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Aston Villa will be looking to pick up just their second win of the Premier League season on Saturday as they head to Carrow Road to face Norwich City.

Dean Smith’s men have found life hard in the top-flight since gaining promotion via the playoffs back in May.

Their one victory came against Everton towards the end of August, though, they have been picking up results in the Carabao Cup after advancing into the fourth round.

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A big issue for the west Midlands club has been the conversion of chances as club-record summer signing Wesley Moraes has scored just two goals in seven appearances, meaning central midfielder John McGinn tops the scoring charts with his three.

In light of their slow start, reports have suggested that Smith will have £20m to spend in January to bolster his frontline.

And just this week, Football Insider have linked the club with a move for Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos, who is more known for his feisty temperament rather than his prolific exploits.

The 23-year-old has picked up five red cards in his Ibrox career and this season has seen him net 13 goals in 17 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Several of the claret and blue faithful have taken to social media following the latest reports.

It’s fair to say they aren’t too keen on the Colombian as he was labelled a ‘loose cannon’ and a ‘liability.’

One supporter even said he wouldn’t touch the striker with a bargepole with another claiming his sort of attitude isn’t needed in the changing room.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

Generally, a football club would only normally purchase a player to try and help improve their squad and would likely give them at least an opportunity within the first team. That would appear to have been the plan for Chelsea when they signed Michael Hector from Reading in 2015.

The Jamaica international was brought to the club from the Royals in a deal worth around £4m to bolster Jose Mourinho’s options at the back as there were concerns about how leaky the defence had become, although the centre-back did remain at his previous employers on loan for the remainder of the season (BBC).

Perhaps, there was a belief that if Hector managed to perform well with Reading in the Championship that year, he would be able to make the step up and become an important member of the Blues’ squad. Well, it would seem Chelsea never actually got to find out.

Despite being a member of the Stamford Bridge roster for four years, the now-27-year-old has featured exactly zero times for the west London outfit in competitive fixtures.

Indeed, Hector would spend time at Eintracht Frankfurt, before coming back to England and playing for Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday as he continued to get on with his footballing career away from Stamford Bridge.

On the face of things, it certainly would not appear to have been £4m well spent by Chelsea. However, that all changed in September, as the Blues somehow managed to double their money with the centre-back as they managed to sell him to neighbourhood rivals Fulham for £8m (although he cannot play for them until January 2020).

That appears to have been a massive sum of money to be handed over considering, arguably, his career at SW6 was stagnating and hardly going anywhere as clubs would, perhaps, look to cut their losses and look to shift them on.

The fact that the Blues managed to get £8m is also astonishing considering his market value (as per Transfermarkt) was one that was not considered to be anywhere close to the value he was sold at.

When Chelsea purchased him, Hector was estimated to be worth around £675k, although that quickly shot up to £2.7m and then £3.6m following his time in the Bundesliga with Frankfurt. However, since returning to England, he went back to £2.7m and never moved from that valuation despite his loan spells at Hull and Sheffield Wednesday.

Gaining £4m profit and never having to play him in a competitive match whilst on the books, the Blues did extremely well to double their money on what appeared to be a flop of a transfer.

Chelsea fans, how well did the Blues do to make a profit on Hector? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them in the comments section below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, John Hartson has talked up the major benefits a director of football would have at Manchester United.

The Red Devils have come under heavy fire for their scatter-gun approach to the transfer market in recent years, with players of vastly different profiles being signed under various managers.

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

It is a policy that has unquestionably led to the mess Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently attempting to fix, and Hartson has suggested appointing a director of football would help bring a sense of control and decisiveness to the club.

He told Football FanCast: “Get a director of football in, somebody very experienced, somebody who’s done the job before and not an ex-player. Somebody who’s maybe managed before. Just to go in and help Solskjaer and oversee one or two of the signings. I think that would be a great move for United.

“They need someone who’s been there, seen it and done it at big clubs and can give sound, solid advice to Solskjaer.”

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Make no mistake about it, United are in desperate need for a director of football. Ed Woodward has come under increasing, and understandable, scrutiny for his role in the club’s poor recruitment over the past few seasons, and that is a direct result of not having someone who is football-oriented making those decisions.

Having an ex-manager who has been around the block and can liaise with Solskjaer and discuss things on a football level, rather than on a business one, would pay huge dividends for the Red Devils.

As well as the added focus they would bring to the club’s recruitment strategy, they could play a major part in helping the United boss turn things around.

Solskjaer’s inexperience has been a stick to beat the Norwegian with since his permanent appointment, and so having an almost ‘mentor-like’ figure voice their thoughts and act as a sounding board would help streamline matters.

United need major help behind the scenes, and Hartson’s calls for a director of football are absolutely spot on.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

As Southampton’s players slowly departed the Etihad turf following a 2-1 defeat in November 2017, aside from the congratulatory and conciliatory handshakes that were a typical sight at the conclusion of a game, one exchange stood out in particular.

Pep Guardiola, animated beyond his usual stature, engaged in conversation with Nathan Redmond and seemingly looked frustrated as he shouted at the Saints forward with his hand covering his mouth. Redmond replied in a remarkably calm manner, and even felt it necessary to issue a statement following the game to dispel any rumours that the Spanish boss had been agitated or angry at him as a result of the game.

It was quite the opposite in fact, as confirmed by Redmond himself, per The Guardian: “he was only very complimentary and positive to me.”

Guardiola’s comments during that game in November were not merely a standard observation: his passionate discussion with Redmond pointed to a manager who believed that the 25-year-old was being under-utilised in the system that was deployed at the Etihad.

Yet whilst Guardiola’s remarks referred to Redmond’s performance in one specific game, the Spaniard’s comments point to a wider picture regarding the England international’s potential – a sense of raw ability that may require a transfer to be fully realised and utilised elsewhere.

Since arriving at St Mary’s in 2016, Redmond has become one of the Saints’ most important attacking players, but his club’s regression following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino has led to the diminishing of an attacking philosophy that was once a recognisable identity on the south coast.

Although current boss Hasenhüttl is attempting to rebuild and reinstate that attacking ethos, to a varying degree of success, at the age of 25 Redmond arguably has one, possibly two, significant career moves left. Having been capped by England, he is a player that belongs at the highest level, with his continuous improvement through spells at Birmingham City, Norwich City and now Southampton attesting to his potential.

The forward won both the fans’ and players’ player of the year awards at the end of the 2018/19 campaign, highlighting how his contribution has been recognised by both his fellow teammates and the Saints’ supporters.

With his side sitting 17th in the Premier League table, the 2019/20 campaign could potentially mark yet another campaign of attempting to stave off relegation for the south coast side, and the comments that Guardiola made during that defeat at the Etihad could be set to ring true once more.

Redmond is a player with huge potential, and despite Hasenhuttl’s best efforts to transform Southampton into an attacking side reminiscent of the Ronald Koeman and Pochettino eras, it would appear he is currently falling short.

A price that may be consequently paid is the departure of the supremely talented Redmond to a new challenge, whether it be in England or further afield.

Sunderland fans have been busy naming their shopping list for the January transfer window, and Marcus Maddison is a name on the lips of several fans.The club was linked with a move for the midfielder for much of the summer, though it is not known how concrete the Black Cats’ interest was, and whether they were deterred by having to meet his release clause of £2.5m.Watch League 1 Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It is little surprise that fans are so keen on him, as he has been a standout player in League One for many years, including this term, helping Posh to the top of the table.

He has six goals and six assists and could be key to improving Sunderland as an attacking force, as other than a 5-0 victory over Tranmere they have struggled on the goal front, with 16 goals in 12 league games prior to that encounter.

Maddison is from the north-east, too, so could fancy a move to Sunderland in January, and if he was to do so it would certainly please some fans, as these reactions show.

Ian Wright was furious with Unai Emery after the Spaniard claimed Arsenal didn’t deserve to lose against Sheffield United on Monday night.

The Gunners scuppered their chance to climb into fourth on Monday and the defeat means they’ve gone four Premier League away games without securing a win since their opening day victory at Newcastle United.

Rather ironically, former boss Arsene Wenger, who was unceremoniously forced out of his position with the help of a global hashtag ‘Wenger Out,’ was trending on Twitter after the match – albeit aided by the fact Tuesday is his birthday – with some apparently now realising just how good they had it with the Frenchman for 22 special years.

The increasingly unpopular Emery didn’t help his case last night either, by claiming that his side deserved more against the Blades…

It’s one thing losing after a dismal display – that can be forgiven. Failing to acknowledge a poor performance, and even going as far to defend it, however, is asking for trouble.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright certainly wasn’t pleased with Emery’s choice of words…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

The word “shambles” will only go some way to describing the scenes that took place at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as Arsenal hosted Crystal Palace.

The first nine minutes were actually very positive, with the Gunners leading 2-0 through Sokratis and David Luiz. However, things turned sour, and the Eagles managed to earn themselves a point by drawing 2-2.

Arsenal fans have started to turn on Unai Emery, find out who they’d rather have in charge in the video below…

The result was almost forgotten, though, thanks to Granit Xhaka’s extraordinary tantrum as he was subbed off in the second half.

An unpopular figure in north London, he was met with boos as he trudged off the field and down the tunnel.

He responded by shouting an expletive in the direction of the stands. The matter was made even worse by the fact he is the club captain.

The Switzerland international was given the armband a few weeks ago after a secret ballot amongst his teammates had deemed him to be the best man for the job.

Since then, Unai Emery hasn’t defended him, saying he was wrong. Former Arsenal great Nigel Winterburn has even demanded he be stripped of the captaincy.

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The problem is, the former Sevilla boss has backed himself into a corner, and he now faces an impossible decision where he simply cannot emerge with any credibility.

On the one hand, it makes a certain amount of sense to ask some players their opinion of who should be their skipper, but by actually allowing a full vote, it shows that the 26-year-old is by far the clear choice – perhaps it was a popularity contest more than possessing the required attributes to captain?

If he now removes him as captain, he will lose the majority of support amongst the players, which he is said to have already done in part. It will be seen as a betrayal. After all, his post-match comments suggest he isn’t in the manager’s good books.

However, if he keeps him as captain, it sends out a terrible message to the fans and, again, the players.

The way he reacted to the supporters was unprofessional, even if it was understandable given the abuse he has often received. The supporters are the lifeblood of the club, so surely they cannot be treated in such a way without consequences?

It would also show to the players they can get away with an awful lot without being reprimanded.

The 47-year-old boss finds himself in a Catch 22, and it is all of his own making. His error of judgement leaves him in an incredibly difficult situation, and now we must wait to see how he emerges from it.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Football Insider, Lewis Gibson is “ready to quit” Everton in search of first-team football.

What’s the word?

The 19-year-old only joined the Toffees back in the summer of 2017 from fellow Premier League side Newcastle, but has predominantly featured for the U23s side.

This season, he has made four appearances all in Premier League 2, and has yet to make a senior appearance under Marco Silva’s reign on Merseyside. Now, Football Insider has claimed the teenager is growing “increasingly frustrated” at being unable to break through into the first-team, and that he is ready to move on from Goodison Park.

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The report adds that with Gibson’s contract with the club coming to an end at the end of the season, Everton could look to cash in on him in January, with a possible return to Newcastle being mooted.

Open your eyes

Having lost Kurt Zouma back to Chelsea, Everton’s lack of significant depth at centre-back has been exposed this season. Former Barcelona man, Yerry Mina, has had niggling injury problems that have plagued his time on Merseyside, and it was perplexing to see Silva fail to bring in adequate cover in the summer transfer window.

The Portuguese boss even admitted prior to the Premier League clash against Tottenham, that the dearth of options has been an issue.

“Our solutions at centre-back are not a big number, you have to take care of them three (Mina, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate) and we did that.”

In Gibson, they have got someone who has featured prominently in his time with the U23s, playing 32 times at Premier League 2 level, but has surprisingly not been given a real chance in the first-team. When your side only has three genuine options to play at centre-back, surely you would be handing an opportunity to some of your younger prospects to shine?

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

Instead, Silva appears to be ignoring the obvious, and his reluctance to address the situation could see an exit that they could eventually live to regret. But, quite crucially, it’s still not too late to change the course of where this is headed, and if the Toffees manager can just open his eyes, then they could make the most out of Gibson’s potential.

Celtic enjoyed a famous 2-1 win away to Lazio in the Europa League last night, with Olivier Ntcham scoring a stoppage-time winner for Neil Lennon’s team.

The Hoops had fallen behind early on before equalising in the 38th minute when Mohamed Elyounoussi played an inch-perfect pass into James Forrest, who finished with aplomb to draw the teams level. [via BBC]

Despite that ultimately crucial contribution, though, the Scotland international would later frustrate a lot of Celtic fans on Twitter over an ill-judged second half moment.

A few minutes after half-time, Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva gave the ball away under pressure from Hoops players and Forrest seized upon the ball to break clear on the counterattack. [via BBC]

As he got near the Lazio penalty area, he had the options of Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hayes to his left. Instead, he took the shot on himself and it was blocked down, with Edouard visibly annoyed at the 28-year-old for not passing to him. [via BBC]

These Celtic fans on Twitter were also critical of Forrest for not playing in one of his team-mates in the move:

Were you angry at Forrest for not passing to a team-mate on that occasion? Have your say by commenting below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Oh how Manchester United have missed Anthony Martial these past couple of months. The France international had started the campaign off on fire, with two goals and an assist in his opening three Premier League games, but was ruled out of action for almost two months with an injury.

In that time, the Red Devils struggled to find their goal-scoring touch, with Marcus Rashford going through a drought of just one goal in seven league games in that period. But since Martial’s comeback from injury against Liverpool, United have looked sharper and more clinical going forward. The defeat to Bournemouth aside, United have racked up four wins in their last five games, with their number nine finding the back of the net in three of those games.

After netting in the 3-0 triumph against Partizan Belgrade on Thursday night, Martial will be hoping to take his good form into the weekend’s Premier League clash against Brighton. But that will not be an easy feat. For standing in his way, is 6 foot 4 defensive rock, Lewis Dunk.

On the chalkboard

Having replaced club stalwart Bruno as captain for this season, Dunk has continued to be the cornerstone of the Seagulls’ back-line under Graham Potter. The 27-year-old has played every single minute of the Premier League campaign, and has helped the side to an impressive eighth position in the table. And judging by both Martial and the Brighton defender’s numbers, it is easy to see why this could be the contest that decides the outcome of the game.

As United fans witnessed first-hand in mid-week, Martial’s ability to beat players is almost second-to-none. The close control, the speed and the technique all combine in pretty devastating fashion, and that will pose a significant threat to the Brighton defence. The Frenchman has averaged two dribbles per game in the top-flight this campaign, and his penchant for running at players will really test Dunk’s ability to maintain his fine tackling stats.

Whilst it would be unfair to pigeonhole the Seagulls skipper as an old-fashioned centre-half, there’s no questioning that he will put his body on the line for the cause and smash it into row Z when needed. He has averaged 0.6 blocks and 3.4 clearances per game, and if United and Martial are in the groove like they were against Partizan (they racked up 14 total shots), Dunk will need to be at his best to keep them out.

It promises to be a fascinating match-up, and one that if Man Utd’s £36m star can win, could tilt the game in the Red Devils’ favour.