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Wolverhampton Wanderers have begun their Premier League campaign with a whimper, losing 2-1 to Leeds United before labouring to a woeful 0-0 draw against Fulham and losing 1-0 to Tottenham, leaving Bruno Lage’s men on one point from three games.

The club’s lack of a genuine goalscoring threat was evident in their first three matches, scoring once in 270 minutes. Even then it was from winger Daniel Podence, with the club clearly missing Raul Jimenez from injury.

The pressure has been somewhat alleviated by the signing of Goncalo Guedes from Valencia for £27.5m, and although he isn’t an out-and-out number nine, he should still provide a threat from wide areas.

Lage has been looking for a traditional striker and he could well repeat the club’s Jimenez masterstroke by making a move for Benfica star Goncalo Ramos.

Alex Crook reported that Wolves face a shootout with fellow Premier League side Southampton for the signature of the Portuguese forward, and the talkSPORT reporter reckons that it would be a bigger signing than Matheus Nunes due to the team’s lack of goals.

The Old Gold signed Jimenez from Benfica in 2019 for £30m after an initial loan spell and could well repeat that masterstroke, with Ramos being valued at the same price and playing at the same club.

Jimenez has scored 54 goals and registered 23 assists in 147 appearances for Wolves. and his goals propelled them to a seventh-place finish in his first two seasons at Molineux.

There’s no reason to doubt that Ramos could have the same impact, especially if he gets excellent service from the likes of Ruben Neves, Nunes and Guedes.

The young forward’s space-invading talents and knack for scoring on a regular basis is comparable with that of Thomas Muller, with the 21-year-old saying in relation to the German: “I think I have some similarities with him and he is also an example for me. Looking at what I do and what he does, I love the comparison. He is a position I feel comfortable in the game. I have always played there since he started.”

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Muller has been one of the most prolific players in Europe since his breakthrough at Bayern Munich in 2009/10, netting 227 goals and registering 245 assists across 626 appearances for the Bundesliga giants.

If Wolves sign Ramos – who has been dubbed “one to watch” – they could repeat the coup of Jimenez and have a Muller-esque marksman all in one go, which will give the Molineux faithful a much-needed boost after their team’s dreary start to the campaign.

Manchester City could be set to tie down the future of midfielder Bernardo Silva beyond his current contract at the club.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Athletic, some people behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium believe that Silva could be open to discussing a potential extension to his current contract at the club, which is set to expire in the summer of 2025.

The Portugal international had been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona this summer until the same report from The Athletic claimed that the player has now stuck his focus on staying with Pep Guardiola’s side.

City signed the 28-year-old back in the 2017 summer transfer window from AS Monaco in a deal worth £43m.

Since then, Silva has gone on to make 253 appearances for the Citizens across all competitions, scoring 48 goals and providing 50 assists along the way, in addition to winning numerous domestic trophies.

A big boost for Guardiola

If Silva is indeed focused on remaining at City and potentially open to discussing a new deal, it will come as a seismic boost to Guardiola.

The Portuguese playmaker is a hugely important cog for the champions, particularly last season when only Kevin De Bruyne (139) produced more shot-creating actions than Silva (127), who also only saw Rodri (171) make more successful pressures than him (143).

With that in mind, it’s clear that he is the epitome of a Pep player; someone who works hard but still finds a way to fashion goal-scoring opportunities.

He ended the campaign with a very strong overall performance rating of 7.27/10 from WhoScored, making him the fifth-highest rated player at City, indicating just how impressive he can be with and without the ball and why he’d be a big miss for the team if he were to leave.

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Last September, the City boss had this to say about the Portugal international and what he means to him.

“(He is) an exceptional player. All I want for Bernardo is to be happy, here and everywhere, number one is his happiness because he’s a guy who deserves the best.”

Thus, if City can get through to the end of the summer transfer window with Silva in their squad, they should definitely make an approach to the player to see if he would indeed be willing to either sign a contract extension or improve his current terms, as keeping such a talented player at the Etihad would undoubtedly be a boost to everyone associated with the Citizens.

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Southampton will find it difficult to sign Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi this summer.

The Lowdown: Hudson-Odoi wants Chelsea exit

The Guardian reported last weekend that the 21-year-old has asked to leave the Premier League giants on loan in a bid to find more game time, and after being omitted from the Blues’ match-day squad for their opening day victory against Everton, an exit looks highly likely.

Fabrizio Romano first credited the Saints with an interest in the forward when he revealed that they have enquired about his availability, but there are doubts regarding the possibility of a deal being pulled off.

The Latest: Jones shares Saints concern

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones admitted that he thinks Hudson-Odoi won’t view Southampton as an ideal club for him to join in comparison with other offers he might receive. He said:

“Southampton is the one that has been most widely circulated. I’m not wholly convinced, at this point in time, that Hudson-Odoi sees that as the best place for him.”

The Verdict: Good deal for both parties?

If Ralph Hasenhuttl could convince Hudson-Odoi to put pen to paper at St. Mary’s, he would be a wonderful addition to the squad, even if it is temporary.

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The Chelsea starlet only made 11 starts in the top-flight last season due to injury, but managed to make a positive impact when given the chance, averaging 1.7 key passes and 1.2 shots per game, via WhoScored.

Hudson-Odoi wants minutes under his belt and he could be a guaranteed starter under the Austrian if he hits the ground running, so a move to the south coast could be a lot more appealing than he thinks.

Rangers have already wrapped up seven major signings so far this summer, although with just a under month or so to go until the window closes there could well be further activity for the Old Firm giants.

One name that had been linked back in June was Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, with 90min suggesting that the Ibrox outfit had been offered the chance to sign the England international, while interest was also brewing from Premier League clubs.

The ten-cap gem – who could reportedly cost in the region of £20m – appears surplus to requirements in north London after enduring a difficult few seasons with the Lilywhites, with a report from late July suggesting that he is now “expected to leave” by the end of the window.

The January arrival of Rodrigo Bentancur – as well as the more recent capture of Yves Bissouma – has enhanced the competition for a midfield berth under Antonio Conte, with Winks likely to be the notable casualty as a result of those new additions.

Cast out by his current side, it could well prove to the gain of those in Glasgow, with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst set to have a real star on his hands if a deal can be struck in the coming weeks.

Despite his current woes, the £91k-per-week playmaker is undoubtedly a player of real quality and one who could thrive for the Gers this season, having notably been compared to Barcelona legend, Xavi Hernandez, by former boss Mauricio Pochettino.

That comparison will be of particular interest to that of Van Bronckhorst, with the 47-year-old having played alongside the serial-winning Spaniard during his spell at the Camp Nou, with the pair notably winning the Champions League together in 2006.

The former Feyenoord boss will then be fully aware of just how talented the diminutive genius was, with Xavi arguably ranking among the finest in his position to have ever played the game, such was his majestic quality with the ball at his feet.

The now-retired ace – who is currently the man at the helm in Catalonia – was a truly gifted playmaker in his pomp, showcasing that effortless ability to run a game from his central midfield berth, without the need for speed, strength or a towering statue.

Although Winks has suffered a notable decline in recent times, the 26-year-old also has that innate ability to dictate the tempo in the centre of the park despite his slight frame, having notably been dubbed “clever” by Nick Godwin.

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Also labelled a “baller” by one source, the Hemel Hempstead-born menace has even recorded impressive statistics amid his recent slump, notably ranking in the top 2% for progressive passes and the top 12% for attempted passes among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing his willingness to play the ball forward and get his side on the front foot.

After seeing Joe Aribo depart for Southampton last month, adding such a quality, ball-playing midfielder to the Rangers’ ranks such as Winks could well be vital, with Van Bronckhorst knowing full well the benefits of having a Xavi-esque player in any side.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage can save millions by unleashing Adama Traore this season, he can be like a new signing after returning from his loan spell at FC Barcelona.

Speaking about the player on Football Daily, podcaster Zac Djellab said:

“He is a special player, he’s a guy that if [Lage] can get working in the right way, can really, really help [Wolves] out.

“Going and sending him on loan in January shows to me that Bruno Lage was like, I don’t want him.

“It doesn’t look like he’s going to be leaving, and so maybe he tries and gets a system where he can fit in and make it work.”

Given Traore’s impressive performances for Wolves in the past, it was surprising to see him sent out on loan in January, but with Barcelona not exercising the option to buy him permanently, it looks like he’s staying.

If that’s the case, then Lage must unleash him as he could help Wolves climb up the table and get closer to qualifying for Europe.

In 154 appearances for the Old Gold, Traore has been directly involved in 29 goals. It may not seem a huge amount but he’s put in some great performances in that time and can provide great competition.

His standout season came in 2019-20 when he assisted 12 – with journalist Tim Spiers describing one of them as “perfect”.

If you compare him to his teammate at Molineux Daniel Podence last season, there’s very little difference in quality. They both played a similar amount of games in the last campaign – with Traore performing better in many categories.

He tallied more goal-creating actions per 90 minutes with 0.31 compared to the Portuguese player’s 0.24, showing he has the ability to create more.

The Spaniard, once dubbed “unplayable” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, also had a higher successful press percentage at 29% compared to Podence’s 27%, proving how hard he works out of possession.

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He deserves a second chance, and at £46k-per-week Lage might as well use him, and Wolves can save millions by not buying someone else.

Ultimately Lage should see him as an asset with his best years yet to come, and he should offer him a new deal before they lose him for free next summer.

AND in other news, “Rumours that…”: Liam Keen drops huge Wolves transfer update supporters will love…

Leeds United’s talks with Crysencio Summerville over a new deal are at an advanced stage, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Fresh Gelhardt deal

The Whites have been hard at work in the transfer market ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge and are now working on in-house business.

The club are thought to be on the verge of announcing a new five-year deal for young forward Joe Gelhardt, who will earn a 55% pay rise at Elland Road.

Gelhardt has become a regular in the first-team squad over the last 12 months, but it looks as if he isn’t the only forward who will pen fresh terms in Yorkshire.

The Latest: Summerville to follow?

According to FI, Leeds are in advanced talks with Summerville over a new contract.

The 20-year-old is into the final 12 months of his current deal, and the club are keen to secure his long-term future after links of a move to Nottingham Forest earlier in the window.

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The Verdict: Good news

Leeds have put plenty of time and effort into developing both Gelhardt and Summerville in recent years at academy level, so it is good news to see they will both extend their stay with the club.

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Hopefully, we will see Summerville following in Gelhardt’s footsteps of making a real impact on the first team stage, and who knows, his chance may come sooner rather than later following an injury to Luis Sinisterra in pre-season.

He’s been labelled as ‘sensational’ by Andrew Taylor and a player with a ‘bag of tricks’ by Chris Powell, so it looks as if Leeds fans should be excited by what’s to come from the forward over the next few years.

Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in a six-club scrap for out-of-favour Barcelona forward Memphis Depay, according to Spanish publication AS (via JFC News).

The lowdown

It was only last summer that Barcelona signed Depay after he reached the end of his Lyon contract, labelled a ‘phenomenal’ signing by BBC writer Premier League Panel, but already he’s been deemed surplus to requirements.

That’s after the Catalan giants added Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha to their ranks and renewed the contract of Ousmane Dembele.

Spurs have already made an attacking addition themselves this summer, spending £52.5million on Richarlison, but it seems Antonio Conte wants even more depth at his disposal.

The latest

AS report that Juventus are the latest club to join a race that also includes Spurs, Napoli, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Depay’s former club Lyon.

They also reveal that Xavi has held frank discussions with the forward during Barcelona’s pre-season tour of the United States, telling him that he will effectively spend the ‘whole season’ on the bench if he stays at the Nou Camp and urging him to find a new club.

Depay, dubbed ‘incredible’ by La Liga writer Rafael Hernandez, is apparently available for a fee of €20million, which equates to about £16.9million.

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The verdict

Intriguingly, the report mentions that Depay’s departure would help Barcelona in their efforts to trim their wage bill. As per SalarySport, he’s one of the club’s top earners on £158,000 per week.

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If it’s public knowledge that the Blaugrana need to get salaries off their books, then that certainly puts them in a weak negotiating position. On that basis, Fabio Paratici can attempt to sign the Dutchman for even less than the quoted £16.9m fee.

That would be a bargain for a player who netted 13 goals in 37 appearances last season, averaging one every 190 minutes, and has scored 42 goals in 79 caps for the Netherlands.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Matheus Nunes this summer, and there has been a new update on the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Paisley Gates), there is a strong possibility that the 23-year-old will make the move to England, with the Reds remaining interested.

As per the report, Sporting Lisbon are now only interested in doing business in the transfer market to sell players at this point, and the midfielder seems one of the most likely outgoings for the Portuguese club.

Big Keita upgrade

The Reds are reportedly prioritising the midfield as key area to improve and strengthen after completing the club-record signing of Darwin Nunez this summer, and Nunes could be the perfect Naby Keita upgrade if FSG can secure a deal for the 23-year-old in the coming weeks.

The Guinea international will be out of contract in less than 12 months’ time, and although Liverpool are speculated to be in talks to negotiate a new deal for the midfielder, they may not need to if they can sign the Sporting star this summer.

According to FBRef, both Nunes and Keita matched up for goal contributions, scoring three goals and delivering one assist each, although there are many attributes where Nunes outperforms his positional peer on Merseyside.

The 23-year-old has a better shot on target accuracy (27.3%), created more big chances (six), made more tackles (two) and won more duels (6.5) on average per game, while also being more successful in completing his dribble attempts (70%) compared to Keita (63%).

The £42.2m-valued dynamo has been the recipient of high praise, with his former team-mate Goncalo Santos hailing him previously (via Liverpool Echo).

Santos said of Nunes: “It’s unbelievable when he has the ball at his feet. Nobody can catch him; it’s impossible because he’s too fast.

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“If you are in the defensive phase and he gets the ball, he can run with it and fire the team 30 yards up the pitch because he is so good in possession.”

With that in mind, the powerbrokers at Anfield should carefully consider whether they ought to offer a new contract to Keita or sign an upgrade in Nunes this summer to replace the Guinea midfielder.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano drops Liverpool transfer update that’ll frustrate supporters

Tottenham Hotspur could sign a new attacking midfielder before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who believes the north London outfit are open to finding a no.10 but are not desperate to do so this summer.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think the 10 is an interesting one for Tottenham. It’s a position they are open to, but I don’t think they’re especially desperate for one right now.”

Spurs have been linked to several names in this profile of target and perhaps the most intriguing is Jesse Lingard, who the Telegraph claim is a key target due to his homegrown status.

The 29-year-old dynamo left his boyhood club, Manchester United, after over two decades and now finds himself as a free-agent, meaning he would not cost chairman Daniel Levy a penny in terms of a transfer fee.

Lingard’s versatility is another key factor behind the Lilywhites’ interest as he can play in a multitude of roles, ranging from no.10 to out wide and even upfront.

But it’s in attacking midfield that he could thrive as statistical website FBref liken his playing style to that of Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard, so sporting director Fabio Paratici could secure his very own carbon copy of the arch-rival star.

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The England international ranks very favourably compared to his positional peers across Europe – he sits amongst the top 1% for pressures (26.35 per 90), the top 3% for passes completion (85.8% per 90) and the top 4% for tackles (2.41 per 90), also via FBref.

These returns would suggest that Lingard could be a perfect fit for Conte’s system as he can evidently press from the front, even often winning the ball back and clearly possesses playmaking capabilities.

We saw glimpses of that during a loan spell at West Ham United, where he delivered nine goals and five assists from 16 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

“He’s a special lad and was very good around the players, the players really like him. His ability shone out last year and gave us a great option in our squad,” claimed former Irons assistant Stuart Pearce to talkSPORT.

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Meanwhile, talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham lauded him as “absolutely phenomenal” for his form at the London Stadium.

Given that Spurs could pick up a player that’s valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt for nothing, it seems a low-risk and no-brainer move from Paratici and co at Hotspur Way.

In Lingard, they could find their very own Odegaard, a player capable of filling that no.10 void at Tottenham, without paying a penny. It makes the world of sense.

AND in other news, £16.6m wasted: Conte must axe £50k-p/w Spurs passenger who Pochettino dubbed “perfect”…

West Ham are plotting a swoop for Burnley winger Dwight McNeil as David Moyes looks to add to his squad.

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Sun, who claim that West Ham are lining up a £10m bid for the winger, although Burnley are likely to want more than that for the player.

The Hammers face competition from Tottenham Hotspur for the 22-year-old this summer and Moyes will have to act fast to secure his signature.

Just imagine him and Bowen

West Ham will be looking at building on last season’s success by making some headway into the transfer market and bringing in some high-quality players.

Moyes has made a good start, with the Premier League side securing the signings of Nayef Aguerd and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, but surely more incomings will be required if the manager aims to replicate the side’s excellent European run last season.

With a serious lack of depth in the attacking department, a move for McNeil makes sense. His main position is on the left wing but is equally adept in both a left midfield and wingback role too, which is a big bonus for Moyes.

Former Burnley boss Sean Dyche dubbed the winger “dangerous” and a “real talent” which should be enough to convince Moyes of his talents.

McNeil didn’t have the greatest of seasons in terms of goal involvements (zero goals and one assist) as Burnley ended their six-season stay in the Premier League with relegation in May, but he did display other attributes.

The 22-year-old created six big chances, making 1.3 key passes and 1.4 shots per match while also winning 54% of his duels.

Moyes could unleash McNeil on the left and Jarrod Bowen on the right and form an excellent wide partnership next season as the club aims to take the next step up in their development under the Scot.

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Combine the former’s mesmeric crossing ability with Bowen’s finishing and it would surely be a match made in heaven.

A deal for the Burnley man might just be the catalyst for further attacking additions to the playing squad and another top six challenge.

AND in other news: Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham…