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Sunderland were unable to complete all of the transfers they wanted to make on deadline day, but there has been a new behind-the-scenes update that’ll give the club a big boost following the end of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest?

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman joined new manager Tony Mowbray in his pre-match press conference on Friday to deliver some good news about Ross Stewart’s contract situation.

Speakman told the press: “Ross is someone we’ve been having a conversation with since spring and had positive conversations with.

“We have an option for an extra year option, so there’s no panic there.

“Ross is a top guy. We want it to be right for Ross, we want it to be right for the football club and I’m sure we’ll get there at some point.”

It’d be massive for Sunderland

There is no doubt that securing the future of Stewart would be massive for Sunderland in their pursuit to climb the Championship table and return to the Premier League, as he has become a key player in the club’s progress over the last 12 months.

Over 71 appearances for the Black Cats, the star striker has scored 32 goals and delivered seven assists, with a goal contribution every 141 minutes played – which led to the 26-year-old becoming the joint-top scorer in League One last season with 26 goals.

The Sunderland goal machine is showing no signs of slowing down since the club were promoted to the Championship, scoring five goals and delivering three assists already this season, as well as taking an average of 3.9 shots and making one key pass per game over his seven appearances in 2022/23.

Stewart’s impressive performances have not gone unnoticed, with journalist Josh Bunting hailing the player “unpredictable” and Kevin Phillips lavished praise on the striker claiming he “works his socks off” (via Chronicle Live):

“You’ve got a player up front that works his socks off, can finish all types and never gives up.”

As a result, after powering up Sunderland’s League One success, the powers at The Stadium of Light must do everything they can to make sure he remains the dominant force in their challenge for Premier League promotion in the future, so securing an improved deal is an absolute necessity for Speakman.

Rangers take on Eredivisie giants Ajax in the Champions League this evening at the Johan Cruyff Arena, with the Ibrox side looking to bounce back from Saturday’s Old Firm drubbing.

The Glasgow outfit have little time to lick their wounds as they prepare for a first group stage outing in Europe’s premier competition for over a decade, having only recently overcome another Dutch side, PSV Eindhoven, in the playoff round.

Ahead of tonight’s mouthwatering clash in Amsterdam, Football FanCast has predicted just how Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side will line up…

The Dutchman’s options have been somewhat limited with a host of key figures still absent – including summer signings Tom Lawrence and John Souttar – although it is believed that fellow new arrival Ben Davies could well be available after his recent injury woes. With that in mind, we predict that the former Feyenoord boss will make five changes from the side that was brutally dismantled by bitter rivals Celtic at the weekend.

Despite his horror show at Parkhead, goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin appears set to keep his place ahead of veteran teammate Allan McGregor, having been given the backing of his manager earlier this week.

Ahead of the former Sunderland stopper, the only defensive change could well be the return of the aforementioned Davies in place of James Sands, with the latter man having endured a torrid afternoon against Ange Postecoglou’s side.

The United States international appears somewhat shaky in a centre-back berth, with pundit Mark Hateley previously dubbing him a “problem” in that role in the defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise back in early August. The loss of Calvin Bassey to tonight’s opponents remains a notable blow for the club, with the Nigeria international’s void still yet to be filled.

With James Tavernier, Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic making up the rest of the back four, ahead of them could well see Ryan Jack return to the starting XI alongside John Lundstram, with the Gers perhaps in need of a more solid presence after their recent thrashing.

Further changes could potentially lie in attack with Malik Tillman and Glen Kamara giving way for Scott Arfield and Scott Wright, with the latter man looking bright after entering the fray after the break against the Hoops.

Completing the attack will likely be Ryan Kent on the left-flank, while leading the line should well be Alfredo Morelos, with the “clever” gem – as dubbed by former boss Steven Gerrard – having so often delivered on European nights for the club.

Despite continued doubts over both his future and his fitness, the Colombian brute is still a man to rely on on the big occasion, having notably scored four goals in last season’s Europa League run.

Free agent Santiago Arias can negotiate with Manchester United on his own, according to Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra.

The Lowdown: Arias rumours

The Red Devils have been heavily linked with a move for the right-back in recent days after he left Atletico Madrid as a free agent over the summer.

The 30-year-old reportedly had ‘his bags ready to move to Manchester United’, with rumours since suggesting that Erik ten Hag is personally willing to welcome the right-back at Old Trafford to provide competition to Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The Latest: Sierra’s update

Sierra, a respected Colombian journalist who broke updates on Luis Diaz’s move to Liverpool, took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to share what he knows about Arias and a potential move to Old Trafford.

He said that ‘the circle of agents and lawyers’ that look after Arias ‘are not in dialogues or negotiations’ with United and that ‘they don’t believe in this rumour’. However, Sierra added that the ‘right-back is free to negotiate by his own’.

The Verdict: Over to Arias…

Arias, labelled as ‘very complete’ by former Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz, may need to personally push a move to Manchester following this update.

It could be a shrewd one by both the player and United, though, especially with Ten Hag’s side having plenty of football to play this season.

The United boss doesn’t appear to rate Wan-Bissaka very highly after making him surplus to requirements over the summer, so Arias could well leapfrog the Englishman in the pecking order, should a move materialise.

West Ham United and club owners GSBK (Gold, Sullivan, Brady and Kretinsky) have a worrying ‘situation’ around exciting young defender Harrison Ashby.

The Lowdown: Ashby exit tipped…

Towards the end of the summer, West Ham’s latest young talent was heavily tipped to potentially leave east London with Premier League rivals Newcastle United holding a particularly strong interest.

There were even some reports suggesting Ashby’s move to Tyneside was ‘all but done’, but alas, the move appeared to collapse on deadline day with David Moyes keeping hold of his academy product.

Now, it is believed the Irons will attempt to tie down Scotland’s youth international with a new and improved deal after blocking moves to both Newcastle and Leeds United (The Sun).

The Latest: Jones makes worrying Ashby claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Jones has lifted the lid on a worrying ‘situation’ for GSBK surrounding Ashby.

He claims West Ham are ‘cautious’ over offering the 20-year-old a new deal too lucrative.

This is in case it upsets the applecart and breaks the club’s wage structure around up-and-coming players, dealing GSBK an ‘ongoing’ dilemma.

Jones explained:

“West Ham have to try and sort out the situation.

“They’re very cautious about giving him a big, new contract because of the knock-on effect it might have to other players within the set-up. This is a situation that is going to be ongoing for a little bit.”

The Verdict: Next move crucial…

Already tipped for greatness by club insiders, Claret & Hugh call Ashby ‘one of the best academy prospects we have seen at West Ham in a long time’.

The right-back’s contract expires next summer and GSBK need to weigh their next move carefully, not least due to his sky high potential and a real risk of losing him for free in 2023.

If they can tie down Ashby to reasonable terms, West Ham will be in a strong position to demand fair fees for the starlet from interested sides – especially if a club like Newcastle come knocking again.

Manchester City have a healthy number of Portuguese players in their squad such as Joao Cancelo, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias.

As the Manchester club have already got one deal agreed in the form of Erling Haaland, it seems as though the Citizens have their eye on adding another Portuguese star to their ranks this summer.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from A Bola (via Sport Witness), City are top of the list to sign Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes this summer.

That’s because the player is only willing to leave for ‘a club who will fight for domestic and European titles.’

The midfielder joined Sporting’s U23 side back in the 2019 January transfer window from fellow Portuguese club Estoril.

Since then, the 23-year-old has gone on to make a total of 131 appearances for his current club for their senior and U23 side across all competitions.

Pep will love him

In those appearances, the Portugal international has scored ten goals and provided 11 assists in the process.

Nunes is more than just an attacking threat, however, as he has totalled 30 interceptions and 25 tackles, highlighting how much of a tough opponent he can be without the ball.

The Manchester club got a good glimpse of what the midfielder can do when he played the full 90 minutes in the 5-0 Champions League clash between the two sides back in February.

After that game, City boss Pep Guardiola labelled Nunes as “one of the best players in the world today,” which is certainly a big compliment.

This also demonstrates just how much the 51-year-old would love to have the Sporting star in his squad for the future.

With current City midfielder Fernandinho set to wave goodbye to the club at the end of this season, adding a young talent like Nunes to their ranks could be just what they need to replace the Brazilian and keep their squad fresh.

Having a reported price tag of €40m (£34m) on him, Nunes could well go on to fit in perfectly with City’s squad and learn from their current Portuguese talents.

In other news: “Had talks”: Romano relays big Man City transfer development, it’s awful news for Pep

Newcastle moved to within two points of the top half of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over Arsenal at St. James’ Park on Monday night.

The Magpies took the lead when Ben White converted the ball into his own net after a teasing delivery from Joelinton on the left. Callum Wilson was challenging the England international to get to the cross and forced him to turn it into his own net by accident.

Bruno Guimaraes then sealed the win with a composed finish into a virtually empty net after Wilson and Aaron Ramsdale collided in the box, providing him with a glorious chance to score.

Ryan Fraser should have made it 3-0 in stoppage time as Dwight Gayle teed him up in the box but he was denied by a fine save from Ramsdale.

The Brazilian midfielder was phenomenal in the middle of the park as he ran the show throughout with his ballast off the ball and his quality on it. However, he was not the only standout for the Magpies as left-back Matt Targett also put in a monstrous display at the back.

England international Bukayo Saka lined up against the full-back and was restricted to very little over the course of 90 minutes.

As per SofaScore, he only provided one key pass and failed to complete a single dribble as Targett restricted him to feeding off scraps.

The £59k-per-week Magpies dynamo was excellent on and off the ball. Defensively, he was superb as he won 100% of his ground and aerial battles in the game, whilst also making three clearances and one interception – as per SofaScore.

In possession, he was a reliable outlet for the team. He completed four crosses and provided one key pass, whilst also ending the match with a 100% dribble success rate. He was comfortable on the ball and caused problems down the left as he combined with both Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin to spring attacks.

These statistics show that Targett was a monster at left-back and Howe will surely be buzzing with the full-back’s performance. He is currently on loan from Aston Villa until the end of the season and displays like this will surely leave supporters wondering whether or not he will be coming back to St. James’ Park on a permanent basis next season…

AND in other news, Romano: NUFC make “next Mbappe” a “top target” heading into the summer…

Nottingham Forest could be a destination for Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo this summer after the 19-year-old struggled to make an impact whilst on loan at Rangers this season.

That’s according to the Manchester Evening News, who suggest that alongside James Garner, Forest could swoop for the Ivorian winger as well as Facundo Pellistri should they secure promotion to the Premier League.

Steve Cooper’s side are one win away from a first top flight campaign since 1999 with Huddersfield Town their opponent at Wembley next Sunday for the Championship play-off final.

The East Midlands outfit has been the ideal club for Garner to develop at having joined on loan in January 2021 before rejoining for the 2021/22 campaign last summer.

For the Reds, the 20-year-old midfielder has scored eight goals and registered ten assists in 67 appearances which should provide Diallo with hope that he too could get his career in England up and running.

Forest must sign Diallo

Having been bought for £19m plus £18.2m in add ons by Manchester United, Diallo is a serious talent with hopes that he can one day become one of Europe’s biggest stars.

The former Atalanta prospect has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford since arriving in England last January, making just nine first-team appearances for the Red Devils prior to making the move to Glasgow in January.

However, in just five appearances for United’s U23s, the 19-year-old has scored six goals and assisted four, suggesting that he is certainly ready for regular first-team football at a high level.

Furthermore, former United player Dan James labelled Diallo as “unbelievable” whilst Atalanta captain Papu Gomez claimed that the winger “plays like Messi.”

Granted, Forest will only be an attractive proposition for the Ivorian if they are of Premier League status. Should they beat Huddersfield next weekend, this summer will have to be busy in preparation for the top flight.

In terms of current forward options, loanee Keinan Davis’ is not for sale according to Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard whilst Lewis Grabban’s contract is set to expire.

Moreover, plenty of Premier League clubs are interested in Brennan Johnson although promotion would surely see the 20-year-old remain at the City Ground for at least one more season.

Therefore, adding attacking quality to their ranks is an absolute must if Cooper’s side are to survive in the top flight, and bringing in Diallo for a season could provide a serious boost to their chances of staying in the Premier League.

AND in other news: Forest must secure deal for “strong” 21-goal monster, Cooper is already a big fan

Leeds United now want to sign Barcelona’s Sergino Dest after Manchester United were offered the right-back’s services, TEAMtalk report.

The Lowdown: Aaronson wrapped up

The Whites have made a quick start to their summer business by signing long-term target Brenden Aaronson. The attacking midfielder was officially unveiled as a Leeds player on Thursday evening, penning a five-year deal at Elland Road.

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Aaronson will now link up with Jesse Marsch once again following their successful short stint together at FC Salzburg, and it looks as if another USA international could be on their way.

The Latest: Dest links

TEAMtalk shared a story on Wednesday morning regarding Leeds and Dest after Manchester United were offered his services.

They claimed that Marsch now wants to bring Dest to Yorkshire after being made surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp.

The Verdict: Needed?

Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas both look set to miss the start of next season through injury, so bringing in Dest could be a shrewd move.

Rated at €70m (£59m) by CIES, Dest made 31 appearances in 2021/22 and even played as a left-back, right-winger and left-winger. He’s clearly an exciting versatile young talent who already has Champions League and Europa League experience, and sharing the same agency as Leeds stars Ayling, Patrick Bamford and Dan James may make a transfer easier as well.

However, another young right-back linked with a move to Leeds is Aberdeen’s Calvin Ramsay, so it could be one or the other when it comes to bolstering their full-back ranks.

In other news: Leeds and Orta ask about signing ‘extraordinary’ talent for Marsch. 

Everton star Richarlison has now dropped a four-word transfer hint as Tottenham Hotspur reportedly eye a move to sign him this summer window.

The Lowdown: Conte set for summer reshuffle…

After deciding to stay at Spurs for the 2022/2023 Premier League season, manager Antonio Conte has set his sights on strengthening the Lilywhites squad in numerous areas (The Telegraph).

The possible additions of new defenders, midfielder and additions in the striking areas have been touted with the club already confirming Ivan Perisic’s arrival from Inter Milan.

While Man City frontman Gabriel Jesus remains a target for Fabio Paratici and Conte, it is believed they’re also interested in Richarlison, with the Brazilian now dropping a four-word transfer hint.

The Latest: Richarlison sends four-word message…

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As per The Daily Mail, Tottenham, and by extension Conte, are eyeing a move for the top flight star alongside London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

Amid their interest, this report has shared a message from the player himself as he drops a four-word summer hint – simply stating ‘Let’s wait for June’ as Richarlison now admits he’s weighing up a Goodison Park exit.

The Verdict: Make a move?

Valued at £50 million by The Toffees, Richarlison emerges as a considerable alternative to star striker Harry Kane.

According to WhoScored, the South American ace stood out as a key player on Merseyside over 2021/2022, averaging the most shots at goal per 90 for Everton and finishing the top flight campaign as their top goal scorer.

Richarlison also averaged their best match rating per 90, clearly marking himself out as a star player, and at just 25-years-old he would come to Spurs with sell-on value.

As he now admits he’s open to leaving, perhaps Spurs and Conte should take full advantage.

In other news: Alasdair Gold suggests £122,000-per-week ‘genius’ is now open to joining Tottenham! Find out more here.

Leeds United correspondent Graham Smyth has claimed that the Whites are looking at a move for an unnamed teenage striker.

The Lowdown: Academy additions on the cards

The Whites are working on bolstering Jesse Marsch’s senior squad by already signing Brenden Aaronson in a big-money transfer. Rasmus Kristensen looks set to be the next first-team arrival, however, Victor Orta is still looking to add to the club’s academy ranks.

Phil Hay has claimed that Birmingham City midfielder George Hall and West Ham forward Sonny Perkins are on the club’s U23s radar, and another young attacking target also seems to be catching the club’s eye.

The Latest: Smyth’s claim

Smyth shared a story for The Yorkshire Evening Post on Thursday evening to provide a transfer update.

The reliable reporter touched on moves for Kristensen, links to Hall and Celtic goalkeeper Rory Mahady before adding that Leeds are looking at a ‘16-year-old forward plying his trade in the Midlands’ who is wanted by a ‘number of other Premier League clubs’.

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The Verdict: Senior striker needed too

It’s good to see that Orta is still looking to bring some of the best young talent to Elland Road, with the Whites reaping the rewards in the first team over recent years when it comes to players like Illan Meslier and Joe Gelhardt.

However, although the club look to be eyeing up to four academy signings, they should prioritise bringing in a senior striker due to Patrick Bamford’s injury struggles last season.

The 28-year-old started just seven league games due to a number of problems, so after signing Kristensen, it would be wise if the club brought in a proven forward to potentially partner Bamford in a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 system under Jesse Marsch.

In other news: Victor Orta now spotted 5.6 miles from stadium of ‘quality’ Leeds target dubbed the ‘new Drogba’.