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Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a late injury setback ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Burnley.

What’s the latest?

In Friday’s press conference, Bruno Lage disclosed Wolves’ injury status heading into Sunday’s affair at Turf Moor.

On the injuries in the camp, Lage told the media: “Ruben’s still out for this game and Daniel and Max – two days ago, the injury in the stadium, and he came out with a little pain so will not be available for the next game.”

Lage will be gutted

Lage began Friday’s press conference by stating his hopes for the Old Gold are to “fight for the right to play European football at Molineux” and wanted to achieve this by continuing to “play the way we play.”

Though, they may struggle at the back without the presence of 24-year-old star Max Kilman, who has been ruled out of the clash at Turf Moor after picking up a knock in Wolves’ last game against Newcastle United.

Kilman has thoroughly asserted himself as a Premier League mainstay under Bruno Lage this season. The England-Ukraine star has featured in 94% of Wolves’ Premier League campaign, building on from what was a breakout the season prior under former boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

The former Maidenhead United player has taken to Premier League football like a duck to water, with his 3.5 clearances per match matching Old Gold captain Conor Coady, ranking him second out of the Wolves squad in this metric.

His fitness status comes as a late blow for Wolves, as well as being something that will leave Lage gutted, with the £14.4m-rated talent playing a big part in Wolves’ watertight defence that has seen only Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City concede fewer goals than the Molineux outfit this season.

Supporters will be hoping for the return of Kilman in their fixture against Brighton on the 30th of April, with his importance valued highly under Bruno Lage.

AND in other news: “Willing to make proposal”: Source drops huge update that Wolves supporters will love

Norwich City are interested in the signing of Joe Worrall this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

That’s the word from The Sun on Sunday (via Football League World) this weekend, who claim that the Nottingham Forest centre-back is on Daniel Farke’s shortlist of targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

The £3.6 million-rated defender has also been reported to be attracting the interest of Premier League side Burnley, while both Celtic and Bournemouth were said to be keeping tabs on the 24-year-old at the beginning of the season – when Forest were demanding a fee of around £12 million to part with the former England U21 international.

As such, with there being no indication of this asking price changing, it would appear as if the Canaries should be prepared to part with a figure in this region if they wish to land the £10,000-per-week defender this summer.

Instant upgrade

With City’s on-loan centre-back, Ben Gibson, suffering a season-ending ankle injury back in March, the centre of the Canaries’ defence has been somewhat exposed for its lack of depth in recent weeks, with Farke opting to field 18-year-old Andrew Omobamidele to fill in for the injured Gibson.

The German manager does also have the option of Christoph Zimmermann in the position, however, with the 28-year-old making an average of just 0.5 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 2.4 blocks per game over his 22 Championship appearances this term, culminating in a disappointing average WhoScored match rating of just 6.42, it would rightly seem as if Zimmermann is not particularly fancied by Farke in the heart of his defence.

And, following Norwich’s promotion to the Premier League after an impressive second-tier campaign, centre-back would appear to be a position in which City must invest if they wish to stand any chance of remaining a top-flight club going forwards.

This is where Worrall comes in, as, despite Forest’s poor season in the Championship, the 24-year-old has highly impressed over his 29 appearances for Chris Hughton’s side, making an average of 0.7 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 4.3 clearances per fixture, all of which contributes towards his average SofaScore match rating of 6.95 – ranking him as the club’s fifth-best performer in the second tier.

As such, when comparing the statistics of both Zimmermann and Worrall, it would very much appear as if the Forest player would add a great deal more to the City backline than the German defender currently does.

Furthermore, the 24-year-old’s contributions would also likely be improved by him playing in a considerably better side than his current Forest team, something that was evident when the defender spent some time on loan at Rangers back in 2018/19, with Worrall averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.20 over his four Europa League appearances for Steven Gerrard’s side, and the Gers’ manager dubbing the defender as “outstanding”.

So, it would be a very smart move by Stuart Webber in landing the signing of Worrall this summer, as the defender would represent a significant improvement on a number of options in the middle of the Norwich City defence – especially for the reported £12 million price.

Crystal Palace suffered their third consecutive Premier League loss on Saturday as they were defeated 2-0 by Manchester City.

Two goals in as many second half minutes from Sergio Aguero and Ferran Torres secured victory for Pep Guardiola’s troops, with the Eagles’ campaign now looking like it is set to fizzle out under Roy Hodgson.

Whilst it may have been somewhat unrealistic to expect Palace to go toe-to-toe with the champions-elect, the hosts were certainly not helped by an absolutely horrendous performance from the usually inspiring Wilfried Zaha.

The 18-cap Ivorian was anonymous at Selhurst Park on Saturday in an offensive sense, not having a single shot and providing just one key pass throughout the game according to WhoScored. He was not able to display what is arguably his most potent weapon, having not completed a single dribble during the 90 minutes.

The frustrations did not end there, either. He was caught offside on two occasions, which was more than the entire Eagles side put together.

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Zaha continued to be wasteful and ineffective as the game continued and the Eagles lost control of the contest. The forward lost possession on 14 occasion,s whilst of the 12 duels for which he competed, he was only able to win two of those, according to SofaScore.

Having struck his 10th goal of the seasonagainst Leicester City last time out, Roy Hodgson will have hoped that the 28-year-old would continue his positive form against Manchester City, but he did not get anywhere near the performance levels expected of him at all throughout the afternoon.

He will certainly hope that Zaha can produce better in Palace’s next Premier League game against Sheffield United.

AND in more news, find out which boss is now top of Palace’s managerial shortlist ahead of next season…

A huge Newcastle United transfer claim has been made regarding their pursuit of Diego Carlos…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies will make another move to land the Brazil defender this week as they attempt to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad. Sevilla are said to be working hard to avoid cashing by rejecting the Toon’s interest so far.

Romano tweeted: “Newcastle will push again in the next hours for Diego Carlos. Sevilla are trying to resist in every way as they did for Koundé/Chelsea deal last summer – but Newcastle are willing to insist. Key hours ahead. #NUFC Diego already agreed personal terms days ago. He’s waiting.”

Fans will be delighted

Newcastle fans will be delighted with this update for several reasons. Firstly, the claim that Carlos is ‘waiting’ after agreeing personal terms with the club shows that there is a willingness from the defender to make the switch to St James’ Park.

This shows that he is eager to join the club and is passionate about a transfer to Newcastle, which fans will surely love in comparison to a player who needs to be convinced. The 28-year-old wants the move and the Magpies now need to find an agreement with the Spanish outfit to get it done.

The supporters will also be buzzing with Romano’s tweet as it shows that Nick Hammond, Eddie Howe and PIF are not willing to give up easily. They could have admitted defeat and moved further down their list of targets, potentially lowering the ceiling on the quality of player they can bring to the club, but instead are doing their best to land the man who could be their top target.

Fans will love this as it shows ambition and a desire to sign the best possible players to bolster the squad in the January transfer window. With Newcastle currently sat 19th in the Premier League and on just one win after 20 matches, reinforcements are needed to aid their bid to avoid relegation from the top flight, and this is why working hard to sign a player like Carlos could delight the Toon Army.

The centre-back has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.16 in La Liga this season, showing that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis in a top European league. The newly-signed Kieran Trippier is the only Newcastle player (7.30) who has averaged a higher rating than Carlos this term, and that is based on a small sample size, which highlights how big of a potential signing the Sevilla defender could be.

AND in other news, “He is set to join Newcastle”: Insider’s early morning update will leave fans buzzing…

After spending three seasons on loan at Elland Road it appears that Jack Harrison will eventually make it a permanent move this summer and former Leeds United midfielder David Norris is pleasantly surprised at how cheap he will be.

The fee is reported to be around £10 million and considering clubs will be looking to receive as much money as possible to ease the fall of losing money in the season just gone, that seems a relatively low fee for Harrison.

This is the first season that Harrison has spent in the Premier League despite signing for Manchester City back in 2018 when he arrived from one of the fellow City Group clubs, New York City, and he has taken to life in the top-flight with ease having managed eight goals and assists in 36 games.

Considering some of the astronomical fees that get spent on average players nowadays, £10 million would be a low asking price from City and something they may regret, according to Norris, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“I’m really surprised, especially with the figures that get thrown around these days and what players have gone for in the last couple of years. I’m very surprised to hear that City have accepted such a low fee, you’d expect it to be double that.

“He’s now proven that he can do a job and these days that sort of fee is nothing considering the potential of the player, and I don’t think it’s much of a risk.”

Harrison never appeared to have a chance at Manchester City considering the calibre of players like Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden were ahead of him in the pecking order.

Man City will be hoping that the decision to let Harrison go does not backfire like it has with Jadon Sancho who they also allowed to leave without being given a chance in the first team and is now one of the best wingers in the world.

Crystal Palace’s next manager having a lack of input when it comes to transfers is a problem, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview.

Ex-Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo was close to succeeding Roy Hodgson in the Selhurst Park dugout. However, according to Sky Sports, it was the above, as well as finances surrounding the deal, that caused things to collapse and forced Steve Parish to look elsewhere.

With so many Palace players set to leave the club this month when their contracts expire, you would expect the Eagles to be busy in the transfer market as they look for replacements.

But if the man in charge of the team does not get to have much of a say, Palmer thinks you have a problem. When asked by FFC if the claims from Sky Sports are a worry, the ex-Leeds United player said:

“It is. Two things as a manager: A, you want the final say on who’s coming in. B, if you’re going into the Premier League now, you need to know what’s available for you to bring in in terms of bodies because, ultimately, that’s going to decide your future at the football club.

“So any manager worth his salt is not going to take a job unless he has assurances about those two things.”

All in all, it is probably fair to say that there is a lot going on at Palace right now.

“The freight train has arrived!” screamed BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce as the ever willing and relentless Everton target Denzel Dumfries scored for the Netherlands last week.

Former Toffees striker Romelu Lukaku may have caught the eye at Euro 2020 with his goals and Raheem Sterling with his infectious attitude but no player has arguably won more hearts than Dumfries, a player who could be arriving at Goodison Park this summer.

The rampant Dutch full-back exited the tournament after his country lost to the Czech Republic a matter of days ago but he excelled in remarkable fashion, catching the eyes of the top brass at Everton.

He was lung-busting in his pursuit of the ball down the right-hand side, battering attacking players into the middle of Qatar 2022 and dominating defensive lines.

Dumfries will have many suitors after the European Championships and his PSV release clause of €15m (£13m) is sure to attract plenty as well.

One of the clubs reportedly chasing his signature are Everton, now under the watchful eyes of Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard will find it difficult to win over a portion of the Goodison Park faithful who despise him due to his Liverpool allegiances.

Despicable signs of protests have been hung outside the 61-year-old’s house and he will have to go some distance to win them over.

One way he can do so is by acting shrewdly in the transfer market and signing the monstrous presence of Dumfries.

He is one of the most striking defenders in European football, combining immense physical robustness with defensive solidity and ruthless attacking.

The right-back scored twice during the competition and earned plenty of plaudits. Journalist James Benge called him “thrilling” while former Hull player, David Meyler, said Dumfries had been “unbelievable” in every game.

It’s hard to disagree with those assessments. The defender won three aerial duels and made 1.3 tackles per game for the Netherlands at Euro 2020.

For context, only one full-back in the entire tournament has been better aerially than the 25-year-old.

Dumfries also produced 1.5 shots per game, while he was fouled on 1.8 occasions per match, a remarkable tally for somebody playing in his position.

A quick look at his heat map (via SofaScore) from the competition tells you just how high up the pitch he plays with the vast majority of his touches and running coming in the final third.

Benitez will have plenty of targets in mind but he must ensure Dumfries tops the list.

With Seamus Coleman’s contract due to expire in a year’s time, the Toffees will need another right-back to slot in on that third of the pitch anyway.

AND in other news, Everton submit bid to sign 96-cap ace with “immense talent”, it’s Rafa’s first mistake…

Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham does not believe Fabio Paratici’s comments that Spurs aren’t interested in Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Paratici denies Vlahovic rumours

Tottenham have been heavily linked with a move for the Fiorentina striker (Tuttomercatoweb).

However, Lilywhites director Paratici has denied the rumours, saying that the north London outfit are not interested in the Serbia international (via Fabrizio Romano).

The Latest: Wenham doesn’t believe

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham has revealed that he does not believe the comments from Paratici. He said:

“That’s not surprising to me.

“What Paratici says to the Italian media and what is going on in the background are two very different things.

“It would be dangerous to put down a real statement if Atletico Madrid then offer him double the money and we miss out.

“Then we’re looked at as a failure. Sometimes it’s better to conduct your business quietly in the background.

“I would imagine we are interested. We were heavily linked over the summer.

“He seems to have a nice profile to him, a nice build. From what I’ve seen he looks very good.

“I’m always a fan of those iconic Fiorentina kits. I think Tottenham are in for him.

“I wouldn’t read too much into Paratici’s comments.”

The Verdict: Worth a punt

With Harry Kane handing in a transfer request and looking for a move away from Spurs (Sky Sports), Daniel Levy was on the lookout for a new striker in the summer. Unsurprisingly, Vlahovic featured high up on the list of targets.

Last season, he scored 21 times in 37 Serie A matches (Transfermarkt), while he already has four goals in seven league matches this term. He was even called one of the best strikers in Europe by Christian Vieri.

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, La Viola were said to be looking for at least €70m (£59.4m, via Goal.com) for his services, which would represent a huge outlay for the London outfit. However, if Spurs really want a top-quality striker, they would need to shell out a big sum. Hopefully for them, Paratici’s comments are part of a bigger plan.

In other news, Tottenham want to sign this controversial midfielder

Nottingham Forest have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Lee Buchanan to the City Ground this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Dane Murphy’s second bid for the Derby County left-back has been rejected by the Rams.

Nixon continues by stating that the offer was much improved on the initial proposal, however, it that it still fell some way short of an amount that would see Wayne Rooney’s side consider parting with the 20-year-old this summer.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Forest. New and improved bid for Lee Buchanan. Derby said no. Latest package definitely better but not yet enough.”

Murphy masterclass

While Murphy has not been Nottingham Forest’s CEO for a great deal of time whatsoever, if the American can manage to convince the club’s fiercest of rivals to part with one of their most promising talents ahead of next season, it would undeniably be something of a masterclass by the chief executive.

Indeed, the left-back demonstrated a significant amount of promise over his 35 Championship appearances for Derby last season, helping his side keep seven clean sheets, as well as making an average of 0.9 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 2.3 clearances and winning 6.1 duels per game.

The £2.25m-rated man also chipped in for his side going forwards, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.4 key passes per match.

These returns saw the man Rooney dubbed a “top player” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.67, something that would have undoubtedly been higher if the Rams had not lost a total of 24 league games last term.

Furthermore, with Forest currently lacking depth at left-back, not only would the addition of Buchanan be an incredibly exciting signing, it would also solve one of Chris Hughton’s major squad issues.

As such, it is easy to see why Murphy appears so keen to land the £390-per-week starlet this summer, although whether or not the CEO manages to convince Derby to sell remains to be seen.

In other news: Murphy must avoid unforgivable Forest transfer disaster over “unbelievable” dynamo

Following Rangers’ Champions League exit against Malmo earlier this month, it was perhaps always likely that some of the top performers in Steven Gerrard’s side would attract interest from elsewhere, with recent reports claiming that the Gers have rejected three bids for Ianis Hagi.

What’s the word?

According to The Scottish Sun, Rangers have rejected separate bids from Sevilla, Lazio and Galatasaray for the Romania international, who won the Light Blues’ Young Player of the Year award last season after a string of impressive performances for Gerrard’s side.

The 22-year-old only joined Rangers from Genk on a permanent deal worth £3m last summer following an impressive loan spell at Ibrox, yet he has regularly been linked with a move away this summer, even before the Gers’ defeat against Malmo which cost them a potential spot in the Champions League group stage.

The Scottish Sun included a report from Fanatik which details Galatasaray’s bid for the winger and claims that Rangers value Hagi at around £9.3m this summer.

Could Hagi leave?

Although Rangers fans may be keen to see Hagi stay at the club this summer, it has been widely reported that the Gers need to raise money through player sales in the near future, especially after missing out on the reported £40m bonus of reaching the Champions League group stage. That could leave fans worried that the 22-year-old could be dispensed with, especially if he keeps attracting transfer offers.

Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent are regarded as the most valuable players in Gerrard’s squad and have regularly been linked with moves to Porto and Leeds United respectively, but if both were to remain at Ibrox, then you would imagine that Hagi could be one of the likeliest candidates to leave.

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Gerrard is a big fan of the Romanian, dubbing him an “outstanding talent” after he inspired Rangers to a comeback win against Braga in the 2019/20 campaign. However, if the youngster is keen on a move away from Ibrox, perhaps the Gers may be forced to sell him in order to balance the books this summer, which would surely frustrate the Rangers boss.

In other news… Rangers dealt transfer blow with “exceptionally good” beast, Gerrard must be gutted