According to a recent report from the BBC, Cameron Carter-Vickers could be set for a move away this month. The 20-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League side Tottenham having come up through the youth ranks at the North London club, although just four senior appearances for Mauricio Pochettino’s men suggests that he still remains some way away from commanding regular football.

And reports suggest that Swansea City are closing in on a move for the £900,000-rated talent (as per Transfermarkt), yet it is Gary Rowett’s Stoke City who are clearly in need of the centre back in a bid to replace the awful Ashley Williams in the Potters backline.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Staffordshire-based outfit secured the Wales international’s services on loan for the entirety of the season from top-flight side Everton, which certainly came as a welcome relief to some Everton fans after the defender’s poor end to the 2017/18 season.

And he hasn’t started brilliantly at Stoke either in starting three of their opening four Championship matches, in which time the Potters have failed to keep a clean sheet, while he also received a red card in the 3-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic on Wednesday to further compound his misery.

And having received a red card in his last appearance for Everton last term, it’s clear that Williams simply isn’t the centre back he once was, and is now arguably a liability to have in one’s backline.

Thus, Stoke simply have to replace him in the starting line-up, and Spurs’ Carter-Vickers could be the man for the job.

The 20-year-old may not have featured regularly for Tottenham in recent times, but he proved his Championship credentials last term in appearing 17 times for Sheffield United in the first half of the campaign, before adding 17 appearances for Ipswich Town after Christmas to help them finish in the top half of the table.

As such, his efforts last season suggest that the United States international has what it takes to succeed and produce the goods in the Championship, and that is exactly what Stoke are crying out for after a woeful start to the new campaign.

And with Williams proving to be nothing short of awful so far this term, replacing him with the 20-year-old is something Rowett must seek to do this month.

Stoke fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Middlesbrough have reportedly been chasing a deal for Everton’s Yannick Bolasie in recent days, but a report from the BBC published on Thursday suggests that the winger will join Aston Villa this summer.

Indeed, the 29-year-old looks set to take a step down to the Championship to resurrect his career which has been in free-fall since he suffered a cruciate ligament injury shortly after he arrived at Goodison Park.

Despite his injury woes there is no doubting that Bolasie still has plenty to offer with his direct style of dribbling and pace down the wing, so Middlesbrough will understandably be disappointed to miss out on securing his signature.

However, a recent report from the London Evening Standard suggests that an ideal alternative is available for a season-long loan deal, namely Jason Puncheon.

According to the report, Roy Hodgson hast told Crystal Palace’s attacking midfielder that he is free to leave after spending the majority of 2018 sidelined through injury.

A switch to the Riverside Stadium would give Puncheon the opportunity to get some first-team football under his belt once again and offer Tony Pulis a versatile option who could slot in on both wings or in a central position behind the striker.

With 193 appearances in the Premier League to his name, the 32-year-old is something of a top-flight veteran, and his experience in this regard would make him a valuable addition to the dressing room at any promotion-chasing club.

Boro may be disappointed by their failure to sign Bolasie, but they would quickly put that disappointment behind them by bringing in a player of Puncheon’s calibre.

Boro fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Middlesbrough look a force to be reckoned with this season after their strong start to the campaign and Tony Pulis will be hoping that continues. 

However with a long season ahead of them, the Championship is renown for being one of the trickiest divisions as anyone has the ability and power to beat anyone. Middlesbrough know that full well, having been up and down between the second and first division in recent years.

They cannot afford to get carried away as this early form may just be temporary. On paper they’re lacking the quality they had in the Premier League, especially after losing Adama Traore to Wolves over the summer, with The Sun journalist Alan Nixon claiming they are targeting Benfica’s Rafa Silva.

As of yet, Boro have not replaced him but the perfect way to do so would be to bring in Christian Atsu, a player valued at £5.4 million on Transfermarkt.

The 26-year-old is struggling to fight for a place back in the Newcastle set-up this season because of the talented wingers the Magpies also have. Last season though for Rafa Benitez, Atsu was an important player, hence why he appeared in 28 Premier League games.

The Ghanian scored twice and assisted two goals as well, showing that even without amazing statistics, he was still very much an important player for Newcastle.

Adama Traore is player blessed with outstanding raw pace and he frightens defenders when attacking an opponents back-line. He will be hugely missed by Middlesbrough but they don’t have time to dwell on who they’ve lost but just focus on recruiting the right man to replace him.

Christian Atsu fits the bill and has even previously played in the Championship, meaning he won’t take any time to get accustomed to the league.

Boro have to act quick in order to get this top Adama Traore replacement – Agreed?

Tottenham fans have been discussing one of Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest selection headaches, and they are completely split on who should start at left back.

Pochettino handed a huge boost of confidence to Danny Rose on Monday night, starting the 28 year-old at Old Trafford.

Rose made an awful mistake early on that was not punished by Romelu Lukaku, but had a solid performance outside of that, and has certainly swayed a few fans back into his camp.

“For me over the last four or five years we’ve worked together, Monday is probably the biggest thing he’s done for me,” said Rose after the 3-0 win.

Of course, Ben Davies was exceptional during Rose’s absence last season, grabbing two goals and six assists and improving week in week out.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”287921″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch The FPL Show Top value goalkeepers and GW4 captain picks”]

Pochettino now has the luxury of having two top class full backs on each flank, and plenty of fans are calling for Rose to get the permanent nod.

Several fans would rather stick with Davies though, perhaps due to Rose’s efforts to force a move away from North London last summer.

[ad_pod ]

So, Spurs fans, who do you think should start at left back? See what your fellow fans are saying down below…

[ad_pod ]

Aston Villa are in the midst of a centre-back crisis, with James Chester and Axel Tuanzebe the only recognised centre-backs at Villa Park and the latter currently being played at right-back by manager Steve Bruce.

Instead, the Englishman has been persisting with Chester and defensive-midfielder Mile Jedinak as a centre-back partnership and even allowed Tommy Elphick to go on loan to Hull, but the Birmingham-based side have now leaked 11 goals in just six league games so far.

Because of this, Bruce would be wise to delve into the free-agent market to bolster his options at the back, and 42 per cent of Villa fans wanted the club to sign ex-Leicester man and three-time Premier League winner Robert Huth.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”291495″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Giroud Emulates Zidane & Rashford Emulates… Welbeck!”]

Second in our poll was Steven Caulker, after the 26-year-old left Dundee following a half-season stint that allowed him to get his career back on track following a difficult spell at Queens Park Rangers. The Englishman, who has one cap for his country, has age on his side compared to Huth and 35-year-old James Collins.

Last in our poll with only seven per cent of the votes was the option for Bruce to re-integrate outcast Micah Richards, who incredibly is still under contract at the club. Check out the full results of the poll below.

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao has raved about his compatriot Alfredo Morelos after he developed into a crucial player for Rangers, in comments published by The Daily Record.

What’s the word?

Beginning the season with six goals in 13 appearances across all competitions, and helping to fire Rangers into the Europa League group stages, Alfredo Morelos has become a key asset for Steven Gerrard’s side in recent months.

The 22-year-old was rewarded for his displays at club level with a senior debut for Colombia’s national side and made his debut in his nation’s 2-1 friendly victory over Venezuela, while he will hold hopes of featuring against Argentina in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Morelos’ form has certainly not gone unnoticed and 78-cap Colombia icon Radamel Falcao, now playing for Monaco, was full of praise for the young striker in comments that were picked up by The Daily Record.

What was said?

“Alfredo Morelos is going to be a star for us. When you look at attitude he has and commitment he shows, he’s ready to get to the top.

“He could be a big player for Colombia for years to come. I liked his work rate and he’s willing to learn. There’s a lot to like when you look at the kids coming though.

“He’s already playing for his country at such a young age and it’s clear he will be a regular for years to come.”

How could can he be?

Morelos certainly deserves praise for his performances so far this season but he still has a fair amount to learn, attracting criticism following a red card earned during Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Aberdeen in August and also receiving his marching orders in the second leg of his side’s Europa League play-off tie with FC Ufa.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”288872″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafas Pub Facts Murray The Magician & Desperately Seeking Zaha”]

Gerrard must work hard to help erase those problems for the young striker and help him avoid being sucked into similar problems in the future and, if he does manage to remove those issues from his game, Morelos could emulate former Celtic man Moussa Dembele.

22-year-old Dembele shone during his two seasons with Celtic, scoring 26 goals in 55 league appearances and earning the Scottish champions a huge profit after leaving to join Lyon late in the summer transfer window for a fee reported to be worth around £20m.

While Dembele has the edge in experience, he struggled with injury problems during the latter years of his spell in Glasgow and Morelos, if he remains fit and avoids suspensions for red cards, could surpass the France U21 international imminently.

[ad_pod ]

Aston Villa loanee Andre Green has confirmed that he has undergone a knee operation to remove a cyst in a post on Twitter that has since been deleted, as reported by Portsmouth News.

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old forward had featured just two times for the League One side after being forced out of Villa Park following the summer acquisitions of Anwar El-Ghazi and Yannick Bolasie, with Steve Bruce then deciding a spell on loan is best for his development.

However, that plan has now been shattered after Green confirmed he had undergone an operation and will therefore subsequently face a spell on the sidelines.

What was said?

“After feeling pain in my knee for the last year due to a cyst I finally decided to get it removed. Thankful everything went well & this small set back can allow me to get back to my best & play 100% fit.”

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”298134″ player=”12034″ title=”PSG Are An Impressive Brand Not An Impressive Club”]

What next?

After earning five first-team appearances for Aston Villa last season, his exit from the squad was a major blow and the injury news will also present the England youth international with another hurdle to overcome.

While it is not clear how long he will be sidelined for, Green is expected to remain at Portsmouth as his loan spell lasts until the end of the campaign.

[ad_pod ]

[ad_pod ]

FootballFanCast.com’s Performance in Numbers coverage is brought to you by 5p0rtz. Try 5p0rtz’s Beat the Streak Predictor and you could win £1million! Click here to play.

Aston Villa fell to their second defeat of the season on Saturday, and Steve Bruce absolutely must change up the attack after Tammy Abraham’s horror show.

[ffc_insert title=”Check out the Big Interview with Ben Dinnery & Johnny Wilson” name=”Fixture In Focus Podcast Special” image_ link=”https://fixtureinfocus.podiant.co/e/369d9b4fb86294/” link_text=”Click here to play”]

Villa have had an up and down start to the season, as enthralling wins over Hull and Wigan have since been sullied by infuriating draws and two shock defeats.

The latest of those defeats came courtesy of Sheffield Wednesday, as the Owls were able to make good use of their limited possession to leave Villa Park with all three points.

Abraham’s performance was especially concerning, as the ball just wasn’t sticking to the youngster’s feet.

The 20 year-old has scored once since joining on loan from Chelsea, but Bruce simply must switch things up and get both Yannick Bolasie and Anwar El Ghazi involved as every attack seemed to fall apart at the youngster’s feet on Saturday.

Abraham touched the ball just 29 times, and completed a truly horrific 55 per cent of his passes. He wasn’t able to use his size to hold the ball up either, winning just one aerial duel.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”299719″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Man Utd Beat Young Boys But Not New Boys”]

The young striker just simply didn’t effect the game enough, completing one dribble and registering zero shots, and his goal drought at Swansea shows exactly what happens when he loses his confidence.

Bruce should switch things up when they visit Bristol City on Friday, using the likes of Bolasie and El Ghazi to play off and around the colossal Jonathan Kodjia.

So, Aston Villa fans, what did you think of the performance on Saturday? Should Abraham lose his place? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

Liverpool continued their excellent start to the season with a late equaliser at Chelsea this weekend to extend their unbeaten run under Jurgen Klopp this term.

The Reds have some of the most sought after attacking talents in the world in their line up, but often their defensive players get overlooked when it comes to people singing the praises of their star performers.

And one man we think comes into this category – especially with his performances this season – is defensive star Joe Gomez.

The youngster, valued at a hefty £22m by Transfermarkt already, is showing his worth for Klopp and his teammates this term already, with a string of fine performances alongside Virgil Van Dijk really cementing his repuation as one of the standout young players in the Premier League at the moment.

Gomez has appeared to really develop his game in the last couple of years especially, and after initially flirting with a spot at right back, it looks like he is on course to cement his place as one of the best defenders in the world for years to come.

If Liverpool and Gomez can continue in their current vein of form, then there is little doubt that both the individual, and his club, can go to on to demonstrate an element of dominance in the game for the next few years at the very least.

Liverpool fans, what do you think to Gomez? Do you think he has potential to be one of the world’s best? Let us know in the comments!

[ad_pod ]

Sunderland manager Jack Ross has hinted via The Chronicle that fringe man Reece James is set to play a pivotal role in the coming weeks, following a double blow for the League One high-flyers.

What’s the word, then?

Well, after losing Denver Hume to injury – with Ross explaining via The Chronicle that the impressive youngster is set to be out for another six weeks – his deputy Bryan Oviedo picked up a straight red card in the 2-2 draw with Peterborough United at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.

The Costa Rica international will now sit out the next three matches, and while it is bad news for the Wearside outfit and their fans, 36% of whom who voted on our poll believe their key first-team star is worth more than £15m, it is a different story for a summer addition.

The Black Cats brought James to the north east for free on a one-year deal after his contract with Wigan Athletic expired, and he would have hoped for some regular first-team football after choosing to remain in League One – although that hasn’t been the case.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”302265″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts The Icelandic Coutinho & The Scottish Ronaldo”]

How big an opportunity does he have now?

He has a huge opportunity – especially given the short length of his current contract.

Prior to coming on for the final 20 minutes against the Posh the 24-year-old had featured in just 190 minutes of League One football this term, with both Hume and Oviedo preferred ahead of him, and it seemed unlikely that his deal would be expired at the climax of the campaign.

However, the latest setbacks for Sunderland mean now that he has now gone from third-choice to first-choice in a matter of days, and he now has the chance to impress and stake his claim to remain in the starting XI even when Hume and Oviedo make their respective returns.

James has gone from being a fringe player to one that is going to be pivotal in the club’s promotion push in the coming weeks, as they look to make an instant return to the Championship.