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Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino is in ‘talks’ over signing a new contract, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Premier League giants risk losing the 31-year-old at the end of the season when his current deal expires, with clubs able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement from January onwards.

The Brazilian has been the subject of interest from Atletico Madrid, and having not yet put pen to paper on fresh terms, his future has been up in the air.

However, a positive update has emerged which could see the Brazil forward extending his stay at Anfield beyond next summer…

The Latest: Talks progressing well

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that Firmino is in negotiations with the Reds regarding a new contract, and the Liverpool hierarchy sound confident that the 31-year-old will sign on the dotted line.

Plettenberg tweeted: “Update #Firmino: Been told that talks about a new contract beyond 2023 are progressing very well. But no final steps at this stage. Player can really imagine to extend. Relation with Klopp should be perfect.”

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The Verdict: Fully deserved

Liverpool certainly have more youthful options than Firmino up top, but despite his age, he has still proven the huge impact that he can have, which is why a contract extension would be fully deserved.

The forward has made 185 goal contributions during his time on Merseyside, with 13 of those coming in 21 appearances across all competitions this season (Transfermarkt).

He is Liverpool’s leading scorer in the current Premier League campaign and has posted the second-best WhoScored rating among Jurgen Klopp’s squad, illustrating his importance to the Anfield cause.

With Atletico sniffing around, FSG need to act fast in convincing Firmino to stay, or else potentially risk lose him for free in 2023.

Wolves’ goalscoring woes this season have stemmed from a lack of options in attack, with Raul Jimenez’s injury causing huge problems for the Old Gold.

What’s the word?

The 31-year-old was rushed back in pre-season and suffered a setback with his groin issue, which has kept him out of action since the stalemate against Bournemouth in late August.

But interim manager Steve Davis will be forced to contend without Costa, Kalajdzic and Jimenez for this weekend’s game against Arsenal, as it was confirmed that the latter has already travelled to meet up with the Mexico squad, despite his injury problems.

Express and Star journalist Liam Keen confirmed the news on Twitter, saying:

“Raul Jimenez is currently in Spain with Mexico national team doctors continuing his rehab. He is then back in England this weekend, but will not be fit to play for Wolves before the World Cup.”

A blow for Wolves

Last season saw the former Benfica man finish as both Wolves’ top goalscorer and top assister in the Premier League with six and four respectively, so it is perhaps no surprise that the Old Gold have the fewest goals in the top flight in his absence.

Sasa Kalajdzic was brought into ease their woes up front but after the Austrian suffered an ACL injury on his debut, Bruno Lage felt the need to bring in Diego Costa, who boasts a record of no goals and one headbutt in six Premier League appearances so far.

New manager Julen Lopetegui will be hoping that by the time he takes charge of his first game against Everton on Boxing Day, the Old Gold are looking far healthier in terms of attacking options.

In his three appearances in the Premier League this season, Jimenez has failed to score or assist, as he has struggled to rediscover the “world-class” form he showed at Molineux before his awful fractured skull injury.

However, it is still a massive blow for Davis that he won’t be available again this weekend. Jimenez’s record before his injuries speaks for itself with the El Tri forward scoring 55 times in 150 outings for the Molineux outfit.

Any side would struggle without a record like that, let alone one struggling for goals as a whole.

Pundit and former Aston Villa star Dion Dublin has name-checked Sean Dyche as a possible successor to Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard.

The Lowdown: Gerrard speculation

Gerrard’s future has been a hot topic of conversation following Sunday’s defeat to Chelsea at Villa Park.

Reports from Football Insider on Monday have gone as far as saying that the club have decided to sack the 42-year-old and that his exit could be formalised by the end of the week.

Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery have been sounded out as potential replacements, however, Dublin has thrown two more names into the ring, should NSWE be on the hunt for a new boss.

The Latest: Dublin’s comments

Dublin, who now contributes for the BBC, was talking to The Daily Express regarding possible Gerrard successors. He said that Dyche and Rafa Benitez could be ‘good replacements’ and are currently out of work.

“The only managers I can think of off the top of my head out of work [who would be good replacements] are Sean Dyche and Rafa Benitez. Is there any symmetry between those two managers? I’m not quite sure, but they are the two I can think of out of work.”

The Verdict: Not sure

Dyche, who had a famous bust-up with Villa captain John McGinn, has been out of work since April after parting ways with Burnley. The Englishman spent just shy of ten years at Turf Moor and had done an impressive job on a tight budget with the Clarets.

However, should Villa sack Gerrard, you’d expect that NSWE would want a big name to take them to the next level like Pochettino. Persuading the Argentine may prove to be a challenge, though, which could possibly open the door to one of Dublin’s suggestions, but a move for Dyche at this moment in time appears like a safety net.

Glasgow Rangers strolled to another straightforward Premiership win this afternoon at Ibrox.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side thrashed St Mirren 4-0 to record their third consecutive league victory, and this will give the Gers a confidence boost with a busy few weeks approaching.

A tap-in from Antonio Colak following a Borna Barisic shot, and later a James Tavernier penalty gave the Light Blues a nice two-goal cushion at half-time, and Van Bronckhorst would surely have urged his team to embellish the goal difference in the final 45 minutes.

Two more goals were added in the second half but it took the Light Blues until the final quarter-hour of the match to score them. Colak netted his fourth league brace of the season while Fashion Sakala repaid Van Bronckhorst with a nice finish to round off the win.

It was a solid team performance and the Dutchman will surely be very pleased with Sakala’s display, especially considering that it was his first league start of the campaign.

Sakala stole the show against St Mirren

The Zambian came off the bench against Liverpool in midweek, and despite playing for just 24 minutes at Anfield, he completed 100% of his passes, took one shot and caused general unpredictability in the Rangers attack.

This cameo prompted Van Bronckhorst to start him against St Mirren, and he was arguably the finest player on the pitch.

Sakala received a SofaScore rating of 8.8, the joint highest on the pitch alongside Colak, while scoring the fourth goal and providing the assist for the Croatian’s second. He also created a further big chance and played one key pass during his time on the pitch, giving the team a different attacking outlet.

Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton once described the Zambian as a “firework”, and the 25-year-old certainly displayed this trait today as he showcased his wonderful dribbling ability, completing 100% of his attempted dribbles while winning nine of his 13 duels.

His dynamism and attacking nature stood out and this display would certainly have boosted his confidence following a slow start to the season.

In fairness, the forward has only featured for a total of 225 minutes in all competitions this season, but with Liverpool visiting Ibrox on Wednesday night in the Champions League, he may have justified a spot in the starting XI.

Aston Villa return to Premier League action on Friday night as they take on Southampton at Villa Park.

Steven Gerrard is a man under pressure after just one win from the opening six league games and Southampton at home represents a must-win game if the Villans are to realise their European ambitions this season.

If the former Liverpool legend wants to keep his job at Villa Park, he should consider handing a start to Danny Ings, after resting the experienced forward in the draw against Manchester City last time out.

Gerrard understandably selected a more defensive lineup against the champions, with just Ollie Watkins leading the line, but he should return to a two-striker formation against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Ings has two goals to his name so far this season, including a well-taken strike in Villa’s only league win against Everton, and he could be the difference-maker against the Saints.

Noel Whelan has complimented Ings and his partnership with Watkins in Villa’s attack in the past, saying:

“He’s showing what a good player he is and how dangerous he can be when he drops between the lines to feed Ollie Watkins.

“He is a phenomenal finisher as well, and we’re really seeing that partnership work with Watkins. They’re building that telepathy, which is key to any good side.”

Southampton will presumably line up with Mohammed Salisu and Armel Bella-Kotchap as their centre-back pairing, both of whom are 23 and under, so don’t possess too much Premier League experience.

Ings, meanwhile, has 175 top-flight appearances under his belt, with 63 goals and 19 assists to his name, and his experience and nous in front of goal could be vital if Villa are to pick up three points.

Seven of those goals came in the Premier League for Villa last season, as he finished as the second top-scorer, so if Gerrard needs a goal he knows he can rely on Ings to be a consistent finisher.

There is also the added incentive of Ings featuring against his old side, which always seems to be an added incentive for players to perform and often score, so Gerrard should take advantage of that as he looks to pick up his second league win of the season.

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Therefore, after resting Ings against City, Gerrard should restore the former Liverpool man to his starting side on Friday night.

Manchester City are suffering from something of an injury crisis at centre-back, but Pep Guardiola may already have the solution in 18-year-old Luke Mbete.

Aymeric Laporte is already a long-term absentee for the Citizens and there was concern at the weekend when Nathan Ake was forced off against Newcastle United, as it leaves just Ruben Dias and John Stones as the senior options in Guardiola’s side.

The Spanish manager confirmed that Ake had injured his groin in the 3-3 draw against the Toon but it is unclear how long he will be out for, while Laporte is still recovering from knee surgery so is unlikely to return to first-team action any time soon.

This leaves City in a precarious situation and while the transfer window is still open should Guardiola want to bring in extra cover, the former Barcelona boss should feel confident in Mbete as a potential replacement for Ake.

The teenage centre-back is earning rave reviews in City’s academy and has already appeared three times for the first team, including in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon last season.

The Athletic’s Sam Lee named him as the youngster to watch at Manchester City in 2021, suggesting that:

“He is tall and fast, but perhaps his most eye-catching trait is his passing. All City centre-backs need to be good on the ball, of course, but he is not merely comfortable, he is genuinely creative and likes to play searching passes in behind the opposition defence.”

Guardiola spoke highly of the youngster last season, saying:

“He trained with us for a long time. His application is really high. He’s still young but tomorrow he’ll be in the team and maybe we’ll need him.”

The academy star was linked with a move to Leeds United this summer but Guardiola may well be glad he kept him around considering his current predicament.

If Ake is sidelined for a while and Guardiola feels the need to rotate his side as we approach a two-game a week schedule, then he should put his faith in Mbete, as he looks to have all the attributes needed to succeed at the Etihad.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly closing in on the signing of Switzerland and Atalanta midfielder Remo Freuler as their busy summer continues.

The Lowdown: Strong Frueler links

The Reds have been relentless during the summer transfer window, bringing in a host of new players to help aid them in their return to Premier League action.

On Thursday, Forest were strongly linked with a move for Freuler, with a report stating that they were in ‘talks’ with the 30-year-old midfielder over a move.

Now, it looks as though the transfer is only a matter of time, following a fresh claim from Italy.

The Latest: Move set to happen

According to Tutto Mercato Web [via Sport Witness], Forest are now ‘one step’ away from completing the sign of Freuler, bringing him in as their latest midfield addition.

The Reds have raised their offer to €10million (£8.4m), which Atalanta are willing to accept, meaning the move is now ‘around the corner’.

The Verdict: Another good signing

Much like the earlier capture of Jesse Lingard, Freuler is a hugely experienced figure who should add quality and authority to the team, having won 46 caps for Switzerland and racking up 202 Serie A appearances in total.

A tenacious midfield presence, the Swiss ace averaged 2.4 tackles per game in the league last season, and he could be an ideal foil for more expansive players such as Lewis O’Brien and Jesse Lingard, as well as Morgan Gibbs-White and Houssem Aouar, should they join as has been mooted.

Forest feel absolutely primed for an assault on the Premier League after such an encouraging summer and signings of Freuler’s ilk would be the cherry on top as the new campaign gets underway.

Liverpool have already let go of nine players this summer with only three new faces joining the ranks at Anfield, but now there could be another big-name departure before the end of the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Corriere Dello Sport, Juventus are now in advanced negotiations to sign Liverpool star Roberto Firmino this summer.

As per the report, the Serie A giants are desperate to bring in attacking reinforcements after struggling to secure a permanent move for Alvaro Morata and have identified Firmino as an alternative.

The report suggests that Juve have tabled an offer worth £19m to Liverpool, but are looking at various options including Timo Werner from Chelsea.

Supporters will be fuming

With Sadio Mane, Taki Minamino and Divock Origi already making a move away from Merseyside this summer, Liverpool supporters will surely be fuming if Firmino is set to meet a similar fate this summer as the forward line has already been weakened enough.

If the Brazilian forward was to leave the club this summer it would leave Liverpool with a very inexperienced forward line with Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho only joining last month and Luis Diaz signing a deal six months ago, which could hinder the Reds opportunity to complete another season fighting for trophies in all competitions.

Firmino has been one of the driving forces to make up the famous front three with his goal chasing partners Mohamed Salah and Mane playing a huge part in the success delivered during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

The 30-year-old joined the Merseyside giants seven years ago, quickly establishing himself as a fan favourite tallying up 327 appearances, scoring 98 goals and delivering 74 assists with a goal contribution every 136 minutes, proving that he has been a consistent and reliable performer when called upon by Klopp.

The Liverpool manager has always spoken very highly of his Brazilian number nine and outlined his credentials in an interview last season (via This is Anfield):

“He’s a very important player for us, he’s a connector. He’s the best offensive defender I ever saw in my life, definitely,”

“He’s a ball chaser, he’s incredibly smart with all the things he’s doing, technically on the highest level and is able to play in the smallest spaces.”

“Everybody loves Bobby, there is no doubt about it. How can you not?”

With that being said, it would be a huge shock to the Anfield faithful if Firmino was to depart in the next few weeks, despite being in the last 12 months of his contract he is clearly a highly valued member of the team who would be hard to let go of.

AND in other news, FSG plotting Liverpool bid to sign “daring” £42m phenomenon, imagine him & Nunez…

Tottenham Hotspur could have a clear run at Pau Torres during this summer’s transfer window…

What’s the word?

Spurs are one of several teams thought to be interested in the Villarreal centre-back, with the Daily Mail reporting last month that the north Londoners were exploring a part-exchange involving loan star Giovani Lo Celso.

They also claimed that Premier League rivals Chelsea were also keen but since then, the Blues have signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli and appear to be closing in on a swoop for Jules Kounde, surely putting them out of the race to sign the Spaniard.

Serie A giants Juventus are another team that have been heavily mooted with Torres but they have made a move for Torino colossus Gleison Bremer in a bid to replace Matthijs de Ligt instead.

Manchester United are the third main contenders for the 25-year-old’s signature but having also brought in a centre-back in the shape of Lisandro Martinez, they too could also be out of the running, thus opening the door for Spurs to strike.

Time to move

The door has seemingly opened for the Lilywhites to make their move as it’s believed that Antonio Conte is still after another central defensive signing.

Torres would be quite the coup indeed as he has proven his credentials over the last few seasons, performing reliably in LaLiga, as well as the Champions League and Europa League.

He was part of the Yellow Submarine squad which clinched the latter trophy in 2021 and last season he helped Unai Emery’s side to the semi-finals of UEFA’s premier club competition.

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The 6 foot 3 titan has emerged as one of Europe’s best ball-playing defenders – as per FBRef, he ranks within the top 1% for dribbles completed (0.80), and the top 10% for both progressive passes (4.39) and progressive carries (4.71) per 90, when compared to other centre-backs.

It’s no wonder that he has been lauded as an “extraordinary talent” by former coach Javi Calleja to The Athletic.

Conte may well have already signed a new centre-back this summer, bringing Clement Lenglet in on loan from FC Barcelona, but that’s not enough if they are to contend on all fronts this campaign.

His arrival was a necessity as he’s the only natural left-footed defensive option at the club, besides full-back Ben Davies.

Cristian Romero and Eric Dier also need quality behind them, something that the Italian may well lack in Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon; that much is evident by Conte’s lack of faith in the pair – they made just 17 league starts combined last term.

As such, sporting director Fabio Paratici must now make an official approach for Torres, having been boosted by the activity from some of the club’s rivals in the transfer market.

AND in other news, Dharmesh Sheth drops exciting Spurs transfer update…

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed a ‘real issue’ in West Ham’s pursuit of Villarreal star Arnaut Danjuma.

The Lowdown: West Ham in talks

After securing the services of Alphonse Areola and Nayef Aguerd at the back, David Moyes will now be wanting to strengthen other areas of the pitch, namely the final third to add goalscoring support for Michail Antonio.

It was reported by The Guardian earlier this week that the Irons are in talks with the 25-year-old Danjuma over a potential move to the Premier League, but despite the article stating that the Hammers feel confident about getting it over the line, a stumbling block now appears to have emerged in negotiations.

The Latest: Romano shares Danjuma update

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that it’s personal terms that are currently stopping GSB from completing a deal for Danjuma. He wrote:

“Personal terms are the real issue for Danjuma deal. West Ham have been in talks with Villarreal for weeks on €40m fee but still not even close to agreeing with Danjuma on personal terms/contract.

“West Ham want Danjuma but only at their conditions, so it’s not easy.”

The Verdict: Get it done

If Moyes wants to bolster his ranks with a new attacking addition to provide competition for the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Antonio, then Danjuma is the man to do just the job, and he will already be familiar with English football having previously had a spell at Bournemouth.

The Lagos-born talent, dubbed an ‘exceptional player’ by Jonathan Woodgate, was a force to be reckoned with last season under Unai Emery, making 20 goal contributions across all competitions, with seven of those coming in just 11 Champions League appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

The forward, who is versatile and can play either on the wing or down the middle, is clearly used to performing on the world stage, and with West Ham having ambitions to get back to the Europa League, it could be a match made in heaven.