearing in mind how the 32-year-old has only been involved in three Premier League matchday squads this season with just two appearances, a move away from West Ham would indeed be the best option for him.

Even though the Hammers managed to win both of the games that the Englishman played in against Wolves and Fulham, it may be the best move for them financially if they can sell him in January for a fee rather than risk seeing him leave as a free agent in the summer.

Despite previously being lauded as a “special” player by Carlton Cole, January could be the ideal time for West Ham to not only move Dawson out of the club but also potentially bring in a suitable replacement as well.

Sunderland have been hit with a selection setback ahead of their Championship clash with Wigan next weekend…

What’s the latest?

Black Cats captain Corry Evans will be unavailable for their match against the Latics at the Stadium of Light after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Swansea.

The central midfielder was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Luke Trundle in the first half and that was his fifth caution of the 2022/23 campaign, which means that he is now suspended for the club’s next competitive fixture.

Jack Clarke and Luke O’Nien are both currently on four yellow cards for the season and will face the same punishment if they pick up another one within the next six Championship outings.

Big blow for Tony Mowbray

The Sunderland manager will surely be frustrated by this suspension as it comes as a big blow to the team heading into their match against Wigan.

He made a late challenge whilst the team were already 1-0 down to Swansea and the manager may feel like it was a tackle that could have been avoided. It was poorly timed and the midfielder will now have to watch on from the sidelines as his side look to bounce back from four league matches without a win.

The Black Cats lost to the Welsh side after drawing their last three Championship fixtures prior to that and now come up against a Latics team who have lost three of their last four in the division.

They will be without Evans for the game and that is a setback for Mowbray because he has been an important member of the side throughout the season so far. The central midfielder has played in 12 of the 13 league matches thus far, starting 11 of those, and put a shift in defensively.

No player with at least one start has averaged more tackles per game and only Luke O’Nien has averaged more interceptions per match in the Championship for Sunderland than Evans in 2022/23. The Northern Irishman is averaging 3.7 tackles and interceptions per outing, showing that he has made a big impact on the pitch when the team is out of possession.

He has been a rock in the holding midfield position, as evidenced by his strong defensive statistics in comparison to his teammates, and the side will now be without his presence in the middle of the pitch against Wigan.

Therefore, Mowbray will be frustrated that Evans will be unavailable next weekend as losing him is a blow to Sunderland’s defensive solidity.

After a difficult spell with Aston Villa, Jordan Veretout has gone on to have a very good career and will be a regular in the Champions League with Marseille this season.

Villa signed the Frenchman from FC Nantes in a deal worth £8m in 2015, with the midfielder signing a five-year contract with the Midlands club.

However, he would fulfill just two years of that five-year contract, as he moved to Fiorentina in a deal worth £6.25m in 2017.

During his time at Villa Park, Veretout would make just 29 appearances in all competitions, in which he failed to score but provided five assists, as he struggled to adapt to Premier League football.

He joined St Etienne on loan the following season and impressed, before his move to Fiorentina in the summer of 2017.

Veretout continued to dazzle during his time in Serie A, hitting 10 goals in his debut campaign, and managed five goals and three assists the following season, which caught the attention of Roma.

There, he would make 131 appearances, contributing 22 goals and 16 assists, as he helped Jose Mourinho’s side win the Europa Conference League last season, before earning a move back to his native France with Marseille.

He has also earned five caps for France, which is no mean feat considering some of the midfielders at their disposal, which suggests that he would be more than good enough for this current Villa side.

Matthieu Pianezze, an Italian journalist, sang Veretout’s praises after his performances with Fiorentina, saying:

“He’s a modern, box-to-box midfielder. Technically gifted and amazing at recovery. It’s a machine.”

Although it would have been impossible to predict Vertout’s career trajectory during his time at Villa, it is disappointing that he wasn’t given more chances to impress, as it seems clear now that he could have cut it in the Premier League if he had been given regular opportunities.

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Therefore, the decision to sell him for £6.25m just two seasons after signing Veretout should go down as a big mistake by the Villa board.

Everton have reportedly made contact with the representatives of Trevoh Chalobah over a potential summer move.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

After the arrivals of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli and Marc Cucurella from Brighton and Hove Albion respectively, it seems as if Chalobah has fallen out of favour at Chelsea.

The central defender has been an unused substitute in all three of their games in the Premier League so far this season, and so his future at Stamford Bridge now seems uncertain.

The Latest: Everton contact

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit, as well as fellow Premier League rivals Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Southampton, have all contacted Chalobah’s representatives ahead of a possible move.

He is also attracting interest from both Inter Milan and AS Roma in Serie A, who want to take him on loan, as he is unlikely to leave Chelsea on a permanent deal.

The Verdict: Not a priority

After already bringing in James Tarkowski and Conor Coady from Burnley and Wolves respectively, signing another centre-back should not be a priority for the Merseyside club.

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Hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by legendary Premier League defender Rio Ferdinand after an impressive performance in the UEFA Super Cup last season, there is no doubt that Chalobah has quality, having made 30 senior appearances in total for the Blues.

However, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured, the Toffees should really be looking for a striker instead to fill the void that he has left before conducting any other business.

Leeds United are still interested in signing Fenerbahce striker Mergim Berisha, according to journalist Omar Celikbasli.

The Lowdown: Berisha links

The Whites were first linked with a move for the Adidas-sponsored forward towards the end of July, with Celikbasli stating that Leeds had tabled a €2m (£1.7m) offer.

Celikbasli has stayed on top of the story, adding that Leeds chiefs didn’t want to meet Fenerbahce’s €5m (£4.2m) asking price.

The journalist claimed in recent days that Berisha, who has scored 76 goals in 200 games, will make a decision on his future soon, and he’s now provided a fresh update involving Leeds.

The Latest: Leeds still keen

Talking to MOT Leeds News, Celikbasli confirmed that Berisha is still a player of interest to Elland Road officials but has offers on the table from Germany.

“There are also offers from Germany for the player. Despite that, as far as I know, Leeds are still interested in signing him.”

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The Verdict: Time to move

Leeds’ need for a new centre-forward was evident on Saturday after Patrick Bamford was forced off with an abductor problem at Southampton. Joe Gelhardt didn’t make the trip due to a minor injury, leaving winger Dan James to lead the line for the final stages of the first half.

Jesse Marsch did change things around at the break and had Rodrigo leading the line for the second half where he scored twice, but Leeds could do with a new striker before the deadline, so it could be wise to make moves this week.

Berisha, described as a ‘clinical finisher’ by analysts Football Chatters, could well be that man, and it looks as if it could be a fairly low-risk deal with Fenerbahce’s £4.2m asking price, so this could be one to watch closely.