Ex-Referee and officiating expert Dermot Gallagher has shared his verdict on a potential serious foul play incident during Chelsea's victory at Spurs which went unpunished.

Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea

During one of this season's most entertaining Premier League clashes, Mauricio Pochettino sealed a win on his return to Tottenham in very dramatic fashion.Nicolas Jackson's hat-trick and a Cole Palmer penalty cancelled out Dejan Kulusevski's early goal to gift the Blues a much-needed three points on enemy turf, but the scoreline was only half the story.The 90 minutes gave way to VAR controversy, disallowed goals, injuries, sending offs and a much-discussed bold high line from Tottenham, despite Ange Postecoglou's being down to nine men.

Cristian Romero's reckless two-footed challenge resulted in Palmer's spot-kick and the Argentine's dismissal after a VAR check. There is a real argument to be made that Spurs left-back Destiny Udogie should've been given a straight red before then as well, coming after a two-footed lunge of his own.The Italian was later shown his marching his orders for a second bookable offence, with the absence of both men playing a heavy hand in Chelsea's victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – not to mention injuries to James Maddison and Micky van de Ven, who were both hauled off.

Mauricio Pochettino comments on Chelsea win

Pochettino, speaking after he secured a vital three points upon his return to Spurs, expressed his delight while showing his classier side."I am so happy because the points mean a lot to us," said Pochettino on Chelsea's win over Tottenham (via Sky Sports via The Express)."We are in a situation where we need to win points. I am so happy because we came back and showed to people that we had the positivity. For me the most important thing is the three points. It's Tottenham, but it's not more special because of that."

The Chelsea boss also reserved praise for heavily-criticised summer signing Jackson after his three-goal haul."I think it is about building his confidence. We know when a striker is young and arrives at a club like Chelsea it is massive," said Pochettino on Jackson (via The Metro)."He is so young and came from Spain, different league and he needs to improve. I hope this hat-trick can allow him top play more relaxed and find the confidence he needs."

Dermot Gallagher reacts to Reece James elbow

Amid all of the controversial incidents on Monday evening, one potential bit of serioius foul play which went unpunished was defender Reece James' elbow on Udogie in the second half.

Speaking to Sky Sports, refeering expert Gallagher reacted with his take on the VAR check. When asked if there was anything in it, he said:"I think not, if you look, he's always looking at the ball, he's used his arm to go up almost as a lever to get up, he hasn't thrown it back as a weapon. So I think fair decision." Spurs next take on Wolves on Saturday without a host of key players, but Pochettino will be glad to have James in contention for their battle against league champions Man City.

West Ham United boast a proud tradition of taking talented youngsters from their academy and blooding them into the first-team.

It is a strategy that has saved the club millions, as seen with the £105m sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal last summer, after crowning his eight-year stint at the Hammers with glory in the Europa Conference League in June.

While the 24-year-old is the most notable academy graduate in recent years, he joined a long list of world-class English stars who went on to craft an untouchable legacy in the Premier League, including Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard.

Of course, when aspiring to don the claret and blue shirt for the first team, the above names are who youngsters will look up to for inspiration and this is a point that certainly resonates well with George Earthy, an English midfielder who is currently on fire for the U21s.

George Earthy's statistics this season

An attacking midfielder, who joined the Hammers at the age of six, Earthy has established himself as a vital cog in the U21s machine.

He appeared 40 times in all competitions across the U18s and U21s last term, scoring ten and supplying 12 assists while inspiring the former to an exceptional 2022/23 campaign.

The Academy of Football completed a wonderful, historic double by coming from behind to defeat Arsenal 5-1 and lift the FA Youth Cup.

Earthy, who was one of five scorers in that famous victory, played an integral role throughout their run to the final, scoring three goals; a vital a vital late winner away to Burnley in the fourth round, a creative finish in the away win at Stoke City in the fifth, and a classy strike in the final win against the Gunners.

Having turned 19 in September, the goalscoring midfielder – much like Lampard – has carried those match-winning displays across to the U21s this season by displaying his sharp eye for goal and a tendency to pop up in the big game moments.

With five goals in 11 appearances this term, including strikes in EFL Trophy victories against Bristol Rovers and Cheltenham, the Englishman has not only impressed against senior statesmen in that competition but has also outscored first-team stars James Ward-Prowse and Michail Antonio in the process.

How George Earthy compares to Ward-Prowse and Antonio

Lauded as "brilliant" by West Ham journalist EXWHUEmployee, Earthy's stunning start to the season has seen him score more goals than Antonio but perhaps more impressive, Ward-Prowse.

Whilst Antonio has struggled to lead the line this term, scoring just twice in 12 appearances, the Englishman has been a revelation in claret and blue since arriving from St Mary's.

The former Southampton star, who was dubbed by David Moyes as "world-class" following his match-defining display against Nottingham Forest, has already recorded ten assists in all competitions this term.

When it comes to producing quality into the box from dead-ball situations, there is arguably no one better in the Premier League at doing so than Ward-Prowse, who has recorded the most assists from set pieces (17) since the start of the 2020/21 season.

Although his magical right foot has transformed him into an assist machine for his side, it hasn't had the desired impact in front of goal, with only two goals from 17 outings in all competitions.

Indeed, it is remarkable that Earthy is outscoring such an elite midfielder and if he continues to showcase his prowess in front of goal, the 19-year-old will surely make a breakthrough into the first team.

Nottingham Forest have made a decent start to life this term with Steve Cooper and Evangelos Marinakis now reportedly eyeing a fresh addition in the January transfer window.

Nottingham Forest's January priorities…

Following their narrow brush with relegation last term, Nottingham Forest have looked every inch the Premier League side in 2023/24 and sit 15th in the table with 13 points from their first 12 matches, seven points above 18th-placed Luton Town, who occupy the first drop zone position.

The Tricky Trees have lost just two of their last six matches in all competitions, but January will be an important month at the City Ground and movement will be expected on both incomings and outgoings as Nottingham Forest try to move further up the league standings.

Fluminense defender Nino is someone who has been linked with a move to the East Midlands-based outfit and it is now claimed by reports in Brazil via Sport Witness that the final details of his proposed move are being ironed out between both parties.

Earlier this month, reports in Spain claimed that Osasuna defender David Garcia is on Nottingham Forest's radar and could crop up as a transfer priority once again in January after previous interest in his services across the summer window.

Scotland international Scott McKenna could make way in that case, with Turkish giants Fenerbache believed to be plotting a surprise swoop for the defender, who would become the first Scottish player to play for the European giants if a deal were to be concluded.

Nottingham Forest's upcoming fixtures – Premier League

Opponent

Venue

Brighton & Hove Albion (H)

City Ground

Everton (H)

City Ground

Fulham (A)

Craven Cottage

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Molineux

Tottenham Hotspur (H)

City Ground

Transfer rumours tend to start generating momentum at this time of year and it now looks as if Nottingham Forest boss Cooper has identified a midfield target who could help to bolster his squad come the New Year.

Habib Diarra wanted by Nottingham Forest

As per Foot Mercato, Nottingham Forest are keen on Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra, who has also attracted interest from Ligue 1 outfit RC Lens. Nevertheless, the outlet claim that Diarra moving on in January is an unlikely outcome, citing that the summer of 2024 may be a more feasible timeline for the 19-year-old to take his next career step with Marinakis and company now on the case.

Having already featured in defensive midfield, attacking midfield, on both flanks and as a number eight in the engine room this term, Diarra has made nine appearances in Ligue 1, registering a solitary goal and one assist (Diarra statistics – Transfermarkt).

Diarra, who has been labelled "superb" by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig, has obtained an average Sofascore match rating of 6.83/10 in the French top flight in 2023/24, showing a relatively commendable level of consistency given his youthful exuberance.

Undoubtedly, Diarra would be a signing in the mould of a long-term project, demonstrating that Nottingham Forest are keen to look beyond the rat race of whether or not they can guarantee their place in the Premier League every season.

Celtic have been dealt a fresh injury blow regarding the fitness of one of their regular senior features, following a fresh update before Aberdeen.

Celtic injury news

The Scottish Premiership side currently have Reo Hatate, Liel Abada, Stephen Welsh and Maik Nawrocki out on the sidelines with their own respective injury problems for the foreseeable future, and unfortunately for supporters, they have now been joined by another squad member in the treatment room.

On Tuesday evening, Brendan Rodgers’ side suffered a staggering 6-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid at the Civitas Metropolitan Stadium leaving them at rock bottom of their group on just one point, so they’ve got it all to do in their final two fixtures should they want to stay in the competition.

During the heavy loss in midweek, Daizen Maeda didn’t help matters after receiving a straight red card after 23 minutes, and it appeared that the left-winger had hurt himself by making the tackle.

The Japan international has started 11 league games so far this season which highlights just how much of an integral feature of the starting side he is (WhoScored – Maeda statistics), but with an update on the 26-year-old’s fitness having emerged, he’ll face a wait before he can start his 12th.

Daizen Maeda ruled out for six weeks

Speaking to the press on Friday, Rodgers confirmed that Maeda is facing an extended spell on the sidelines at Celtic.

As quoted by STV News, he said: “Daizen will probably be up to six weeks out with the injury from the challenge. He has strained his medial knee ligament. f he was stronger in the challenge he probably wouldn’t have had the injury. The clash of feet has just opened up the knee ligament. It’s a big shame for us because he has been brilliant for me since I came here.”

Maeda injury a big setback for Rodgers

According to journalist Josh Bunting, Maeda has recently proven to be a “workhorse” for Celtic, so the fact that his high pressing and desire to make the magic happen in the final third will be unavailable for the next six weeks will be a blow for Rodgers. The Taishi native has four contributions – two goals and the same number of assists – to his name in the league this season (Transfermarkt – Maeda statistics), and he’s constantly able to carry a threat even if the end product isn’t always there.

Parkhead’s £18k-per-week earner (Celtic salaries), has recorded a total of 24 shots over the course of the current campaign, which is the third-highest throughout the squad behind Kyogo Furuhashi and Matt O’Riley (FBRef – Celtic statistics), displaying his hunger and determination to hit the back of the net.

Furthermore, Maeda is a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so there’s no doubt that the boss will be hoping to have that versaility back at his disposal as soon as possible.

Glasgow Rangers could be set to lose one of their up-and-coming prospects next year, with a fresh report revealing that he’s being targeted ahead of January.

Recent departures at Rangers

Over the summer, those at Ibrox side sanctioned the sales of 11 players in total, with eight of those leaving on a permanent basis, while the remaining three were sent out on loan for the rest of the season to increase their game time and experience.

Glen Kamara (Leeds)

Ianis Hagi (Alaves)

Fashion Sakala (Al-Fayha)

Alex Lowry (Heart Of Midlothian)

Antonio Colak (Parma)

Ben Williamson (Partick Thistle)

Ryan Kent (Fenerbahce)

Filip Helander (Odense BK)

Scott Arfield (Charlotte)

Mateusz Zukowski (Slask Wroclaw)

Lewis Mayo (Kilmarnock FC)

The Light Blues have John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe, Jon McLaughlin and Leon Balogun who will have reached the expiration of their deals at the end of the term so they could also soon be heading for the exit door (Rangers contracts).

The Ibrox outfit, now managed by Philippe Clement, additionally have a decision to make over the future of right-winger Ross McCausland who is another squad member who will be out of contract upon the conclusion of the current campaign, though chiefs appear keen to retain his services for the foreseeable.

The Northern Ireland youth international is reportedly set to be tabled fresh terms in order to fend off any potential interest during the upcoming transfer window, but if the following update is to be believed, the 20-year-old has already been brought onto the radar of two clubs in the Serie A so could leave the Scottish Premiership.

Atalanta and AS Roma want Ross McCausland

According to outlet TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), McCausland is of interest to Atalanta and AS Roma ahead of January. The Italian pair are among “numerous clubs” who are keeping a close eye on his performances, but the mentioned duo are in particular “monitoring him through their scouts”.

Whilst talks are yet to take place, the forward’s contract situation means that he “could represent an opportunity” in the new year, where he may cost as little as €450k (£392k) should a pre-contract agreement be reached.

Rangers need to keep "superb talent" in McCausland

Despite McCausland having only made nine senior appearances for Rangers, Clement will know that he may have an exciting prospect with bags of potential to offer, so it’s important that the club tie him down because he will be a key player for the future in Glasgow.

The County Antrim-born talent has clocked up 20 involvements, 14 goals and six assists, in 59 appearances since the start of his career (Transfermarkt – McCausland stats), displaying how prolific he can be at creating and putting chances away in the final third.

The Teddy Bears starlet is also a versatile operator having been deployed in four different positions over the grass since first bursting onto the professional scene, including out wide on both the left and right flanks, alongside two roles in the midfield, so he’s a wonderful option to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur.

According to journalist Josh Bunting, McCausland is a “superb talent” and even the thought of losing him could be a real blow, so there’s no doubt that everyone associated with the club may well be hoping that he puts pen to paper on an improved contract instead of making the decision to move onto new pastures in January.

Manchester United will be aiming to improve vastly upon the return to the domestic calendar next week as they have endured a dismal start to the season.

It has placed Erik ten Hag under some pressure and unless results – and performances – improve, the Dutchman may be looking for another role if the board decide to go in another direction

In fairness, he is being let down by several senior players in the first team who just have not performed well this term.

Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial, Antony, and Rasmus Hojlund have just four Premier League goals between them this season, and that is not good enough to mount a title charge as they have not delivered goals on a regular basis.

Could Ten Hag perhaps unleash a young talent in the starting XI who could link up well with Hojlund? Mateo Mejia has shone in the academy this term and he could be an exciting partner for the Danish ace.

Mateo Mejia’s youth statistics

The 20-year-old arrived in Manchester back in 2019 from Real Zaragoza as a promising young winger, and he was even dubbed as a “wonderkid” by broadcaster Bolarinwa Olajide upon his arrival.

Across 32 matches in the youth teams at the club, he scored six goals and registered eight assists, but his performances this season have elevated him to another level.

In 11 matches so far, Mejia has three goals and four assists, and the right-winger is even outperforming senior player Antony for goal contributions this season, as the Brazilian has a grand total of zero.

The Colombian youngster is clearly a huge, and exciting, threat on the right wing and this could give Ten Hag the licence to utilise him in the first team in the coming months, as his academy form has been particularly eye-catching in comparison to the underperforming experienced options.

Mateo Mejia could form a wonderful duo with Rasmus Hojlund

The Dane has sprung to life in the Champions League, scoring five goals in just four matches, yet his form in the Premier League has been far from impressive.

Indeed, he has yet to score in the competition, missing eight big chances in the process across nine matches, and it is evident that he needs better support domestically.

Mejia has shown that he can provide his teammates with plenty of assists, and he could be able to work well with Hojlund by feeding him passes on a regular basis, whilst also being able to produce goals of his own.

The Spaniard has played three EFL Trophy games during the current season, and he averaged 1.3 key passes per game while also succeeding with 50% of his attempted dribbles per game along with being successful with 50% of his attempted crosses.

These statistics prove that, although he has a lot to learn, the early indications are that he can mix it with the professionals when given the chance.

Mejia may not be the finished article, but he has more goals and assists than Antony this season and has proven that he can create chances for his teammates, which could provide the former Atalanta centre-forward with more opportunities to finally hit his stride at first-team level in front of goal.

With Ten Hag under pressure, it could be a gamble turning to youngsters at this moment in time, but in the near future, Mejia must be unleashed as he and Hojlund could cause chaos at the top end of the pitch.

Arsenal are back in action this afternoon following the international break, as Mikel Arteta’s side travel to west London to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Gunners will hope to get their away form back on track after picking up just one point from their previous two trips away from home in the Premier League, with the Bees expected to be far from easy to overcome.

Following the two week pause in play for the international festivities, Arteta’s side is anticipated to look far different from the team that beat Burnley 3-1 at the Emirates last time out, with a number of faces set to re-enter the fold.

Arsenal team news vs Brentford

Away from injury, first choice shot-stopper David Raya will be unavailable for the fixture due to being ineligible to play against his parent club, as his deal at Arsenal is still a loan from Brentford.

Reports have surfaced to unsurprisingly relay that the Gunners wish to activate a permanent contract for the Spaniard, meaning more bad news for Aaron Ramsdale, who will get a rare chance between the posts this afternoon.

Against the Clarets, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Gabriel Jesus were unavailable due to injury and illness.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta admitted that White and Odegaard will “hopefully” return to the fold against Brentford, but couldn't confirm the status of the two players for certain.

The talk of the international break was the emergence of Jesus, who had missed Arsenal’s previous five fixtures due to injury, however was called up to represent Brazil and played 90 minutes for his country whilst on duty.

Arsenal could eventually replace Jesus with £44m teen dynamo

Mikel Arteta could be close to unearthing another starlet at the Emirates…

ByRosie Tudball Nov 23, 2023

Despite returning after recording some impressive performances prior to his injury, there is some debate as to whether the four-time Premier League winner should automatically reclaim his number nine spot, as his replacement has been in terrific form in his absence.

The stats that suggest Leandro Trossard should keep his place in the XI

Predominantly fielded as a left-winger, Leandro Trossard has been Arteta’s guiding light when leading the line this season, recording a higher conversion rate than both Jesus and Eddie Nketiah when playing centrally, as per Sofascore.

Lauded for his “lively” presence in the final third by Arteta, Jesus’ energy and positivity has been missed, although the Belgian has provided a more clinical streak than the Brazilian, who admitted that scoring goals is not his “strong point” while on international duty.

Once dubbed “absolutely clinical” by journalist Phil Costa, the Belgium international has contributed to three goals in his previous two appearances for Arsenal, scoring two and assisting once, playing central on both occasions.

Trossard’s emergence as the Gunners’ most prolific striker must be celebrated, with the chance for Arteta to raise the level of performance of both Jesus and Nketiah to reach the form of the former Brighton whiz, who has made a stellar impact since arriving in January.

In Brentford, Arsenal face a task of keeping near to the top of the table while trying to overcome the Bees, who have won three of their previous five in the league.

Fielding Trossard over Jesus would benefit the north Londoners with reference to the challenge ahead, with the need to take their chances pivotal in a game that will be highly contested.

Following their defeat against Bournemouth before the international break, things were beginning to look rather bleak for Newcastle United's European aspirations, as injuries continued to pile up. Two games later, however, and it's clear that Eddie Howe's squad are capable of weathering the storm, having smashed Chelsea 4-1 at St James' Park, before earning a point at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in a game they really deserved to win.

With any panic over just how they'll cope amid growing injury concerns, reports suggest that Newcastle chiefs are now against the idea of signing a long-term target in the January transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

Newcastle haven't exactly been shy when it comes to spending money since the takeover by PIF, which has seen them rise up the ranks in the Premier League to finally regain their place in Europe's elite competition – in which they could still advance to the knockout stage. When the January transfer window swings open, however, it seems as though the Magpies will remain wise in their spending instead of splashing the cash on reinforcements for Howe. And that has reportedly seen those at St James' Park pull the plug on the idea of signing one specific forward.

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle chiefs are now against the idea of signing Hugo Ekitike in January and will pursue other targets. Newcastle's interest in Ekitike dates back to the summer of 2022 when he opted to join PSG over a move to the Premier League side. Struggling for game time ever since, the young forward now needs a fresh start in order to get his career back on track. But that fresh start doesn't look set to come in the form of a move to Newcastle in the winter window.

Newcastle's reported decision comes as a surprise, given the injury problems that they've encountered so far this season, though their attention seems to be focused on elsewhere when it comes to boosting Howe's squad.

"Excellent" Ekitike must get career back on track

Choosing to join a side who have Kylian Mbappe playing in your position was never going to result in consistent minutes for the young forward and Ekitike's stats in Paris don't make for pretty reading. The former Reims man has featured just once all season, which came in an eight-minute cameo against FC Lorient on the opening day of the Ligue 1 season. At 21-years-old, Ekitike desperately needs game time to get things back on track towards his potential.

Former Reims reserve team coach Franck Chalencon certainly believes that Ekitike is full of talent, previously telling TNT Sport: "Very young, we saw a huge potential, something natural, with a feeling for scoring a goal. He's a very clever player which has seen him to adapt and understand the expectations of professional football. His main quality? His instinct for goal. It's very rare that Hugo plays a game without creating a chance himself at any occasion.

"In front of the goal, his ratio is excellent. But he's not only a striker, he can play on the wing, too. Very technical. He knows what to do with the ball, when to keep it, when to give it. He is very confident about his qualities."

Leeds United failed to make it four wins in succession as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Rotherham United away from home in the Championship on Friday night.

Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring as he latched onto a pass from Georginio Rutter before brilliantly curling the ball into the far corner to make it 1-0.

However, the Whites were unable to find a second goal during the first half and that opened the door for the hosts to equalise shortly before half time thanks to a strike from Hakeem Odofin, who pounced on a loose ball to fire past Illan Meslier.

Jaidon Anthony thought he had sealed all three points off the bench in the 90th minute only for the linesman to raise his flag for an offside on Patrick Bamford, who attempted to play the ball before it landed at the Bournemouth loanee's feet.

Summerville's performance against Rotherham in numbers

Summerville was a driving force in attack for the Whites throughout the match and caught the eye with both his goal and his chance creation from the left wing as the talented gem provided three key passes for his teammates.

He also completed four of his eight attempted dribbles as the Dutch wizard was constantly looking to make things happen by taking on opponents and trying to open up space for himself and others in the final third.

The 22-year-old forward was clearly an influential figure for Leeds on the night, due to his goal and other impressive attacking contributions, but he was not the only impressive performer for Daniel Farke.

Central defender Joe Rodon was the real hero for the German head coach with his outstanding performance at the heart of the defence for the Yorkshire outfit.

Joe Rodon's performance against Rotherham in numbers

The Wales international was posed plenty of questions by the hosts throughout the game as Rotherham looked to make things physical and direct, as they are fighting against relegation at the bottom of the table.

This meant that Rodon had to be at his best, technically and physically, to prevent them from creating opportunities from long balls, crosses, second balls, and set-pieces.

The Tottenham Hotspur loanee ended the match with an exceptional duel success rate of 90% as he came out on top in nine of his ten contests, including 100% of his four battles on the deck.

He also made five clearances, two interceptions, and three tackles throughout the 90 minutes as he consistently cut out opposition attacks at source to prevent Illan Meslier from being worked – as the hosts only managed 0.75 xG (Expected Goals) in total.

Rodon was also tasked with bringing the ball out from the back, which meant that he had to take risks in possession to break the lines. Despite that, the central defender achieved a pass success rate of 93% with 109 of his 117 attempted passes finding a teammate – including seven of his ten long pass attempts.

This shows that the titan was supremely reliable on the ball and rarely gave it away to Rotherham, which helped Leeds to dominate possession. It is not his fault that the attackers were then unable to make the most of that dominance to secure all three points.

Overall, he was the hero for Leeds on the night with his superb play on and off the ball and Farke should be pleased with his display.

When Julen Lopetegui left Wolverhampton Wanderers just before the Premier League season got underway, it would have been easy for the Midlands club to capitulate. But since the Spaniard's departure and Gary O'Neil's arrival, Wolves have looked more and more comfortable again in England's top flight and look on course to avoid a relegation battle.

What's been most impressive is their rediscovered ability to cause shocks at Molinuex, defeating Premier League champions Manchester City and scoring two late goals to turn the game on its head to hand Tottenham Hotspur back-to-back defeats for the first time under Ange Postecoglou. Perhaps bringing their momentum to a slight pause, however, one January sale could be set to deal Wolves a frustrating blow.

Wolves transfer news

Wolves weren't the busiest club during the summer transfer window and saw their headlines stolen by the departures of Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes to leave them briefly depleted in the middle of the park. And that makes their start under O'Neil all the more impressive. The former Bournemouth boss, who was unlucky to leave the Cherries after keeping them up last season, has crucially got the best out of Pedro Neto once again and has benefitted from the form of Matheus Cunha. One player who looks unlikely to get the O'Neil improvement, however, is Goncalo Guedes.

According to Estadio Deportivo, Villarreal have set their sights on Guedes ahead of a potential January loan move. The Portugal international has been out on loan at Benfica since January, but has struggled with injury problems, game time and form. Now, Villarreal are reportedly set to offer Guedes a way out of what has been a nightmare spell in Portugal.

It remains to be seen just what Wolves' stance on sending Guedes to the La Liga side, who are reportedly willing to cover his wages. Given his lack of place under O'Neil, on paper there doesn't seem to be much standing in the way of the transfer taking place, though reports in Portugal have claimed that he is set to stay put for the season.

"Great" Guedes needs fresh start

Guedes has become a shadow of the player once seen catching the eye at Valencia. It just simply hasn't happened for the winger since leaving La Liga and a return to Spain could be exactly what he needs. Guedes' stats during his time in Spain's top flight speak for themselves. The 26-year-old scored 28 goals and assisted a further 28 whilst appearing a total of 146 times. Still young enough to turn things around, the former Valencia man could yet revive his career at Villarreal if given the opportunity to do so by Wolves.

At his best, Guedes has been at the centre of praise, including from former Paris Saint-Germain forward Pauleta, who told the club's official website, via ESPN: "I know him very well. He plays for Portugal's under-21 side. I watched him grow up through his club and national team matches. He is a great talent — he is physically gifted and technically extremely talented. On top of that, he is a really nice guy off the pitch. He can bring a lot to PSG and he has all it takes to impose himself in Paris. He will grow and continue to progress."