Manchester United have now identified a “phenomenal” midfielder as their new dream target, and they are hoping to get a deal wrapped up before the transfer deadline, according to a report.

Man Utd halt Baleba pursuit with Brighton demanding £100m+

Man United were willing to break the bank to sign Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, despite being quoted over £100m, but they have now halted their pursuit of the midfielder, given that the Seagulls are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure.

Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler has also asserted that he is “very, very confident” Baleba will remain a Brighton player beyond the September 1st deadline, and United have now been forced to move on to alternative targets.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that United are well-placed to win the race for Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand, despite rival interest from Juventus, but reports from elsewhere suggest INEOS are hesitant about spending £69m on the Danish midfielder.

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However, according to a report from Spain, the United board ‘highly value’ Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, suggesting they are big fans of the Englishman, who has now emerged as the new dream midfield target.

Wharton is viewed as an alternative to Baleba, and INEOS are clearly looking to get a deal wrapped up soon, having formulated plans to sign him before the transfer deadline, rather than waiting until the January transfer window or next summer.

There is a belief the 21-year-old would be an ideal fit for Ruben Amorim’s side, having sought a player capable of providing balance in midfield for quite some time, and the youngster could even be brought in as a replacement for Casemiro.

However, a deal will not be easy, given that Palace are in no hurry to sanction a departure, with the Eagles looking to receive at least £40m for the England international, who is one of their key players.

"Phenomenal" Wharton could be exciting Baleba alternative

The former Blackburn Rovers man is certainly held in very high regard by the Crystal Palace faithful, with Dan Cook of HLTCO singling him out for high praise during the 2024-25 campaign.

However, there are doubts over whether the Palace star would be a like-for-like alternative to Baleba, given that he excels at creating chances and advancing the ball up the pitch, while the Cameroonian flourishes defensively.

Average per 90 (past year)

Adam Wharton

Carlos Baleba

Assists

0.13

0.03

Progressive passes

7.21

3.96

Tackles

2.09

2.64

Interceptions

1.35

1.62

Blocks

0.94

1.55

That said, Wharton is a different type of player to Baleba, he is Premier League proven, which aligns with the type of signing Man United are looking to make this summer, and the reported £40m asking price is very reasonable.

Glasgow Rangers have officially confirmed that Youssef Chermiti has arrived at Ibrox on a permanent deal to bolster Russell Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch.

Cyriel Dessers’ transfer to Panathinaikos, the team Rangers beat in the Champions League qualifiers earlier this season, has also been officially confirmed by the Scottish Premiership giants.

Chermiti joins Bojan Miovski in arriving at Ibrox to improve the manager’s options in the final third ahead of the rest of the first half of the 2025/26 campaign.

Rangers in pursuit of new winger

The two strikers may not be the only forwards to arrive in Glasgow before the deadline passes later this evening, though, as the club are looking at another attacker.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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According to RangersReview, Glasgow Rangers maintain an interest in Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi heading into the final hours of the window.

The report mentions the club’s ongoing pursuit of the English forward as part of their round-up ahead of the deadline, following the Dessers and Chermiti announcements.

This means that the Gers are still looking to bolster their attack with a further addition before the window slams shut, with a deadline-busting move for Rak-Sakyi still on the cards.

Why Rangers should sign Rak-Sakyi

Kevin Thelwell must push to get this late deal over the line in the coming hours because he could add a different profile to what Martin currently has at his disposal in the final third, as the club’s new Vaclav Cerny.

The bore-draw with Celtic on Sunday highlighted the lack of diversity out wide for Rangers, as Djeidi Gassama was forced to play on the right wing, unable to do much but go back the way on his right foot when he could not take Kieran Tierney on down the outside.

Last season, Cerny provided something different in the attack as a left-footed forward who could cut in from the right to score and create goals for the team, ending the campaign with 12 goals and four assists in the Premiership, per Sofascore.

24/25 Championship

Rak Sakyi per 90

Percentile rank vs wingers

Non-penalty xG

0.32

Top 13%

Goals

0.36

Top 11%

Shots on target

0.88

Top 22%

xA

0.18

Top 22%

Assists

0.10

Bottom 47%

Successful dribbles

2.44

Top 7%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sakyi offered a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the Championship on loan at Sheffield United, but was not rewarded with the assists that his creativity deserved.

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The 22-year-old star, who was described as a “frightening” forward by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored seven goals and provided two assists in 22 league starts for the Blades, and previously scored 15 goals and assisted eight goals in 40 League One starts for Charlton.

Like Cerny, he is a left-footed right winger who looks to cut in to provide a constant threat in the final third, and his performances in England suggest that he could bring a lot of quality to Ibrox.

Rak-Sakyi could also be another loan signing, as Cerny was with Wolfsburg, and make a big impact in a short time in Glasgow, without the club having to shell out millions on a permanent move, which is another reason why this could be a shrewd piece of business if they can beat the deadline.

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Everton still just have enough time to complete some deadline day transfer business, and they are closing in on a deal for a “difference-maker” to reinforce their midfield.

Moyes keen on defensive signing for Everton

The Blues have made an impressive start to the season in the Premier League, recovering from their defeat to Leeds United by sealing back-to-back wins at home to Brighton and away to Wolves.

Despite this, Everton manager David Moyes would still like to see new faces added on deadline day, pinpointing a new defender as a priority because of injuries in that area.

“It already has changed a lot of my plans because, obviously, we’re without Jarrad and we have been without Myko for, certainly, the first couple of games. We had this at the end of last season as well, we’ve had it all through the summer.

“It’s not as if we’ve necessarily got it better. We’ve got people back, but others are injured. We’ve just got to make sure that we’re not short again if we can help it – and certainly we were short for the first two games in the Premier League.”

That said, a fresh update suggests that Everton are now looking to snap up a midfielder who can add more quality in the middle of the park this season and beyond.

Everton on verge of "difference-maker" Merlin Rohl signing

The Athletic‘s Patrick Boyland reported on Monday morning: “Everton exploring deadline-day move for Freiburg’s Merlin Rohl. Long-time target but still lot to do to get it over line before 7pm deadline. CM a priority area.”

And Boyland has now revealed the deal is close to completion, with the player already having a medical as a loan with obligation to buy move draws closer. The obligation will be around €20m (£17m).

Rohl is the type of player who could add so much quality to Everton’s midfield, with the 23-year-old statistically similar to former Blues midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, possessing box-to-box energy.

The Freiburg ace has won 25 caps for Germany across four different youth age groups, while his former manager, Christian Streich, has lauded him.

If Everton do land a deal for Rohl, and potentially also sign a new right-sided defender, it would complete an impressive summer transfer window that has improved as it has gone on.

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The likes of Jack Grealish, Tyler Dibling and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have added quality and creativity to Everton’s team, and Rohl could do exactly the same.

The international break might well have come at the best possible time for Aston Villa.

After all, their opening results back in the Premier League this season have been nothing short of abysmal, with a seriously worrying 3-0 defeat last time out to Crystal Palace leaving them without a win from their first three league clashes.

On top of giving the Villans some room to assess after a poor start, the break has also given Unai Emery apt time to be at the training ground and work out where new recruits Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho fit in.

Having both arrived through the door on deadline day, the Spaniard will be praying that both the loan signings can be positive influences moving forward that lift his out-of-sorts side from their current malaise.

What Elliott & Sancho can offer Villa

Despite arriving in the Midlands as loanees initially, it’s safe to say both Elliott and Sancho are already well-versed in the challenges of the Premier League.

The midfield duo can boast 184 top-flight appearances between them in England, with Sancho just fresh off another loan stint himself with Chelsea, away from parent side Manchester United.

The reserve Red Devils figure came into his own at Stamford Bridge, with a promising seven goal contributions coming his way from 34 league appearances for Enzo Maresca’s Blues.

As another temporary option for Emery to call upon down the wings, Sancho could well go down as a shrewd acquisition, considering his transfer valuation, as per Football Transfers, stands at £27m.

Elliott may also be capable of the spectacular, scoring a crucial goal in the Champions League against PSG and firing home against Brighton towards the end of the campaign. However, his quality wasn’t enough to convince Arne Slot he deserved more game time, with only two starts afforded to him by the Dutchman in the league throughout 2024/25.

While he has often been utilised as an impact substitute at Anfield, the 22-year-old will surely be capable of offering even more quality to the Villa attack alongside Sancho, with the £33m-rated star up to 15 Premier League goal contributions himself.

While Sancho and Elliott will no doubt become key figures in the team at some point this season, Emery already has one dependable figure who’s worth more than the summer signings.

The Villa "monster" worth more than Elliott & Sancho

Despite experiencing such a slow start out of the blocks, Emery and Co can still flex some expensive assets in their camp.

Villa were fortunate to keep both Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers around past the chaotic transfer window, with Rogers’ value increasing all the way up to a jaw-dropping £99m, according to the CIES Football Observatory, amid interest in his services from Sancho’s parent employers.

Boubacar Kamara has also undergone a similar transformation at Villa Park, with the French midfielder’s valuation continuing to soar, having initially joined the West Midlands club on a free transfer.

The energetic 25-year-old has been a regular presence in the Villa treatment room since he left his native France behind in 2022 – with a hamstring concern already derailing his 2024/25 season – but he has consistently shone at the heart of Emery’s midfield when fit, having even been branded a “monster” by Sky Sports’ Adam Bate for his tenacity centrally.

Indeed, his fierce, battling nature was clear for all to see on the opening day of the Premier League, with a whopping ten duels won in total as Villa and Newcastle United played out a tense stalemate.

Emery’s men arguably lacked this same bite against Palace with Kamara missing, with his assured nature on the ball – which saw him average an 89% pass accuracy last season in the league – further bolstering the argument that he’s a guaranteed starter when injury niggles aren’t shackling him.

Kamara’s rising value at Villa

Date

Kamara’s value

Now

£47.6m

March 2025

£38m

January 2024

£40m

July 2022

£0

Sourced by Football Transfers

Off the back of being consistently dependable when fit, Kamara’s value now stands out at a mightily impressive £48m, which is more than both Elliott and Sancho, despite considerable fanfare greeting their arrivals.

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While these new additions will undoubtedly boost a goal-shy Villa outfit, it could be that Kamara’s eventual return from injury empowers Emery’s downbeat side even more, having been a stable glue for the Villans for many a season now.

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Everton haven’t always come out the other side of a summer transfer window with instant hits on the pitch.

Nobody connected to the Premier League giants looks back on the summer of 2021 with much fondness when it comes to the capture of Moise Kean, with the Italian forward only managing to bag a poor four goals for the Toffees in total, before ripping it up back in Serie A.

This is, unfortunately, just part and parcel of being deeply involved in the beautiful game, with plenty of mishaps always possible. However, David Moyes isn’t experiencing that right now.

Instead, the much-loved Scotsman seems to have struck instant gold with most of his pick-ups in the window, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s positive start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium somewhat slipping under the radar.

Dewsbury-Hall's positive start at Everton

This is understandable, too, considering Dewsbury-Hall has been competing for the spotlight with Jack Grealish, who already has a stunning four assists next to his name on Merseyside.

Still, Grealish’s whirlwind introduction at Everton shouldn’t detract from his former Chelsea teammate looking equally revitalised, with the 27-year-old midfielder now looking to be back at his very best.

Indeed, after an ego-bruising experience at Stamford Bridge saw him line up just 13 times for the Blues in the Premier League, it was clear that the ex-Leicester City ace needed a reset, and that has successfully come his way under Moyes’ tutelage.

The hope will be that the Toffees’ number 22 can kick on even more after his bright start, though, with a promising goal and an assist heading his way in league action after creating a high eight big chances.

After all, seven goal contributions had fallen into his lap for the Foxes in the big time previously, despite only experiencing two seasons at the level, with a prolonged stay in the division perhaps getting even more out of the £25m signing in the long run.

Shockingly, however, one of Everton’s flops in the same vein as Kean is now performing with the same confidence Dewsbury-Hall has just obtained, after once being discarded by Carlo Ancelotti for a mere £12m.

The Everton flop now playing like Dewsbury-Hall

Everton fans will have pushed Ancelotti’s reign firmly to one side now, with the Italian showing flashes of promise here and there in the dug-out during his stint at Goodison Park.

Of course, it goes without saying that Ancelotti is an exceptional manager, with a mind-blowing five Champions Leagues in his managerial trophy cabinet, but even the very best are going to struggle if they have some middling duds to try and get a tune out of.

Davy Klaassen is one of those the well-travelled boss could never quite get on board with, with the Dutchman only going on to make seven forgettable Premier League appearances for the club, before the plug was pulled on his spell in England. Staggeringly, just one solitary assist is all Klaassen could shout about from 16 total appearances for the Toffees.

Everton would then have to stomach a loss when selling him to Werder Bremen in 2020, having forked out a reported £23.6m for his services, only to discard him a year later for far a lower £12m fee.

Klaassen – Eredivisie stats (25/26)

Stat – per 90*

Klaassen

Games played

6

Games started

3

Goals scored

2

Assists

1

Touches*

36.2

Accurate passes*

24.4 (87%)

Total duels won*

3.6

Stats by Sofascore

He has since bounced back from his “complete dud” label at Everton, which was once handed to him by Joey Barton, with his early Eredivisie form for Ajax this season rivalling that of Dewsbury-Hall back in England, with three goal contributions coming his way from just three starts.

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That likeness to the Englishman has also been noted by Football Transfers, with the pair deemed to be stylistically and statistically similar players. Indeed, both men appear to be at their best in a creative, advanced midfield berth, with Klaassen rolling back the years in that sense this season.

With 3.6 duels won on average, too, it’s clear that there is life still in the 32-year-old, with the Ajax veteran even going out of his way to state that he feels “right at home in Amsterdam” earlier this year, away from his misadventures elsewhere.

Certain players just suit certain clubs after all, with Klaassen now hopeful he can see out the rest of his up-and-down playing days in the Dutch capital.

For the time being, at least, Dewsbury-Hall will also want to stick it out at Everton, with the Merseyside Derby up next, another occasion where the 27-year-old can hopefully flex his creative prowess for Moyes and Co.

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The only person criticised more than a struggling Premier League player is a top flight referee. Most decisions are scrutinised, the time it takes to make a decision is often at the centre of complaints and wrong decisions steal headline after headline. But it’s not just the fans that despise VAR.

Graham Scott: VAR is "utterly unenjoyable"

The introduction of VAR was supposed to take away any controversy in certain decisions. Diving would be eradicated, offsides made undeniable and most headlines could finally centre around the football. Six years on, however, the Video Assistant Referee has done none of those things. In fact, all it has done is increase the noise surrounding refereeing decisions.

Fans often make their opinion known and so do the managers in the Premier League. Burnley manager Scott Parker told reporters about his frustration after his side suffered a late 3-2 defeat against Manchester United in a game that saw the Clarets have a goal narrowly chalked off.

It’s not just the managers and fans who have been critical of the technology, though. Former referee and VAR official Scott recently told talkSPORT: “Off the field you can’t control anything and the noise now is insane. It’s almost unbearable and it becomes an extremely challenging role. Then, layering on top of that being VAR, as I’ve tried to convey in my piece, being a VAR is utterly unenjoyable.”

The former referee didn’t hold back after that, either, and even revealed the time that he felt sorry after a decision against Alexis Mac Allister.

Scott reveals devastation over Mac Allister decision

Continuing, Scott revealed that he felt devastated after ruling out Mac Allister’s stunning goal against Leicester City. The then-Brighton midfielder thumped home an unstoppable strike, only for VAR to intervene and rule the goal out for a marginal offside against Enock Mwepu after five minutes of checking.

Speaking about the decision, Scott told talkSPORT: “He scored probably the best strike from outside the box I’ve ever seen and you just put your head in your hands. You think, ‘I am going to have to chalk this off now’, and you look at the replay, ‘oh no, his shoulder looks like it might be off’.

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“And you draw these tiny lines and think ‘this is gonna end badly, I can tell’ and you end up going I’m really sorry but I’m gonna have to disallow this goal that everyone’s loved and the crowd has gone mad. You spend minutes hoping it’s alright and it’s not.”

In a rare insight into the life of a referee, Scott revealed the struggles of being a VAR official and shared similar frustrations with the managers as well as the fans in the Premier League.

Chelsea have now joined the race for a “flamboyant” forward, who is also being targeted by Bayern Munich, it has been revealed.

Blues set sights on another young forward

Jamie Carragher has repeatedly made it clear he isn’t a fan of the Blues’ recruitment policy, suggesting the ownership are now focusing too much on signing young players, rather than trying to compete for major trophies.

The Sky Sports pundit said: “Chelsea are not being judged to the same standard they were under Abramovich because they are hiding behind a prolonged transitional phase, which keeps extending by targeting a similar profile of young players in each transfer window.”

In truth, it is difficult to disagree with the former Liverpool man, given that a number of the Blues’ summer additions haven’t exactly hit the ground running, with young wingers Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho failing to register a Premier League goal or assist between them.

It was arguably a questionable decision to focus so heavily on bringing in new forwards in the summer, given that it may have made more sense to sign a new centre-back following the ACL injury suffered by Levi Colwill.

However, it appears as though Chelsea are set to continue their current approach in the transfer market, with a report from Absolut Fussball revealing they have recently joined the race for FC Koln forward Said El Mala, who is attracting widespread interest.

Indeed, El Mala is also being targeted by Bayern Munich, and a number of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Brighton & Hove Albion making an approach in the summer, at which point a deal may have amounted to €20m (£17m).

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However, the German side may soon be able to fetch a higher transfer fee, given that a number of big clubs are keen, following an impressive start to the campaign…

"Flamboyant" El Mala off to solid start in the Bundesliga

Despite being just 19-years-old, the starlet has already established himself as an important player for FC Koln, having made six Bundesliga appearances this season, during which time he has amassed two goals and one assist.

Most recently, the Germany U21 winger scored the only goal of the game as his side triumphed 1-0 away at Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, which led to his side moving up to sixth place.

The FC Koln star has also been praised by Jacek Kulig in the past, with the scout describing him as a “flamboyant” winger, who is skilled at creating chances and dribbling, while also possessing an impressive work-rate.

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El Mala clearly has the talent to be a success at Stamford Bridge, but it would make little sense to bring in yet another young winger, having signed Gittens and Garnacho during the summer.

Instead, it would be a better idea to bring in a new centre-back in January, given the scale of the injury crisis Enzo Maresca faces, with Colwill expected to miss the majority of the season.

Wolves are in the market for firepower and have now turned their attention to a Vitor Pereira favourite that he personally wants to bring to Molineux.

Wolves aim to bounce back after the international break

Admittedly, Wolves have suffered a poor start to the campaign, albeit draws against Tottenham and Brighton in the Premier League have provided more cause for optimism in the West Midlands.

Despite being rooted to the bottom of the table, the Old Gold have shown more resolve in recent times, though they are still to find that all-important victory to kickstart their campaign in earnest.

Hugo-Bueno-in-action-for-Wolves

Speaking about his side’s recent form, Hugo Bueno believes his side will eventually find three points and has encouraged his teammates to look past the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser to the Seagulls last weekend.

He stated: “It was really painful, but I try to keep with the positives of this game and I think the team showed a really good character. I think we controlled the game, we played really well, so we have to keep going like this. I’m really proud of the team but we have to look forward to the next games and to the next points and hopefully we can win that one.”

With Matt Doherty set to spend a month on the sidelines, Wolves find themselves with a lack of depth at right-back. Either way, back-to-back fixtures against Sunderland and Burnley simply have to be a launchpad for climbing the Premier League table.

Avoiding relegation will be the first port of call for the Old Gold this term before other objectives are discussed, and they could now be set to target a prolific striker to help their bid for survival.

Vitor Pereira tells Wolves to sign Yuri Alberto

According to reports in South America via Sport Witness, Wolves boss Pereira personally wants to bring Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto to Molineux as he believes the Brazil international could add another layer to his offensive options.

The tactician is also said to have asked Wolves to sign Alberto, so it is clear Pereira is very keen on bringing the attacker to the Black Country.

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The 24-year-old has registered 15 goals and two assists in 45 appearances over the current Brazilian campaign and was previously the subject of a failed loan bid with an option to buy from the Old Gold back in 2024.

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By the same token, Alberto has also created 11 chances on league duty, per Fotmob, illustrating his capacity to lead the line efficiently as Wolves look for someone to compete with Jorgen Strand Larsen and Tolu Arokodare for a starting place.

No official proposal has been made yet. Still, the Corinthians striker is now firmly in Pereira’s thinking, and his arrival could add some much-needed goals to a side who have been the Premier League’s lowest goalscorers thus far alongside Nottingham Forest.

Aston Villa have now overtaken Liverpool in the race to sign an “outstanding” new defender, with Newcastle United also keen.

Villa still keen on new additions amid uptick in form

Villa endured a slow start to the Premier League season, with the 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace likely to be considered a low point, but they have really managed to turn things around over the past few weeks.

Indeed, the Villans have now won five matches on the spin in all competitions, most recently defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on the road, courtesy of a first-half stunner from Morgan Rogers, which was followed up by a winner from Emi Buenda with a little under 15 minutes remaining.

Unai Emery will be very pleased about the recent uptick in form, which has seen his side rise to 11th in the Premier League table, but the manager clearly still feels a fresh injection of quality is needed, with a new centre-back of interest.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Aston Villa have now overtaken Liverpool in the race for Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez, given that Arne Slot’s side have recently decided to cool their interest.

Alongside Villa, Newcastle are also credited with a strong interest in the defender, but the Premier League sides may need to shell out a relatively high fee to get a deal over the line, with it being revealed he could command a fee of around €50m (£43m).

Both English sides should be well-positioned to get a deal done, however, with it previously being revealed that Ordonez is keen on a move to the Premier League.

"Outstanding" Ordonez could excel at Villa Park

Lauded as an “outstanding young footballer” by journalist Graeme Bailey, the Ecuadorian is a key player for Club Brugge, having made ten appearances in all competitions this season, during which time he has put in some eye-catching performances.

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One of the 21-year-old’s best displays actually came in the Champions League, which is an encouraging sign, with the youngster making a number of important defensive contributions to keep AS Monaco at bay and help his side secure a comfortable 4-1 win last month.

Statistic

Number completed

Duels (won)

6 (5)

Clearances

4

Tackles

3

Scout Ben Mattinson has hailed the Brugge star for his ability in possession too, describing him “secure on the ball”, while also adding he “anticipates well” and “has the pace to recover”.

Villa’s defence has not been a major problem this season, having shipped just eight goals in eight Premier League games, but there are plenty of signs that Ordonez could be a solid long-term addition to Emery’s backline.

Wolves are on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Vitor Pereira, and their Premier League survival could hinge on finding the perfect Molineux candidate.

Their catastrophic start to the season has plunged the club into crisis, with Pereira dismissed just 45 days after signing a new three-year contract following a 3-0 defeat at Fulham last weekend. The Portuguese’s departure came amid unprecedented failure that has left Wolves rooted to the bottom of the table and staring at almost certain relegation.

Wolves are the only winless side in England’s top four divisions, having taken just two points from their opening 10 Premier League games.

More alarmingly for the Old Gold, no club has ever survived with two or fewer points at this stage of a Premier League season, making the Midlands side overwhelming favourites for the drop after eight successive years in the top flight.

Wolves results in the Premier League so far

Wolves 0-4 Man City

Bournemouth 1-0 Wolves

Wolves 2-3 Everton

Newcastle 1-0 Wolves

Wolves 1-3 Leeds United

Tottenham 1-1 Wolves

Wolves 1-1 Brighton

Sunderland 2-0 Wolves

Wolves 2-3 Burnley

Fulham 3-0 Wolves

Wolves have scored the joint-fewest goals (seven) while conceding the most (22) in the division, and have gone 14 consecutive league matches without victory for the first time since a run of 15 between February and August 2012.

Pereira’s final match saw him subjected to chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” by travelling supporters at Craven Cottage, having previously clashed with fans following a 3-2 home defeat to Burnley.

Amid their search for a new manager, Wolves have now turned their attention to Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards, who made over 100 appearances for the club as a player between 2004 and 2008, though Boro rejected an approach to speak with the former Luton manager on Thursday (Sky Sports).

However, in a sensational turn of events, following his cancelled press conference on Friday, it is now believed that Edwards will not take charge of Boro’s Championship clash with Birmingham City.at the Riverside today.

Rob Edwards "now looking likely to join Wolves" after Middlesbrough decision

This comes after a decision from Boro to stand him down for the clash, with journalist Ben Jacobs reporting that Edwards is “now looking likely to join Wolves” after days of intense speculation.

The 42-year-old, who James Collins called “terrific”, only just took over from Michael Carrick in June and put pen to paper on a three-year deal, but he’s now poised to try and steer Wolves away from the relegation battle despite making a fantastic start to life at Boro.

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This latest twist in the managerial merry-go-round comes after former manager Gary O’Neil emerged as a leading contender but withdrew from consideration, feeling the timing wasn’t right for a return to Molineux.

Edwards guided Luton Town to Premier League promotion via the playoffs in 2023, demonstrating his ability to work wonders with very limited resources, and the coach’s work at Boro has been exceptional.

He’s guided Boro to their best start in the club’s 149-year history, winning EFL Championship Manager of the Month for August after four wins from four games with just one goal conceded.