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Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz could well be set to stay at Craven Cottage, despite persistent links regarding a move elsewhere.

What’s the word?

According to respected journalist Alan Nixon, the 21-year-old appears in line to remain part of Marco Silva’s plans this season, despite reports that Championship outfit Middlesbrough are eyeing a possible loan swoop.

Amid that interest, the transfer insider provided an update on the future of the Brazilian, writing on Twitter: “That one isn’t moving forward very quickly … still needed at Fulham … and they’ve not brought anyone extra in to force him away …”

The highly-rated forward only arrived in England on a five-year deal last summer, playing a bit-part role as the west London outfit secured promotion back to the Premier League.

Solomon replacement

The £4.5m-rated striker unsurprisingly found it difficult to usurp the prolific presence of Aleksandar Mitrovic in attack last term, with the Serbia international having scored a record-breaking tally of 43 league goals.

Despite having been largely resigned to a supporting role, Muniz still managed to showcase his “exciting” talent – as dubbed by Tony Khan – on occasion in his debut campaign with the Cottagers, scoring five goals from 28 appearances in all competitions – only four of which came from the start.

The 5 foot 10 menace had been earmarked as a hugely impressive prospect during his previous stint in Brazil – where he scored five goals in 25 games for Flamengo – with talent scout Jacek Kulig notably dubbing him a “revelation”.

Also lauded for his “killer instinct” in front of goal by Kulig, the explosive forward could well prove something of a hidden gem for Silva and Fulham this season, despite having failed to make it off the bench in the opening weeks of the season.

Further involvement could also be on the cards following the cruel recent blow to summer signing Manor Solomon, with the winger set to be ruled out until after this year’s World Cup after sustaining a knee injury in a behind-closed-doors match last week.

With the 23-year-old now expected to be on the sidelines for an extended period of time, it could well provide young Muniz with the chance to fill that attacking void, with the £7.5k-per-week ace having briefly featured on the flanks in his career thus far.

While there are reports that the Cottagers are plotting a move for a new striker in the form of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Neal Maupay, the loss of Solomon should ensure that Muniz is kept at the club regardless, with Silva’s squad already lacking attacking depth.

Aston Villa centre-back Diego Carlos could face up to nine months on the sidelines with injury, according to Dr. Rajpal Brar

The lowdown

Carlos, a £27.9million summer signing from Sevilla, was injured on his home debut against Everton on Saturday.

Manager Steven Gerrard said after the game that he was ‘extremely worried’ about the issue.

And now his worst fears might just have been realised, with Villa confirming in a statement on Monday that Carlos had ruptured his Achilles tendon and would require surgery.

The latest

Dr. Brar, a sports scientist, physical therapist and fitness and movement coach, says an Achilles tendon rupture ‘typically’ results in a ‘minimum’ ‘6-9 month’ lay-off ‘in elite football’.

And worryingly, it will take ‘even longer’ for Carlos ‘to return to pre-injury levels’.

The verdict

This looks like a monumental blow for Aston Villa and Carlos, just two games into his career at the club.

At best, he won’t be back till midway February, and at worst, he’ll miss virtually the entirety of the season.

And even when he does return, he’s going to need time to ramp back up to top form, assuming he can get there again.

According to The Athletic, 29-year-old Carlos should be in his peak window at present, so this injury is denying him a huge chunk of his prime years.

Villa have invested a great deal of money – he’s the fourth-most expensive signing in their history, and you have to consider his wages too – but might not be able to see any real return for the best part of a year.

In short, their plan is in tatters, and they’ll likely to recruit another centre-back now as a contingency measure.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing a potential move for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from 90min, the Magpies – who are apparently long-term admirers of the midfielder – are keeping an eye on the Scotsman’s situation at Old Trafford, with the imminent arrival of Casemiro from Real Madrid creating a question mark over McTominay’s future at the club.

In 172 senior appearances for the Red Devils, the 25-year-old has 16 goals and four assists to his name across all competitions.

Ideal Shelvey heir

Bearing in mind how Newcastle currently have the joint-oldest squad in the Premier League in terms of the average age (27.5) of the 30 players they have in their senior ranks, a potential move for McTominay could see the Toon secure an ideal heir for one of their more senior players in Jonjo Shelvey.

At the age of 30, not only is the ex-Liverpool midfielder one of the nine outfield players in Newcastle’s squad to have entered their thirties, he is also into the final year of his contract at St James’ Park.

Comparing the two midfielders from their previous Premier League campaigns, McTominay trumped Shelvey from a defensive point of view as he made more successful tackles, successful pressures, interceptions, blocks and clearances than the Magpies ace (via FBRef).

Taking into account how the Tyneside club only won 10 of the 24 league games in which the £70k-per-week midfielder appeared last season, it would make sense for them to look at a defensively capable midfielder like McTominay.

The Scotland international can also provide a threat in front of goal, as his strike against Burnley last December was lauded as “beautiful” by Belgium manager Roberto Martinez.

Also, with the Englishman currently out injured, not only would a move for the Manchester United figure help Newcastle in the short-term, McTominay’s age would also make him a suitable heir for Shelvey, especially if the latter ends up leaving Tyneside when his contract expires next summer.

If an opportunity to sign the 25-year-old arises before the summer transfer window closes, Newcastle and Eddie Howe should consider it a smart prospective investment and do all they can to get the Scotsman to St James’ Park.

Everton could be set to add a ball-playing midfielder alongside another summer acquisition… 

What’s the word?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, the Toffees are frontrunners to sign Manchester United midfielder James Garner alongside Southampton.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he claimed: “It’s really hard to tell because there is genuinely half of the Premier League suddenly interested in this deal and you can understand why.

“Everton and Southampton are undoubtedly two of the clubs at the front of the queue, but there are others that could still surprise us.”

The 21-year-old has reportedly been made available for just £15m by the Old Trafford outfit.

Imagine him & Onana

It quickly becomes clear from looking at the underlying statistics of Amadou Onana and Garner how well-suited they could be as a midfield pair that Frank Lampard seems so keen to play.

With the 6 foot 4 tackling machine lining up beside the finesse and guile of the young Englishman, they could form a top partnership for many years to come.

Labelled a “special” footballer, the 21-year-old featured an astounding 41 times in the Championship while on loan at Nottingham Forest last season. Despite being more of a deep-lying midfielder, his return of four goals and eight assists in their promotion campaign is certainly impressive.

He has a tendency to drift forward and progress his team up the pitch, as evidenced in averaging two key passes per game and a 58% dribble success rate.

To combine this “talented” ace – as dubbed by ex-Watford manager Vladimir Ivic – with the towering Belgian, who ranks in the top 4% for tackles made per 90 minutes among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, it is clear that he will be capable of doing the dirty work to allow Garner to flourish further forward.

Onana does not pride himself on his ability in possession, as it is without the ball that he can make the biggest impact. This can be seen in his 83% pass success rate and his lowly ranking in the 22nd percentile for progressive passes.

Using his lanky frame, though, he can steal in to win back possession, feeding Garner to then utilise his passing range to get Everton on the front foot.

All the signs point towards a potential symbiotic relationship between the two quickly being formed, with the former Lille destroyer also likely to dominate aerially given his stature and his match average of 2.03 aerials won per 90.

Where one of these midfielders is comparatively weak, the other seems to thrive in that characteristic. With the perfect blend of powerful determination and effortless finesse, Lampard could nail down his midfield for the next few years if he can secure a deal for Garner.

Nottingham Forest have had a rather mixed start to their Premier League campaign, with two defeats, one draw and one win from their first four games.

One early aspect of the season so far that Steve Cooper can take a positive from is that his side have only conceded five goals so far, leaving nine other clubs in the division having let more in.

One figure that has played a rather big role at the back for the promoted side so far in the campaign is Steve Cook.

In the three league games he’s appeared in, the centre-back has made 15 clearances in total, leaving only three other Forest players with more.

Having made a total of 171 Premier League appearances across his career, the 31-year-old certainly knows what it takes to play in the division.

While the Midlands club have already brought in a vast amount of new players throughout the summer transfer window, the remaining hours before deadline day could see them add some extra defensive reinforcement to the squad.

One player that has been mentioned with a move to the City Ground that would do that and give Cooper the chance to create a formidable defensive duo next to Cook is Michael Keane.

With 219 top-flight appearances under his belt, the Everton defender, just like Cook, has a lot of experience playing in the Premier League, which could be very valuable for Forest if they sign him.

Last season saw the 29-year-old end the campaign with more interceptions (62) and clearances (149) than any other Everton player, which highlights the defensive credentials he’d be able to offer Cooper’s side.

Praised for his “immense” performances in the past by Harry Redknapp, the £65k-per-week centre-half has only made one substitute appearance for the Toffees in the league this season, which suggests that he has fallen down the pecking order at the Merseyside club.

With that in mind, a move to Forest where he may have a better chance of playing regularly and being part of a strong defensive partnership with Cook could be a very tempting prospect for the player.

If the opportunity to strike a deal for Keane arises before deadline day, this is definitely something that the Midlands club should pounce on, as his defensive experience and talent could be the difference between Forest having a successful campaign or not.

West Brom striker Daryl Dike could make a welcome return from injury before the November international break, according to journalist Joe Chapman.

The Lowdown: Dike rarely seen

The American joined the Baggies back in January, being viewed as an exciting signing who was going to provide regular ammunition in attack.

Sadly, injuries have held Dike back hugely, with the 22-year-old limited to just three appearances since then, acting as a huge blow to both him and the team as he’s recorded just 96 minutes in a Baggies shirt.

The striker is currently sidelined with a thigh issue – one that was expected to threaten his chances of representing the USA at the upcoming World Cup – but a key update has emerged regarding his fitness.

The Latest: November return mooted

According to Chapman, writing for The Birmingham Mail, Dike will hopefully return in November, in what will be a welcome boost for Steve Bruce:

“Like with Ajayi, Dike could return before the November break, or – depending on his progress – he could be permitted the World Cup to complete his recovery fully.”

The Verdict: Much-needed boost

While November is still some time away, it is good to know that Dike is making positive progress in his recovery and is so far avoiding any setbacks, as he desperately looks to kickstart his West Brom career.

Granted, he will then likely go to the World Cup if fit, but upon his return, the hope is that he is fully firing and ready to lead the line for the Baggies in the second half of the season.

A record of nine goals in 22 appearances for Barnsley during a loan spell shows what he is capable of in the Championship – hopefully, that level of end product is around the corner at the Hawthorns, having once been hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Valerien Ismael.

Wolves officials reportedly watched Mykhaylo Mudryk play for Ukraine on Wednesday night ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Disappointing

Considering the hype that has been surrounding Mudryk lately, the Shakhtar Donetsk winger may have been disappointed with his performance in Ukraine’s 3-0 loss to Scotland in the UEFA Nations League on Wednesday night.

He was rated as the worst player on the pitch by SofaScore, losing a game-high 13 duels, while he also failed with all six of his dribble attempts and never recorded a shot on target.

It was an off night for Mudryk, who has otherwise been electric so far this season, with two goals and three assists in five matches over all competitions at club level (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Wolves scouts watched

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that Molineux scouts were in attendance in Glasgow to watch Mudryk in action, ahead of a potential January move.

However, members of the recruitment departments from Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Everton, Leeds United, Newcastle United, West Ham United, Arsenal and Chelsea were also taking a look at the 21-year-old, so Bruno Lage’s side are likely to face a lot of competition for his signature.

The Verdict: Unlikely

Given the level of competition for his signature, and the fact that the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham can offer him European football, it seems very unlikely that the Wanderers would be able to attract Mudryk to the Midlands at this moment in time.

Hailed as a ‘serious talent’ by Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Darijo Srna, who claims the winger is third best player in his position in Europe behind only Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, Mudryk has truly burst onto the scene despite his disappointing game for Ukraine, with four of his five goal contributions this term coming in the UEFA Champions League (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with the Old Gold lingering near the bottom of the Premier League, he seemingly has bigger and better clubs in mind.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson must ruthlessly cash in on misfiring Ibrox centre-forward Alfredo Morelos in the January transfer window.

The striker was dropped by manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst earlier this season due to a disciplinary issue and his performances on the pitch since then have not made up for his off-pitch antics.

He was shown a straight red card in the 2-2 draw with Hibernian back in August, prior to being axed, and this led to former Light Blues man Graeme Souness hammering him.

The pundit claimed that you “can’t trust him” in big matches and stated that he is “not learning” from his previous mistakes, making him a liability at the top end of the pitch.

Van Bronckhorst cannot trust the Colombian to be reliable in high-intensity games with a volatile atmosphere and that is why January is a good opportunity to cash in on him.

Alan Hutton recently suggested that the transfer window may have played a part in his lack of discipline earlier this season. He told Football Insider:

“I would like to see him sign a new contract and stay. I know his head has maybe been turned over the last season and a bit. The speculation around moving to different clubs, I don’t think that’s helped him.

“Obviously after an injury last season, missing a lot of football, Europa League final, he maybe thought as soon as he was fit he was going to start and that didn’t work out. We know everything that happened but he’s shown another side, that he’s willing to work hard to get back into the team.”

Morelos is out of contract at the end of the campaign and his form throughout the 2022/23 season so far does not suggest that he deserves an extension. He has scored once and failed to provide a single assist in six matches in all competitions, which shows that he has struggled on the pitch to go along with his problems off it.

Therefore, the £33k-per-week liability must be moved on in January to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer. The forward has not shown enough, on or off the field, to prove that he is deserving of a new deal and the next window is the club’s last opportunity to recoup some cash for his services, which is why Wilson must ruthlessly bin him at the start of 2023.

Rangers could then use that money, if they are able to find a buyer, to bring in a player who the head coach can rely upon to keep a cool head in big matches.

West Bromwich Albion are in desperate need of something miraculous to halt their current decline, as Steve Bruce’s side are winless in their last eight Championship matches.

Leaky defensively and not lethal enough up front, the addition of a fresh, young, hungry talent might be just what they need to turn things around.

They have conceded eight and scored just five in their last four games.

With the transfer window shut, attention might have to be turned to the academy, which currently boasts a crop of exciting youngsters all raring to take their opportunity.

Perhaps for the future, or perhaps to replace him now, John Swift might soon have to make way for 19-year-old starlet Rico Richards.

The attacking midfielder is a tricky number ten who can create or score and was actually included in The Guardian’s Next Generation list back in 2020.

Within that report he is described as such by Ben Fisher: “He has a creative eye in terms of finding others but is equally capable of carving openings for himself.”

Four appearances this season for the U23s and two assists mark a solid start to the season, and with the Baggies’ poor form he will be hoping that he will be given his chance should he continue to impress.

He has made 62 appearances across both the U18s and U23s youth setup, even registering an eight-minute stint for the first team in the FA Cup.

Across this period, he has managed an impressive 13 goals and seven assists, demonstrating some immense qualities in the final third.

With Swift only boasting two goals and two assists in his 14 games for West Brom, it is not a feat that Richards will see as unattainable given his quality.

Not only this, but his versatility could make him a fine option for Bruce given how Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana are underperforming. Combined, the two wingers have only scored five and assisted four times.

He would certainly provide fine competition for all three of these attackers, whilst exposure to the first team would hopefully fast-track his development.

With their current form, there is little risk in handing Richards some added involvement. However, Bruce has everything to gain if he begins to star.

The Athletic’s Everton correspondent Paddy Boyland has hailed Dwight McNeil’s match-winning performance for the Toffees against Southampton in what could be a ‘big moment’ for him.

The Lowdown: Big win for Everton

Frank Lampard’s side returned to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, making the trip to St Mary’s for what had the potential to be a tight encounter.

After falling behind early in the second half, Everton quickly turned the game on its head, with Conor Coady and McNeil scoring the goals for the visitors inside a two-minute period.

It was a huge three points for the Blues, with the winning goal a standout moment from a player who has made a slow start since joining in the summer.

The Latest: Boyland hails McNeil

Taking to Twitter after the match, Boyland was full of praise of McNeil, lauding what could be a game-changing day in the 22-year-old’s Everton career.

The journalist summarised:

“Win on road from 1-0 down another indicator this Everton side now made of sterner stuff. Plenty of work to do but all signs suggest heading in right direction again. Big moment for McNeil to net winner – great finish & reminder of his quality. Hopefully will kick on now.”

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The Verdict: Time to kick on

This was a memorable afternoon for McNeil, who bagged his first Everton goal in style with a stunning finish, and his all-round performance was strong.

He won three ground duels, made two key passes and enjoyed an 83% pass completion rate, as per Sofascore.

It’s fair to say that the former Burnley man hasn’t quite ripped it up at Goodison Park so far, ranking 11th for overall performance rating among Lampard’s squad according to WhoScored, but this was a significant step in the right direction, as he proved to be the match-winner at St Mary’s.

McNeil has plenty of Premier League nous already and at 22 he should only improve even further in the coming years – the big thing for him now is to consistently perform at this level and become an undisputed key player for Everton.