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An update has emerged on Sunderland and how they went about their business on deadline day of the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed that the club did not attempt to sign a centre-forward on deadline day to cover Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms.

The former is now set to be out of action for up to 12 weeks due to an injury and that leaves the manager with one natural striker for the next few months.

When asked if a number nine was a target on the final day of the window, Mowbray told The Chronicle: “Not really. One was a pretty flexible, defensive midfield player, who could cover Corry Evans’ position for us and also play out in the full-back area, and one might have been a defensive player.

“But there wasn’t anybody who was, in my mind, a stick-on centre forward. I think that’s why Ellis Simms has been brought in, to do that.”

Paying the price

Kristjaan Speakman opted against bringing a natural striker in to bolster the squad and Mowbray is now paying the price for that decision on the pitch.

Sunderland played all of their matches in the Championship in August with two strikers in their formation, with Simms and Stewart leading the line for Alex Neil before his departure.

The injury to the latter has now left the current manager with one available striker for the next three months, which leaves the club in a precarious position.

Firstly, it has forced Mowbray to change the formation. He had to switch it up to a 3-4-2-1 instead of a 3-4-1-2 because of the injury to Stewart and that led to a disappointing performance away to Middlesbrough in a 1-0 defeat earlier this month.

Simms struggled up front on his own as he lost a whopping 14 of his 16 individual duels, failed all four of his attempted dribbles, and only completed 57% of his passes, as per SofaScore.

This could be a sign of things to come as the on-loan Everton striker may not be able to thrive without his strike partner, after scoring three goals in six games as part of Sunderland’s dynamic duo up front prior to the injury.

Not only does the decision not to sign a striker potentially impact Simms’ performances on the pitch but it also leaves him without any cover on the bench. This means that one injury to him would result in Mowbray not having a single natural option in that area of the pitch.

Banking on the Englishman to be fit for every game over the next three months seems like a gamble by the club and could backfire on the manager if he ends up dropping points because of a lack of cutting edge in the final third.

Therefore, not bringing in suitable cover for Simms and Stewart on deadline day was a big blunder by Speakman as it has left Mowbray with one available striker for 12 weeks and forced a change of formation that has the potential to impact their results on the pitch – given the defeat to Middlesbrough.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has bemoaned the absence of several important players after the Hoops were beaten at St Mirren on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Celtic beaten by St Mirren

Ange Postecoglou’s side were back in Premiership action on Sunday afternoon as they sought to continue their perfect start to the league season.

Instead, Celtic were defeated 2-0, their first league defeat in just under a year, never looking anywhere near their best and paying the price for a number of key players being named on the substitutes’ bench. Regular starters Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota and Reo Hatate were among those who were omitted from the XI on Sunday.

It was a decision which, by his own admission, ultimately backfired by Postecoglou, as he took a gamble but saw a drop-off in quality throughout the team.

The Latest: Sutton bemoans team selection

Taking to Twitter after the match, Sutton name-checked three players who he felt were hugely missed from the starting line-up, giving a negative all-round assessment of the game. He stated:

“Lots of changes for Celtic today and maybe too many key players left out. Not the same without CCV, Jota, Hatate and missed McGregor’s speed of passing in the pivot role early on… sometimes a result like this isn’t a bad thing to let the players know they’ve not cracked it!”

The Verdict: Rare Ange error

Postecoglou has been a wonderful manager at Celtic so far, delivering success in his first season in charge having taken over at a low ebb for the club, but his team selection on Sunday was a rare misstep.

There was logic in his decision to leave out the likes of Jota and Hatate among others, utilising his squad depth, but the performance was somewhat lacking without a few of his best performers.

It certainly doesn’t look good on those who came in for the regular starters, as they blew an opportunity to prove their worth, allowing Rangers to get back to within two points in the title race in the process.

A big update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans for the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Craig Hope has revealed in an article for the Daily Mail that the club are attempting to snap up the brother of Borussia Dortmund talent Jude Bellingham.

The reporter tweeted: “Exclusive: Sunderland invited Jobe Bellingham & his family to Stadium of Light to watch recent home game as they explore ambitious move to sign Birmingham City teenager, younger brother of England star Jude.”

In the corresponding article, it is claimed that Kristian Speakman has a close relationship with the brothers’ parents and is said to have played a key role in Jude’s development as Birmingham’s academy manager before joining the Black Cats.

Sunderland will be hoping that his prior experience with the family will give them a boost in their pursuit of the 16-year-old gem.

Alex Neil will be delighted

Black Cats head coach Alex Neil will surely be delighted with this update, as it shows that the club are prepared to invest in the future.

It proves that Speakman is keen to develop the academy, and the potential for players to break through into the first-team, by improving the standards within the youth sides.

Sunderland are in the League One play-off final later this month, and a win would surely strengthen their chances of signing the youngster. They would be competing in the same division as Birmingham, which means that they could both offer him Championship football.

Bellingham has played in two Championship matches for Birmingham this season, coming off the bench against Preston and Blackburn. This illustrates the immense potential that he holds, as he has shown enough in training to prove that he is ready to compete at first-team level despite being in his GSCE year.

His 18-year-old brother Jude is valued at £67.5m by Transfermarkt and has been capped 12 times by England. If Jobe can follow in his sibling’s footsteps, then Sunderland could be about to land a masterstroke in the market…

Neil would love to have another talented prospect to work with in the years to come. Bellingham may not make an immediate impact on the senior squad, but he could be a player who develops over time and then breaks into the Scot’s XI in two or three seasons.

Therefore, the head coach will be buzzing with Speakman’s attempts to snap up the midfielder from Birmingham and will be hoping that a deal can be agreed ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, irrespective of the league in which his team will be competing.

AND in other news, Forget Roberts: Sunderland “warrior” with the “heart of a lion” was the real play-off hero…

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has backed West Ham midfielder Declan Rice to remain at the club from next season and beyond.

The Lowdown: Fighting off interest

Although his contract at the London Stadium is not set to expire until 2025, the 23-year-old has been the subject of huge speculation in recent weeks after being linked with a move away from the Irons, with the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all said to be interested in his services.

However, it was claimed by The Daily Mail just last week that the east Londoners are confident that Rice will stay with them and become the new permanent club captain, and Kenny has insisted that the England maestro will commit his future to the Hammers.

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The Latest: Rice backed to stay at West Ham

When asked about the news that the 29-cap international is likely to remain at West Ham, former Ireland goalkeeper Kenny told Football Insider:

“That’s brilliant news for West Ham. We all know how good Rice is and I think West Ham lose quite a lot when he isn’t there.

“The simple fact is, I don’t think anyone will bid what West Ham will demand for him. The club has also proved it can take Rice into Europe and compete for cups.

“So why would he leave? Can I see Man City or Man United coming in him? Probably not.

“If they make him captain then that is a huge honour and I’m not sure he turns it down to go somewhere else if that is offered.

“He owes West Ham, they have given him a career. So I think he will stay and repay that.”

The Verdict: Rice could stay for another while yet

Rice has been a great servant at the club, having first joined from Chelsea’s academy at the age of just 14. He has since gone on to make 193 senior appearances in a claret and blue shirt, scoring ten goals and providing nine assists in all competitions during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

Such form has also seen him become a regular in Gareth Southgate’s England starting XI and he has enjoyed plenty of prominence on the world stage, having reached the Euro 2020 final with the Three Lions last summer. Therefore, you can see why Kenny feels that the 23-year-old owes a lot to his club.

It has been known that Mark Noble will hang up his boots and retire at the end of the season, so it wouldn’t come as a shock to see the £67.5m-rated Rice take over captaincy duties for the long-term and continue to provide inspiration from West Ham’s midfield for another few years yet.

In other news… one West Ham star has been praised for his outstanding performance against Norwich City

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte wants an upgrade to the right wing-back role and he’s demanded one name in particular, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian newspaper Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), the 52-year-old is pushing to sign defender Wilfried Singo from Torino this summer but the Serie A outfit are holding out for more money despite two approaches from sporting director Fabio Paratici, the latest of which was in the region of €25m (£21.5m).

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Torino president Urban Cairo is thought to have ruled out any potential sale this off-season but you’d imagine they would be tempted if a viable offer came in.

CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis, currently value him at €30m (£25m).

Emerson upgrade

Capped twice by the Ivory Coast, Singo would be something of a major upgrade to Conte’s right wing-back position, where he has summer signing Emerson Royal and the injured Matt Doherty.

The 21-year-old has been in immense form for Il Toro this campaign, having registered three goals and four assists, via Transfermarkt. Such performances have seen him rated amongst Ivan Jurić’s top five performers in Serie A.

Emerson has only offered up two direct contributions all season, by comparison.

Singo has offered just as much defensively as he has done in the final third, also averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.2 dribbles per game, the second-highest in Torino’s squad for both metrics, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder CBS Sports journalist Matteo Bonetti dubbed him a “revelation” back in January 2021.

Conte was eager to sign Adama Traore for the very same role in January as he simply does not trust the Brazilian to execute the job expected of him and that’s easy to see why considering ex-Lilywhites defender Jonathan Woodgate dubbed him “horrendous”.

It’s Singo’s attacking exploits which make him more appealing, though. He accounts for 14.6% of Torino’s penalty box entries this season, and that also sees him sit amongst the top 12% of his positional peers across Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues, as per FBRef.

Evidently, he is solid enough at the back and can cause plenty of trouble in the opposition’s third, making him an obvious target for Conte, who is longing for someone in this mould.

The Torino wing-back is a far greater talent than Emerson, so the Spurs hierarchy needs to pay whatever they can to seal him this off-season.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops Pau Torres-Spurs transfer update…

Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension transfer chief Fabio Paratici, allegedly have a Weston McKennie plan as news emerges out of Italy.

The Lowdown: Conte set for summer reshuffle…

The Times, sharing a big update on manager Antonio Conte’s plans past the 2021/2022 Premier League season, recently claimed that a plethora of activity could take place at Hotspur Way.

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Spurs’ head coach could offload as many as eight players, a list which includes the likes of Sergio Reguilón, Emerson Royal, Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele.

Coming in the other way, it is believed that Conte wants to make six major signings in three defenders, a forward and a midfielder.

According to Calciomercato, some news has come to light on the Lilywhites’ attempts to bolster the latter position.

The Latest: Paratici readying McKennie talks…

The Italian source says Tottenham, and by extension Paratici, are ‘ready to negotiate’ with Juventus over signing their midfield man McKennie this summer.

It is believed that Spurs are eyeing a loan-to-buy deal for the USA international in a similar move which would ‘repeat’ the trick to bring Dejan Kulusevski to N17.

The Verdict: Advance?

Football Insider, making a claim before the New Year, stated that McKennie is ‘very keen’ to play in London – something which could gift Spurs and Paratici a possible advantage over Serie A competitors Roma.

They also stated Juve’s valuation of the 23-year-old is set at around £35 million, and while it is unclear whether that would be the price to pay for Tottenham at the end of a possible loan-to-buy, we believe the ex-Schalke star could be a brilliant addition either way.

Unable to display his ability during the latter stages of this season due to a foot injury, McKennie has in fact been revered for his performances at international level.

USA football reporter Chris Smith of 90min lavished the ‘pressing machine’ and ‘supremely underrated’ ace, drawing attention to an impressive scout report last year.

At just 23, the sky is seemingly the limit for McKennie and it is little wonder Spurs are keen on opening talks.

In other news: Paratici also eyeing ‘world class’ player move tipped to ‘excite’ Spurs supporters! Find out more here.

West Ham United are reportedly hoping to secure a reunion with Jesse Lingard this summer, with the player destined to leave Manchester United in the coming months.

What’s the word?

As per Sky Sports News presenter Tom White, “West Ham have made initial enquiries” into bringing the versatile midfielder back to the London Stadium in the upcoming transfer window, with the 29-year-old set to be available on a free once his existing deal expires in June.

Having spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan in east London, the Red Devils academy graduate had been linked with a £25m permanent move to the Hammers last summer. Instead, he ultimately spent the entire campaign back at Old Trafford, where he was restricted to a bit-part role.

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A loan move to Newcastle United also fell through in January towards the end of the month, with a host of clubs now set to reinvigorate their interest to try and capture the 32-cap international for nothing.

Supporters will be delighted

That news will no doubt be music to the ears of Irons supporters and David Moyes, with the £18m-rated maestro having been a revelation during his previous stint at the club, rejuvenating his career after falling out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.

In a stunning six-month spell at the London Stadium, Lingard netted nine goals and registered five assists in just 16 appearances for Moyes’ team, helping the club to secure Europa League qualification after narrowly missing out on the top four.

That blistering form saw the Warrington native with 165 Premier League appearances return to the England setup under Gareth Southgate, albeit that he was omitted from the Euro 2020 squad, with it expected that he would be able to kick on in the 2021/22 campaign.

However, his decision to remain at the Theatre of Dreams rather than push for an exit last summer has not gone to plan, as the £80k-per-week playmaker has started just two league games all season, having failed to earn a starting berth despite some notable cameos in the early months of the campaign.

One such outing saw the 29-year-old come off the bench to haunt the Irons, netting a stunning curled effort late on to secure a 2-1 victory for the Red Devils last September.

That strike was simply a marker of his undoubted quality, and it was bizarre to see him not being afforded a chance to prove his worth at Man United over the last few months, despite their dismal form.

It is easy to forget that this is a player who has scored at a World Cup and netted in three Wembley triumphs for his current club, with the Red Devils potentially more to blame for his current woes than he is himself.

Should GSB be able to secure a deal this summer, it would no doubt represent a major coup, with West Ham supporters set to be hoping that he can recapture the stunning performances that he showed at the London Stadium last year.

IN other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop

Journalist Ryan Taylor has delivered a verdict regarding the future of Liverpool attacking midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. 

The lowdown: Klopp signing

Signed from Arsenal in 2017 for £35million (BBC), Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at Anfield as a dynamic midfielder with a bright future for both club and country on the horizon.

Following 10 direct goal contributions in 32 Premier League outings in a debut season on Merseyside, the England international’s development under Jurgen Klopp was thwarted when sustaining damage to multiple knee ligaments against AS Roma in 2018.

Since then, the powerful forward-thinking 28-year-old has struggled to recapture his best form for the Reds and regular injury issues have continued to interrupt the former Southampton gem’s rhythm.

The latest: Taylor on Oxlade-Chamberlain

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor, a journalist for The Express, has suggested that the end of the 35-cap ace’s time at Liverpool is all but over.

He said: “I expect him to stay in the Premier League, although he’s going to leave Liverpool because they haven’t played him, and he’s only got a year left.

“I don’t think at the moment there’s anything concrete, but Liverpool will market him.”

This comes after the reliable James Pearce revealed Mohamed Salah could also leave the Reds to a top flight rival next year, so it looks like the Kop could be seeing some familiar faces in opposition colours before long.

The verdict: Time has come

Despite showing glimpses of an innate ability to impact games from a deeper role, most notably in a standout Champions League performance against Manchester City back in 2018 at Anfield, overall, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time with the Reds could be classed as underwhelming.

During 2021/22, the versatile star scored three times and provided three assists in 29 appearances across all competitions, but ended the season without a place in the match-day squad, having not featured since February in the league.

However, having added multiple winners medals to a now impressive career tally, the Englishman, who was hailed as ‘dynamite’ by Klopp following his early form for the club, can leave with his head held high this summer.

If indeed Taylor is on the money, Julian Ward will be hoping to achieve a fee close to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s current £16.2million market value (Transfermarkt), particularly if a move to a domestic rival comes to fruition.

In other news: Liverpool eyeing shock move for recently relegated Brazilian, read more here

Manchester United have made contact over a possible cut-price move for RB Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele.

The Lowdown: Mukiele profiled

Mukiele, who has been hailed as an “unsung hero”, is primarily a right-back who can also play as a centre-back or as a right-midfielder.

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The 24-year-old signed for Leipzig back in 2018 and has gone on to make 145 appearances since then, scoring 10 times and providing 11 assists.

The France international is heading into the final 12 months of his contract with the Bundesliga side, though, and it looks as if a summer exit could be on the cards.

The Latest: United contact

Sports Witness relayed an update from well-known French outlet L’Equipe regarding Mukiele on Friday.

They claimed that Mukiele’s future ‘is probably written elsewhere’, with United looking to take advantage of the ‘opportunity’ by initiating first contacts. The report adds that the right-back is valued between €10m (£8.5m) and €15m (£12.7m).

The Verdict: Wan-Bissaka replacement?

Erik ten Hag will be at the heart of an Old Trafford rebuild this summer and doesn’t have Aaron Wan-Bissaka in his plans, according to Sky Sports.

Therefore, should the Red Devils find the Englishman a new home either on a temporary or permanent basis, then Mukiele could be viewed as an ideal replacement.

Ajax defender Jurien Timber also appears to be closing in on a move to United, and although he can play at right-back, you’d expect he’d be preferred in his natural centre-back role, opening the door for Mukiele, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, to sign in a cut-piece deal.

In other news: Reliable journalist leaks Man Utd talks as Ten Hag now eyes ‘terrific’ Englishman. 

A claim has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Sven Botman heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that everyone at the Tyneside club wants a deal for the Dutch defender to be completed in the coming months.

The reporter has hinted that not every target on whom the Magpies have set their sights has had backing from every member of the club, whereas that is the case with the Lille centre-back.

Hope tweeted: “Botman is one they’d like to do. From what I gather (unlike some others on shortlist) he gets a unanimous “yes” from all at Newcastle.”

The player himself has also confirmed that the Premier League club, along with AC Milan, are keen on him, saying: “Those clubs are interested, yes. I can’t and won’t say much more about it. What do I want? To take a nice step towards a nice competition. I am also looking forward to a new step.

“I am aware of what I want. That is not necessarily to that club or that competition. You weigh all kinds of things, and then the total picture has to suit you. I must have a very good feeling about it.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Newcastle supporters will be buzzing with Hope’s claim, as it shows how highly Botman is rated within the club. The journalist’s tweet suggests that there is little doubt over the player’s ability, with the likes of Dan Ashworth, Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall, among others, all seeming to agree that the Netherlands under-21 international would be an excellent signing.

This will excite the fans as they now know that the club would be bringing in a talent that everyone on Tyneside believes will be a success, if they can strike a deal for him.

It is easy to see why the Magpies are interested in Botman, who has been a star for Lille since arriving in France from Ajax in 2020.

In his first season in Ligue 1, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 as he won 68% of his duels and helped his team to keep 20 clean sheets in his 37 top-flight appearances. He made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game as he produced consistently solid displays at the back, leading to his team  winning the title.

As you can see in the graphic above, Botman continued his fine form into the 2021/22 campaign, proving over two seasons that he is a reliable centre-back at the top level.

Couple this with the fact that he only turned 22 in January and has plenty of scope to develop even further, and it is no wonder that Newcastle are so keen to get him in the door.

Fans will be buzzing with the enthusiastic interest in the Dutchman and will now be hoping that Ashworth and Howe can convince him that moving to St James’ Park is the ideal next step for him in his career.

AND in other news, “Newcastle hopeful…”: Craig Hope issues major transfer claim that’ll excite Eddie Howe…