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Arsenal have been handed an injury boost ahead of their Europa League meeting with Bodo/Glimt on Thursday evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to James McNicholas, with the journalist revealing in a recent article for The Athletic that, after picking up a minor knock before the game against FC Zurich last month, Cedric Soares has now fully recovered from this issue, with the right-back expected to be included in Mikel Arteta’s squad to face their Norwegian opponents in two days’ time.

McNicholas goes on to state that the 31-year-old is desperate to get some first-team minutes under his belt on Thursday in order to give himself a chance of securing a regular starting spot for the 40-year-old manager, with the defender having been an unused substitute in four Premier League fixtures before his latest injury setback.

Good news for Arsenal

While it is true that Cedric is not exactly a guaranteed starter under Arteta, the right-back’s return from injury will nevertheless come as a boost to the Spaniard ahead of Thursday evening – especially with a hectic Premier League schedule ahead of the Gunners in October and November.

Indeed, with 13 fixtures coming up between now and the break for the Qatar World Cup, rotation of his squad will be key for Arteta in order to keep Arsenal in the title race come the turn of the year.

And, with Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu having all been a regular part of the Gunners’ backline so far this season – featuring in nine, eight, eight and eight of Arsenal’s nine fixtures in all competitions respectively this term – the Bodo/Glimt fixture would very much appear to be an ideal opportunity for Arteta to rotate his defence.

Furthermore, despite slipping down the pecking order at The Emirates towards the back end of last season, the £5.4m-rated full-back nevertheless impressed over his 21 league outings last term, scoring one goal, providing one assist and creating two big chances, as well as making an average of 1.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.9 key passes and winning 3.0 duels per game.

These metrics saw the £75k-per-week Portugal international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.86, ranking him as the Gunners’ joint 15th-best player in the top flight last time out.

As such, with the tricky visit of Liverpool up next for Arsenal in the league, Cedric’s return from injury is undoubtedly good news for Arteta, as the 31-year-old’s availability will now allow the Spaniard to give a much-needed rest to one of his defensive stalwarts on Thursday night.

Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo looks set to return from injury against Arsenal this weekend.

The Lowdown: Palace absence

Firpo, hailed as ‘strong’ in the past by La Liga pundit Kevin Campbell, has had a frustrating campaign so far after suffering an injury during pre-season.

The Spaniard has made just one Premier League appearance for the Whites, coming on as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa earlier this month.

He wasn’t included in the squad that lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace on Sunday, though, with Phil Hay relaying news of a new problem following his cameo against Villa.

The Latest: Arsenal return

LeedsLive journalist Oliver Jones shared a story on Tuesday, looking at the Whites’ injury list ahead of the meeting with Mikel Arteta’s side on Sunday.

He stated that Firpo will be back for Leeds this weekend after missing the trip to Palace with a knee problem.

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The Verdict: Good news

Jesse Marsch is short of left-back options and has relied on Pascal Struijk, primarily a centre-back, in Firpo’s absence.

Struijk scored his first goal of the season at Selhurst Park and has actually been the club’s best-rated player this season, as per WhoScored.

However, having Firpo back in the squad will still come as good news for Leeds. Providing he takes a place on the bench, Firpo will give Marsch an option to tinker with his side as the game goes on, something he took advantage of against Villa, changing the system when Leeds went down to ten men.

Sheffield Wednesday have the option to extend Josh Windass’ contract by an extra 12 months, according to reliable journalist Dom Howson.

The Lowdown: Windass continues to shine

The 28-year-old has been an impressive performer for the Owls since joining from Wigan in 2020, scoring 21 goals in 80 appearances in total.

Windass has continued his good form this season, bagging four goals and four assists in League One, helping Darren Moore’s to occupy third place in the table.

His current Hillsborough deal expires at the end of this season, but a crucial behind-the-scenes update has emerged in that respect.

The Latest: Owls could extend deal

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding report for Yorkshire Live, Howson confirmed that the Owls could keep Windass until the summer of 2024.

He tweeted:

“Josh Windass insists his sole focus is on firing #SWFC to promotion rather than his own future.

“His present deal runs out next summer, although it is understood the Owls have the option to extend his contract by a further 12 months.”

The Verdict: No-brainer for Wednesday

It makes complete sense for Wednesday to prolong Windass’ stay at Hillsborough for another year, assuming that all parties are pulling in the right direction

At 28, he is right in and around the peak years of his career, and the hope is that Moore’s team will be playing Championship football next season following a potential promotion.

Windass has done more than enough to earn a contract extension, chipping in with consistent quality in the final third – he has 12 assists for the club on top of his 21 goals – so retaining his services could only be a good thing for Sheffield Wednesday.

Leeds United need to sign a striker in January in order to take the pressure off the struggling Patrick Bamford, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Bamford struggling this season

The Whites experienced another bad day at the office on Sunday afternoon, losing 3-2 at home to Fulham to continue their Premier League struggles.

Bamford was left out of Jesse Marsch’s starting line-up and came on in the second half but he again failed to open his goalscoring account for the season.

The 29-year-old looks a far cry from the player who thrived so much back in 2020/21, when he scored 17 top-flight goals, with subsequent injuries and a possible lack of confidence seemingly holding him back thereafter.

The Latest: Leeds urged to sign a striker

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones admitted that bringing in a fresh attacking face in the January transfer window could take the burden off Bamford and has urged Leeds to strengthen in that department.

The journalist said:

“Bamford has so much pressure on him to score and, if he doesn’t, they don’t. It’s really not okay. They’re going to have to consider investing in the January market in another goalscorer.”

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The Verdict: Makes complete sense

Bamford’s drop-off has been alarming over the last 12 months or so, although it must be stressed that he has not been helped by the ongoing fitness issues which have plagued him.

While Rodrigo has done well this season, it is still essential that a new striker comes in during the January transfer window, injecting the team with fresh blood and added firepower.

With each passing week, it feels increasingly as though Leeds could again find themselves battling relegation.

A new signing in the final third could be the difference between them staying up or losing their top-flight status, especially if Bamford’s woes continue.

Chloe Kelly's lack of minutes at Man City is 'already' a 'concern' for Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman, despite her being in the latest England squad.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Kelly finding minutes at Man City hard to come by
• Hasn't stopped her making latest Lionesses squad
• But England boss Wiegman admits 'concern'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kelly has made just one start in the Women's Super League this season as her struggles to get back into Man City's starting XI continue from last season. The England winger lost her place to Australia international Mary Fowler back in March and only has further competition out wide this term, with the arrival of Japan starlet Aoba Fujino.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That lack of action has understandably raised questions about how long it is until Kelly is not called up for England. She was included in the Lionesses' October squad and, amid injuries to Lauren Hemp and Lauren James, it wasn't a huge surprise to see her among the forwards in the latest list either, ahead of games against the United States and Switzerland.

• WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  However, Wiegman was asked on Tuesday just when Kelly's lack of regular minutes will become a concern to her – and she said it already is. "I think it's a concern right now, already, but that's a hard situation," the England boss replied. "Competition at Man City is high too but it's also to have a look at what's available. Which players do we have available for our squad? We have some injuries up front. Lauren Hemp is injured, Lauren James is injured, so that competition is still going on too. Chloe knows that she's not in the best position at club at the moment but [she has] enough credit to bring her in, related to the whole team and the availability of players."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kelly is currently in the final year of her contract at Man City and reports suggest that there is little chance at the moment of that being renewed. She may well find a new club in the summer where she gets more game time then, but this season is particularly important because there is a European Championships at the end of it – and Kelly will want to be there.

Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has some tough decisions facing him ahead of the January transfer window after some disappointing performances of late.

His side have lost all four of their group-stage matches in the Champions League so far this term and look set to crash out of Europe altogether, after reaching the final of the Europa League in 2022/23.

They are also second in the Premiership and two points behind their Old Firm rivals, which leaves them with ground to make up if they want to win back the title.

The Light Blues need their players to hit top form in order to achieve success this season and a few of van Bronckhorst’s regular starters have not been at their best.

Goalkeeper Allan McGregor has conceded a whopping nine goals from 12 shots on target in the last two matches, against Motherwell and Liverpool, and has been far from convincing between the sticks. His positioning for multiple goals against the Reds was questionable and he allowed a free-kick to sail over his head in the win at the weekend.

However, Ryan Kent’s performances this season have also left a lot to be desired and the January window could be the perfect time for the manager to finally bin him.

The Englishman is out of contract at the end of the season and selling him in the winter could prevent losing him for nothing whilst giving Ross Wilson some cash to bring in a replacement heading into the second half of the campaign.

It was recently reported that Premier League side Leeds United are eyeing up the forward and the Light Blues must take advantage of this by cashing in on him.

Kent has been a fine servant for the club over the year, scoring 31 goals and assisting 51 in 189 outings, but his wastefulness on the ball since the start of last season has been disappointing to watch.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the English winger scored two goals from 65 shots in the Premiership.

This term, he has scored once from 16 shots in eight matches in the Scottish top flight and has also been tackled in 65% of his attempted dribbles.

Former Gers striker Kris Boyd recently admitted, speaking on Sky Sports, that the club should be seeing better performances from the forward, saying: “Rangers do need more from him, he needs to do more for himself. In the contract situation, it’s one where you can look at it and say, has he spoken to somebody are there other things there.

“Even if you have and your future’s away from Rangers, then you’ve got to be doing better to show them that you’re ready to come to you, whether it’s in January or next summer.”

The £18k-per-week attacker has been far too wasteful in front of goal in the last 18 months or so and that is why van Bronckhorst must allow him to leave in January, which will then provide Wilson with the chance to bring in a player with a bigger goal threat.

Wolves have been handed a boost in their hopes of appointing a new permanent manager as a big update has emerged regarding Vitor Pereira. 

The Lowdown: A move on the cards?

The Old Gold have been without a permanent manager in the dugout since the decision was made to sack Bruno Lage earlier this month.

Since then, the Midlands club have won one and lost three of the four league games that Steve Davis has had in interim charge, leading to reports that the club could go back on their decision to stick with Davis.

Now, they may have a potential breakthrough on their hands over the possibility of seeing Pereira become their new head coach.

The Latest

According to journalist Jorge Nicola (via Sport Witness), a behind-the-scenes update has emerged regarding Pereira’s current position in charge of Corinthians, with Wolves name-checked in the report.

It was reported earlier this week that Molineux could be a potential next destination for the 54-year-old.

Nicola said: “An important source of mine at Corinthians assured me that Vitor Pereira has already informed the president, Duilio Monteiro Alves, the football coordinator, Alessandro Nunes, and director of football, Roberto de Andrade, that he is not staying for the next season. He has a number of reasons that justify his decision.”

The Brazilian season ends before the World Cup.

The Verdict

Having managed several clubs across a wide variety of countries, the Portuguese manager took charge of Corinthians back in February.

With 58 matches under his belt at the Brazilian club, Pereira, known for an attack-minded set-up loosely translating to a 4-3-3, has seen his side win 26 of them, drawing 15 and losing 17 along the way.

Moving forward, if the Wolves hierarchy feel that Pereira is the right candidate to take over from Davis, then his decision to part ways with the Brazilian club could be the first major step in making it happen.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Leicester City leaves Everton hovering just above the relegation zone in the Premier League, so Frank Lampard will no doubt be planning how to improve his squad in the January transfer window.

The Toffees have just one top-flight game left before the World Cup break, where defeat against Bournemouth could see them drop into the bottom three before the Premier League resumes in December.

Therefore, it is clear that new additions are needed if Lampard wants to avoid another relegation battle this season, while some players are clearly not good enough and need to be moved on.

One example of a player who has outstayed his welcome at Goodison Park is Michael Keane.

The centre-back joined the club from Burnley in a deal worth £30m and has gone on to make 188 appearances for the Merseyside club, contributing 11 goals and eight assists.

The 29-year-old was a regular in Lampard’s side last season, making 32 appearances in the top flight and averaging a disappointing 6.70 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

It was no surprise therefore when the Toffees sought out new defensive options in the summer, with Conor Coady and James Tarkowski now the main centre-back options at Goodison Park.

This has seen Keane drop down the pecking order in Lampard’s side, with just 22 minutes of Premier League action under his belt so far this season, so it seems as if a move away in January could be on the cards.

Indeed, Pete O’Rourke has suggested in an interview with Football FanCast that the central defender could be one to depart Goodison Park in the winter transfer window.

He said: “If Yerry Mina was back fit and the likes of Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate become available then they would have a lot of centre-back options. They would be more willing to let Michael Keane move on, there was quite a bit of interest from West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

“If Michael Keane is unhappy with his situation and tried to force a move away, it might be something that Everton look at in January.”

Last season saw Keane lambasted by the media after a shocking red card in a defeat against West Ham, with talkSPORT’s Perry Groves extremely critical of the defender.

He said: “He always looks to me like he’s not in control of his own body. You know when someone’s always struggling or trying to make last-ditch tackles.”

Keane has also been labelled “sloppy” by Chris Waddle after a disappointing England display, and it seems unlikely that he will pull on the Three Lions shirt again anytime soon given his lack of minutes and form.

Therefore, Lampard should definitely look to get rid of Keane in January as he is clearly surplus to requirements at Goodison Park.

Aston Villa recently made the decision to part ways with manager Steven Gerrard and swooped to bring in Spaniard Unai Emery to replace him in the dugout.

The former Villarreal and Arsenal head coach enjoyed a phenomenal first game in charge of the Premier League side as his team smashed Manchester United 3-1 on Sunday.

He masterminded a superb victory over the Red Devils and ended their opponents’ nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, and Lucas Digne getting on the scoresheet.

Ramsey, in particular, was impressive as he registered one goal and one assist, whilst also winning eight of his ten individual duels and making an eye-catching six tackles in the middle of the park.

The 21-year-old, who scored six goals in the Premier League last season, could be a key player for Emery in the coming months but there is another member of his family who could be on the manager’s radar heading into the 2023 – Aaron Ramsey.

Jacob’s 19-year-old sibling is currently out on loan at Norwich in the Championship and his promising displays at Carrow Road suggest that he has the potential to follow in the footsteps of his brother.

The new Villa boss could even unearth his next David Silva by bringing Aaron Ramsey back to the club, either in January or at the end of his loan deal next summer, and helping him to fulfil his potential.

Emery joined Valencia in 2008 and had the pleasure of managing the majestic attacking midfielder, Silva, for 67 competitive matches, in which the maestro scored 16 goals and provided 20 assists as a young attacking midfielder before moving to Manchester City in 2010.

The magician, who could play as an eight, a number 10, or out wide on the left, enjoyed a fantastic spell in England, eventually becoming one of the greatest technicians seen in the English top-flight. Indeed, he racked up 60 goals and 106 assists in 309 Premier League matches for the Cityzens.

Ramsey, whose vision was dubbed “outstanding” by ex-Villa boss Dean Smith earlier this season, has caught the eye in the Championship and could be the next star to make the breakthrough in the first-team at Villa Park.

The teenager has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92 and chipped in with three goals and three assists in 17 league outings for the Canaries, whilst playing in central midfield, as a number 10 and out on the left wing.

His form at senior level comes after he produced a sublime 24 goals and 13 assists in 53 matches for Villa at U18 and U21 level combined, which shows that he has a knack for making a big impact in the final third by bursting through from a midfield position.

Therefore, he could be Emery’s next Silva by pushing into the Villa side and making his mark by scoring and assisting goals from the middle of the park – becoming a mercurial, versatile, talent just like the former Manchester City man.

However, it is down to Ramsey to push on and develop his game as he gains more experience at first-team level so that he can adapt to playing in the Premier League, in order to fulfil the potential that his impressive statistics suggest he has.

Leeds United are planning to make a new offer for Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, according to reports on Tuesday.

The Lowdown: Front of the queue

The Whites were first linked with a move for the 18-year-old in April and made an offer for his services over the summer.

Labelled a “really exciting’ player” by Blues academy coach Martyn Olorenshaw, Hall has made 15 Championship appearances for Birmingham this season, scoring once and providing an assist, although he has often been restricted to cameo outings off the bench.

Reports on the weekend claimed that Leeds are at the front of the queue for his services, and his lack of game-time is encouraging the club to make another move.

The Latest: New offer being prepared

Football Insider shared a story in the last 24 hours regarding Hall and Leeds. They revealed that the Whites are lining up a new offer for the midfielder after failing in a £3m move in the summer.

The report even adds that an agreement could be reached before the January transfer window opens.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Hall is just 18 years of age but already has first-team experience and is someone who can play in a variety of midfield and attacking roles.

Therefore, he could be a shrewd prospective addition at Elland Road as the Whites continue to try and bolster their academy ranks.

Leeds have reaped the rewards of astute teenage signings over the years, with the likes of Illan Meslier, Pascal Struijk, Sam Greenwood, Joe Gelhardt and Crysencio Summerville now all considered regulars in the first-team squad.

Hall could well be the next in line for that boast, and it seems as if the Whites are still keen on getting a deal over the line for the Birmingham prospect.