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Adam Forshaw also picked up an injury in Leeds United’s pre-season friendly draw with Crystal Palace, adding to a fitness setback for Luis Sinisterra.

The Lowdown: Sinisterra blow

The Whites drew 1-1 with Palace on Friday afternoon, but the number one thing Jesse Marsch would have wanted is that his squad come through the game unscathed – he was dealt bad news on that front pretty quickly.

New signing Sinisterra limped out during the first half after going down with nobody around him, immediately leading to concern ahead of the new Premier League season.

That wasn’t the only issue, however, on a frustrating day at the office for Marsch and his side.

The Latest: Forshaw injured

Taking to Twitter, Simon Stone confirmed that Forshaw also had to go off with a problem of his own, adding to Leeds’ woes: “Now Forshaw gone off, also heading straight down the tunnel. Another injury.”

Marsch later confirmed (via Stone) a ‘knee tweak’ for the experienced midfielder, with no initial diagnosis on his return.

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The Verdict: Another cruel blow for midfielder

Forshaw has suffered a horribly injury-plagued career in recent years, missing almost two years of action with a hip issue and also suffering fresh problems last season.

This is, therefore, a cruel setback for a player who needs some good luck for once, not to mention the fact that he remains a key man, once being hailed as ‘excellent’ by Noel Whelan.

To have Forshaw missing for the opening league game of the season at home to Wolves next month would be a big blow, especially with Kalvin Phillips departing for Manchester City, so the hope is that this is nothing too serious.

Nottingham Forest are in ‘talks’ to sign Watford forward Emmanuel Dennis this summer, according to The Athletic’s Adam Leventhal.

The Lowdown: Dennis’ departure expected

According to The Athletic, Watford are willing to sell the 24-year-old this window, which has been their stance since their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.

The Nigeria international expects to leave this summer and the club seem to be in agreement that this will be the case.

The Hornets striker is available for a fee in the region of £20m, guaranteeing the club a considerable profit on the player, given they paid £3m for his services just last summer.

The Latest: Leventhal’s news

Leventhal has shared the latest news surrounding Dennis’ heavy transfer interest. Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist claimed West Ham, Fulham, Everton and Forest are all in “talks” over a move and both Watford and the player are “optimistic deal will still be struck before end of window”.

The Verdict: Great signing for Forest

When analysing the Nigerian’s underlying stats, it is easy to see why Steve Cooper’s side are keen on bringing the striker to the City Ground this summer.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Dennis ranks in the 95th percentile for aerials won, in the 89th percentile for dribbles completed and in the 81st percentile for non-penalty goals.

Having scored 46 goals throughout his senior career, the forward continued to impress after arriving in the Premier League, for which he was hailed “a superb signing for Watford” by members of the media.

And he could be an equally great signing for Forest, given that he is a proven source of end product in the English top-flight.

Everton have been heavily linked with a move for Idrissa ‘Gana’ Gueye this summer, and a reliable source has given an update on the club’s progress in signing the player.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees are “one step away” from completing the signing of the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder for a second spell at Goodison Park.

The transfer insider tweeted: “Amadou Onana will undergo medical tomorrow as new Everton player, he will join until June 2027. Agreement 100% reached and will include 20% sell-on clause.

“Gana Gueye hasn’t been called up by PSG as he’s one step away from joining Everton, details being resolved.”

Imagine him & Onana

Everton have already made three signings this summer and are on the verge of announcing their fourth with Amadou Onana set to seal a move to Merseyside. With Gueye also close to a return to Goodison Park, the pair can both be great additions to the midfield.

Since leaving the Toffees in 2019, the Senegal international has been a key figure at the Parc des Princes, and his displays last season suggest that he could be a valuable asset to Frank Lampard if he returns to the Premier League.

Over 26 league appearances in 2021/22, the 32-year-old scored three goals, delivered one assist and created three big chances, tallying a 93% pass completion rate, winning four duels and making 2.3 tackles per game, offering both an attacking threat and reliability in defensive transition in midfield.

Gueye’s former Aston Villa team-mate Micah Richards has spoken out on the player’s potential transfer to Everton, claiming in his column for the Daily Mail: “If Everton get a deal done to bring Idrissa Gana Gueye back, there is not a hope of them being relegated. I played with Idrissa at Aston Villa and he’s a machine.

“I saw him do a drill at Villa, during the middle of Ramadan and his stamina was breathtaking. He was literally running on empty but still beat everyone.”

If Gueye can continue such dominance in his position should he return to Merseyside this summer, Lampard could strike a formidable midfield partnership between the PSG colossus and Onana this season.

Both Gueye and Onana boast similar strengths including ball control and tackling, which could cause absolute nightmares for Everton’s opponents when trying to break down the midfield to build attacking play.

Lampard often likes to play with a back three, so having a strong midfield pairing who can not only provide a reliable shield in front of the defenders but also progress the ball effectively would be massively advantageous to the Toffees should they pull off these two mooted signings.

The prospective signing of Gueye for just £8.4m would be a huge coup for Everton based on his previous form and a great piece of business for Farhad Moshiri to add depth and reliability in the midfield roles.

Everton have been working on re-signing Idrissa Gueye over the last few weeks, however, one journalist has now given an update that will stall the deal a was thought to be almost completed.

What’s the latest?

According to Foot Mercato reporter Sebastien Denis, Idrissa Gueye is “reluctant” to join Everton this summer.

Denis tweeted on Tuesday afternoon:

“Despite Onana’s arrival, Everton are still hot on Idrissa Gana Gueye. But the midfielder of PSG is reluctant to say yes to his former club and still wants to give himself time to make the right decision.”

Lampard should be frustrated

There is no doubt that Frank Lampard will want to start deploying the best team possible to ensure Everton don’t quickly fall short of points in the Premier League over the next few weeks, so the manager should be frustrated with the latest setback regarding Gueye.

After confirming both Amadou Onana and Conor Coady in the last 48 hours, it is clear that Lampard is keen to get his business done swiftly in order to start focusing on the style of play that will suit the Toffees best over the season ahead of them, especially after losing their first game of the season to Chelsea at Goodison Park last weekend.

It wasn’t the most inspiring display from Everton, with sloppy mistakes yet again costing the team when Abdoulaye Doucoure committed a foul in the box on Ben Chilwell, giving a penalty to their guests that also gave them their winning goal in their 1-0 victory.

As a result, the addition of an experienced midfielder who can not only provide some quality but also stability in the centre of the pitch could be just what the team needs to improve their chances of picking up points this season.

Ball control and tackling are some of the leading strengths in Gueye’s performances for Paris Saint-Germain and it’s not hard to see why when you look at his statistics over last season alone for the Ligue One champions.

Over 26 league appearances, the £8.4m talent tallied up a pass completion rate of 93%, taking 63.2 touches and winning four duels per game whilst successfully completing the large majority of his dribbles (71%), proving that Gueye is more than capable of looking after the ball as well as distributing it effectively too.

The 32-year-old Senegalese midfielder’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed either with Mauricio Pochettino lavishing praise on Gueye hailing him “important” to the team after a goal-scoring performance against Clermont last season:

“He [Gueye] is an important player in the balance he gives the team, he also scores goals now.”

With that being said, the powers at Goodison Park will need to work harder to convince Gueye that he can be the protagonist in midfield to deliver the missing piece Everton need to comfortably compete in the Premier League this season.

West Ham United insider EXWHUemployee has shared a promising update on the club’s links with Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Conor Coady.

The Lowdown: West Ham keep preparing…

The Hammers begin their Premier League campaign this afternoon as they take on champions Manchester City at the London Stadium.

David Moyes’ side will have to be at their very best to compete against a team who scored more goals and won more matches than anyone else in the English top flight last season, but off the pitch, club officials are working on transfers.

The signings of Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Alphonse Areola (loan made permanentl), Gianluca Scamacca and Maxwel Cornet could be followed by a central defender, with Moyes seeming rather short of options at the back.

Coady, among others, has been linked with a move to West Ham as club insider Ex makes a promising claim.

The Latest: West Ham ‘could be most likely’…

The reliable Hammers source has claimed that the Wolves defender could well opt to team up with Moyes this summer.

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Taking to Patreon, Ex claims that the Irons ‘could be most likely to sign’ Coady, who passes Moyes’ personality test, wants regular football and could be available for just £8m or a loan deal.

The 29-year-old is also comfortable in a back five, with both player and club appearing ‘keen’ on the move.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Coady is proven in the English top flight, playing more than 150 times at that level, and he impressed for Wolves in 2021/22, getting more league minutes under Bruno Lage than any of his team-mates whilst averaging their second-highest rate of clearances per 90 (WhoScored).

It’s little wonder that team-mate Joao Moutinho has previously called him an ‘amazing captain’, and now that he has seemingly fallen out of favour at Wolves, having been an unused substitute in Saturday’s defeat at Leeds, West Ham should take full advantage of that uncertainty to snap him up.

Journalist Kevin Jimenez has revealed that Sunderland have signed Costa Rican winger Jewison Bennette for a transfer fee of $1.3m (£1.1m).

The Lowdown: Announcement soon

Jimenez has been giving update’s on Bennette’s situation on Twitter, first revealing that he will be in England ‘this week’ to undergo a medical ahead of his move to the Stadium of Light.

He added on Tuesday morning that the official announcement of his signing is ‘not long’, and that his manager at his club Herediano Hernan Medford has ‘confirmed’ his sale.

Now, Jimenez has revealed how much Bennette is set to cost the Wearside club.

The Latest: Price revealed

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday night, Jimenez has revealed that Bennette is set to cost Alex Neil’s side $1.3m (£1.1m):

“According to my sources in England, Brandon Aguilera’s sale to Nottingham Forest was for $2m while Jewison Bennette’s was $1.3m to Sunderland.”

The Verdict: Exciting

Having already played six times for the Costa Rica national team at just 18 years of age, Bennette is clearly a big prospect, and so this could be a very exciting signing for the future.

Journalist and Black Cats supporter Josh Bunting notes how he is Costa Rica’s youngest capped player, adding that he obviously has ‘quality’.

Nonetheless, Bennette has already played 35 times for Herediano, scoring three goals and making five assists (Transfermarkt), so the fact that he is already excelling in senior men’s football is a positive sign for his development.

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer, and the Frenchman could be Patrick Vieira’s own version of Manchester City star Bernardo Silva at Selhurst Park.

According to reports from France, the Eagles are attempting to hijack Nottingham Forest’s move for the 24-year-old midfielder as Steve Cooper’s side are yet to match Lyon’s €15m (£13m) asking price.

The France international’s contract at the Groupama Stadium is set to expire at the end of this season and Palace could be the team to benefit by securing a bargain deal for a midfielder who was regarded as one of the hottest talents in European football only a few years ago.

Although his form has dropped slightly in recent years, Aouar was still impressive for Lyon last season, contributing six goals and four assists in 36 Ligue 1 appearances and averaging a solid 6.93 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Only Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher were rated higher from last season’s Palace squad, which suggests that Aouar could add some real quality in midfield, especially with the England international unlikely to return from parent club Chelsea.

According to FBRef, the most similar midfielder to Aouar in terms of playing style is Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva.

Last season saw the duo register very similar numbers in terms of expected assists (5.1 vs 5.2), goals per 90 minutes (0.22 vs 0.25) and tackles won (both 33).

This shows that they both contribute effectively in attack and defence, and considering that Silva was starring for the Premier League champions, Palace would surely be foolish to turn down a player with similar qualities.

Pep Guardiola labelled the Portugal international as “the best” last season, and City reportedly want €100m (£84.8m) if they are to sell him this summer, so the prospect of signing Aouar for £13m must be a mouth-watering prospect for Palace fans.

WhoScored also suggests that both Aouar and Silva excel at dribbling, holding onto the ball and playing key passes, so the Frenchman could clearly offer Palace a lot from a creative perspective.

Guardiola even praised Aouar in 2018 following a Champions League clash against Lyon, saying: “Houssem Aouar is a very good player. He is incredible.”

Considering the 51-year-old’s decorated history as a manager, Palace should surely take his words into account and do all that they can to bring Aouar to Selhurst Park this summer.

Pete O’Rourke believes that Wolverhampton Wanderers can seal a big coup in signing Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic as Bruno Lage aims to bolster his attacking options.

What’s the word?

Speaking to Football Transfer Tavern, the journalist said: “It looks like it would be a big signing for Wolves if they were to land him. Kalajdzic has had some top clubs looking at him.

“He’s got a good goalscoring record for Stuttgart and also for Austria, so if Wolves were able to beat some of those other sides to his signature before the window closes, I think it’d be a real statement signing from Wolves.”

The Athletic state that a deal for the Old Gold to sign Kalajdzic, for whom they are currently in talks, would be worth £21.2m, and he could well be the answer to Lage’s goalscoring woes.

Lage needs him

Scoring only 38 goals over a full Premier League season – as they did in 2021/22, making them the fourth-lowest scorers in the division – is a very poor return, with only the three relegated teams finding the net less often.

This summer’s transfer window has seen quality arrive at Molineux in the shape of Matheus Nunes and Goncalo Guedes, but an out-and-out goalscorer is urgently required.

Kalajdzic could be the ideal man to solve this problem, with the Austrian scoring 24 goals and registering 12 assists in just 60 matches for the Bundesliga outfit.

Standing at 6 foot 7, he unsurprisingly possesses excellent aerial ability. He won 4.1 aerial duels per match in the Bundesliga last season, while 11 of his 24 goals for Stuttgart have been headers, utilising his strength in the air.

The 25-year-old shouldn’t just be seen as someone who is excellent in the air, though. He created six big chances last season while also playing 1.5 key passes per match, which suggests that his all-round game could be crucial to the success of Wolves’ attack.

Considering that Raul Jimenez, their top league scorer in 2021/22, netted just six goals, it’s clear to see that the Old Gould could do with a more reliable focal point up top.

Kalajdzic was dubbed “invaluable” by his manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, and his performances in Germany have certainly gathered attention from potential suitors.

A move to the Premier League could be the next big step in his development, and with Wolves desperately needing someone to improve their goalscoring conundrum, Kalajdzic could be the perfect signing.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s chances of signing Joao Pedro on deadline day of the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

90min reporter Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Magpies had not completely given up their pursuit of the Brazilian, but they will not be signing him this summer as he has reaffirmed his commitment to Watford.

The Magpies had at least one offer rejected by the Championship side earlier this month and Bailey believes that they may go back in for him in the future.

He tweeted: “Joao Pedro confirms intent to stay at Watford – there was still some lingering interest from Newcastle, who will be back for the Brazilian.”

Return in January

Bailey has confirmed that the Tyneside club still hold an interest in the attacker, and they should duly return with an improved effort to sign him in the January transfer window.

Making a fresh attempt to convince them to sell him on deadline day could prove difficult due to how much time the Hornets would have to replace him. However, if Newcastle return at the start of January, that could give Watford ample opportunity to bring someone in to fill the void.

The Athletic’s Adam Leventhal once hailed Pedro as a “prodigious talent” and, at the age of 20, he would be a signing with a view to the future. He has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and hone his skills, which means that the Magpies could invest in his stock by snapping him up in January.

Although he is a striker by trade, the Brazilian can also play out wide on the left and in the hole as a number 10, which shows that he is a versatile option who could play around Alexander Isak.

The £30k-per-week gem, who journalist Sam Street hailed as a “monster”, would also suit Eddie Howe’s pressing style of play.

Over the last 365 days, Pedro ranks in the 81st percentile among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for pressures per 90 for his performances in the Premier League last term. He also ranks in the 99th percentile for interceptions and 98th for blocks, along with the 88th percentile for tackles per 90, showing that he is one of the best in his position at these parts of the game.

This suggests that he has the work-rate and quality out of possession to play effectively within a pressing system, which is why Newcastle must go for him again in January.

West Bromwich Albion have agreed a deal to sign Salford City striker Brandon Thomas-Asante, according to Sky Sports editor Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The 23-year-old has now entered the final year of his contract with Neil Wood’s side, making this the real final opportunity for him to make his big move.

The forward has been attracting plenty of interest from the Championship in the form of Birmingham City and Barnsley, but it appears that it’s the Baggies who have won the race for his signature.

The Latest: West Brom agree Thomas-Asante deal

Taking to Twitter, Thomas confirmed that West Brom have reached an agreement for Thomas-Asante and have beaten their fellow competitors to his services. He wrote:

“West Brom have agreed a deal in the region of £500k to sign Salford City’s Brandon Thomas-Asante, beating Birmingham and Barnsley to the striker.”

Sky Sports transfer centre later added that the player is ‘set to sign’ at the Hawthorns ‘pending a medical’.

The Verdict: Hidden gem

Whilst West Brom are renowned for signing experienced strikers, Steve Bruce will have no issue in making moves for players in lower divisions, and Thomas-Asante looks set to be an absolute bargain at just £500k.

The Milton-Keynes-born hotshot has scored 32 goals and provided 18 assists throughout his senior career, and has already netted four and assisted two in just six League Two matches at the Peninsula Stadium this season (Transfermarkt).

Thomas-Asante will need time to adapt to life in the second tier after making the jump up, but with guidance and exposure, he could prove to be the hidden prolific gem that the Midlands outfit have been searching for.