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Aston Villa striker Wesley has been called up by Brazil for their upcoming international fixtures against Argentina and South Korea (via @villareport).

The 22-year-old has replaced Ajax forward David Neres in the squad following his withdrawal due to injury and becomes the second Villa player in the squad alongside Douglas Luiz.

It is the first time in his career that Wesley has been called up into the Brazilian squad (Birmingham Mail). He will be competing with some top strikers for a place in the team, including Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison.

This is Wesley’s first season with Aston Villa having joined in the summer from Club Brugge, and he has made an ok start to life in the Premier League.

Indeed, he has scored four goals and provided one assist in his 12 appearances so far, although he has failed to find the back of the net in his last four (Transfermarkt).

Villa fans have been reacting to the news of Wesley’s call-up, with several confused as to how he has been included as they haven’t been too impressed with his performances. Here is what some said on Twitter…

Aston Villa fans, do you think Wesley deserves his call-up for Brazil? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

West Bromwich Albion currently sit top of the Championship table as a hectic festive period is soon on the horizon.

At their current rate, the Baggies will surpass a points total of 92, which has been enough for automatic promotion in four of the last five seasons in this division.

However, this discounts plenty of other factors that may crop up between now and May, such as injuries, suspensions, and the form of their rivals.

Though, things are quite positive as they hold a two-point cushion over the chasing pack of Preston North End and Leeds United.

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Albion boss Slaven Bilic can give his side the best chances of success by adding further depth and quality in January, which may well appear to be the case if reports are to be believed this week.

The Telegraph has claimed that Newcastle United will brace themselves for interest over their striker Dwight Gayle in the winter window as West Brom are interested in bringing him back to the west Midlands.

Such a move would undoubtedly appease many at the Hawthorns if it were to come to fruition, so some of Football FanCast’s best run the mill over whether or not it would actually be the right signing to make given their failed attempt in the summer.

Matt Dawson

“Dwight Gayle to West Brom must have done the rounds about a thousand times since he departed the Hawthorns last summer, but whenever it comes up, you can’t deny just how good a signing it would be. Gayle was absolutely sensational in the Championship last term, scoring 24 goals and has shown his quality at that level time and time again.

“Bringing him back to Albion in January would be a game-changer. Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore have only three goals between them, and if they want to achieve promotion, they’ll have to rely on more than just the wide players and Matheus Pereira. 

“That being said, I’d be incredibly surprised if the club could afford it. Last summer’s struggles to bring him back was well documented. His colossal wage demands of £55k were too much for West Brom previously, so he’d have to take a considerable drop to re-join them. Based on what happened in the summer, it’s hard to see a move happening, but there can be no doubting just important he would be if he re-signed.”

Kealan Hughes

“West Brom are riding high at the top of the Championship, but Slaven Bilic’s job would be a lot easier if he had a reliable goalscorer to call upon, and Dwight Gayle fits the mould.

“The Baggies have failed to replace his goals with the signings of Kenneth Zohore and Charlie Austin – who have three league goals between them. Gayle, by contrast, managed 24 in the Championship last year.

“He would massively strengthen West Brom’s attack, and that could be the difference between the automatic promotion places and missing out, and if he did arrive, the rewards from the likely subsequent promotion would more than repay his transfer fee.”

Billy Meyers

“If this deal is one that isn’t too expensive for the Baggies, then they should be all over it – capturing a Championship marksman can be the difference between promotion and remaining in the second tier. 

“If I supported West Brom, I for one would be massively infuriated if finances did turn out to be a stumbling block in this deal, as there is absolutely no way that £8m should’ve been spent on Zohore – if there is money in the bank to sign Gayle though, then it has to be done. 

“Austin is definitely capable, although over the course of a 46-game campaign in which things can get quite gruelling at times, having someone who can conjure up a goal out of nothing such as Gayle is worth its weight in gold. 

“The Midlands-based side know what the former Crystal Palace forward is all about, so there are very few risks involved in this deal – if affordable, it has to happen.”

Lewis Blain

“West Brom have been firing on all cylinders this season, but the same can’t be said for their strikers as the trio of Charlie Austin, Hal Robson-Kanu and Kenneth Zohore have only accounted for 20% of their league goals this campaign. To put that in perspective, Matty Phillips on his own has accounted for the same percentage, via WhoScored.

“I’ll get this out the way first and say that Gayle would be an astonishing coup for West Brom, but I have my doubts over whether they can financially complete such a deal and if it were to dent their long-term finances significantly, then they should stay clear and look elsewhere.

“The 29-year-old’s wage demands were too much, and he is valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt so he won’t come cheap – that’s more money than Zohore and Austin combined. If they risk the move and then don’t successfully gain promotion, it will harm them next season. He’s also yet to prove his worth in the top-flight as he’s only bagged 21 goals in 101 appearances, so the Baggies may well be paying in excess of £10m+ for a six-month quick fix.”

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

The Championship is finally back in action this weekend as Sheffield Wednesday return with a testing trip south as they look to put any off-field demons to the side for the time being.

League leaders West Brom play host at the Hawthorns, and it is a game in which Garry Monk can hugely exploit if he sets out his team correctly on Saturday afternoon.

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The Baggies will be without two of their most influential players as both captain Jake Livermore and midfield partner Romaine Sawyers will be absent through suspension.

The pair have started every single game this campaign with the latter featuring for every single minute available.

And while they would have had two weeks to prepare for this very moment, it is something that the Owls chief in command needs to make the absolute most of as they can make up some much-needed ground on those around the playoffs.

At the very least, it may help their cause later down the line if they do get any points deducted too.

On the Chalkboard

West Brom’s central midfield pecking order is substantially weak as outside the two suspended protagonists, there’s only really two true options, but they both come with their doubts.

Gareth Barry has only just re-signed at the club after a career-threatening injury and has played one U23 game while Rekeem Harper has only featured for a whole six minutes in the league.

Albion’s number ten Matheus Pereira still offers a massive threat at the peak of their midfield having scored three and assisted six goals, so the above factors combined make a 4-3-3 formation a must for Wednesday.

Sam Hutchinson is so crucial at the base of that three as his tackling stats will go a long way in neutralising the Brazilian’s threat, he averages 2.2 per game.

In front of him needs to be two of Barry Bannan, Massimo Luongo, or Kieran Lee, depending on who is fit enough to play, given that the Australian hasn’t featured since the win over Stoke City nearly a month ago.

These three offer creative and attacking threats, which they can really take advantage of in the absence of Livermore, who averages 2.1 tackles per game and Sawyers, who manages approximately 69.6 passes per match at an accuracy rate of 91.9%.

Bannan is joint-top in the squad for assists, Luongo has two goals in his last three appearances, and Lee managed an assist against Swansea City last time out in just his second start since the end of September.

The midfield will almost certainly hold the keys to whether or not Wednesday come out on top at the Hawthorns.

Loads of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting on Twitter after the club was linked with a move for Olympiacos goalkeeper Jose Sa.

According to Greek media outlet SDNA, the Eagles – along with Premier League rivals Southampton and West Ham United – are all keen on the 27-year-old glovesman.

As per Transfermarkt, he has kept a brilliant 24 clean sheets in 41 appearances in all competitions for the Greek giants this term, conceding 27 goals in total.

He has also helped his team reach the last 16 of the Europa League having knocked Arsenal out in the previous round, so it is no surprise that the Portuguese stopper is attracting admiring glances from elsewhere.

Roy Hodgson currently has Vicente Guaita – the undoubted number one – Wayne Hennessey and Stephen Henderson in his ranks, but with the former duo 33 years of age and the latter 31, perhaps he is ready to take a look at the future.

Did he really play for us?! No Palace fan has managed to name all of these obscure Eagles signings….

There are those that aren’t believing the rumour though, with one saying “not having this”.

Others chose to focus on first-choice ‘keeper Guaita, with one saying he’d be crying because of the link, and another suggesting that Sa couldn’t be his replacement.

While the Spaniard has been impressive for Palace, as we mentioned previously at some point the Eagles do need to look to the future, and if Dougie Freedman thinks he can compete for the number one spot more effectively than Hennessey or Henderson can, then that should be good enough.

Another simply asked why their club would want Sa, and they were quick to be replied to.

One suggested that Hennessey and Henderson aren’t good enough as back-ups, while another brought up the question of their ages as we mentioned previously.

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It is a move that makes sense, but one that would also mean at least one goalkeeper will be on their way out of Selhurst Park in the summer.

In other Crystal Palace news, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman have been made to look very smart following journalist’s transfer update…

Harry Kane has enjoyed a glistening career at Tottenham Hotspur and is arguably one of the finest products to come through the youth system in the club’s entire history.

181 goals in 278 appearances is a phenomenal return for a striker, and below you can delve into his top five long-range screamers.

From his outrageous attempt against Arsenal in 2016 to that goal against Juventus…

The 26-year-old has won plenty of awards, including a World Cup Golden Boot, multiple PFA Team of the Year entries as well as clinching an MBE from the Queen.

Although, that elusive trophy in north London still escapes him…

Stuck in isolation? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…

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AND in other news, Alasdair Gold suggests TWO Spurs transfer targets if Harry Kane leaves…

A Celtic fan has posted an image on Twitter of former goalkeeper Gordon Marshall and a lot of the fanbase are now discussing his time at the club.

St.Anthony tweeted out the picture saying: “Pic before bed: Gordon Marshall. By all accounts a decent guy but sadly he will always be remembered for that blunder in the Raith Rovers final in 1994 which cost us the trophy. Was a part time hairdresser as well.”

It seems like Marshall had more bad moments than good in his 100 league appearances for the club, per thecelticwiki, as fans flooded the post mocking his time playing for the Scottish side.

However it seems like the player himself takes these comments with a pinch of salt, as he said in the past, per thecelticwiki, “Believe me. Some folk will like you, some folk will think: ‘for what we paid [£270,000], it’s what we got – value for money’. Others will say, ‘he cost us the bloody League Cup final’!”

Sadly the side lost that final on penalties after his error, and even though he did have some good performances for the club, most fans mainly remember this final.

He did manage however to win the league title and League Cup during his time at the Paradise.

Here is what fans had to say:

Celtic fans, what are your thoughts on the player? Comment below!

A lot of Palace fans are discussing their club crest, after FYP Fanzine tweeted that it has been seven years since the club rebranded to the current badge they have.

The club decided to design a new emblem when they were promoted to the Premier League back in May 2013, via Crystal Palace, and they based it off their crest which was made in 1973.

Back in 1972, fans were allowed to vote on the club’s image, and decided to go for an Eagle gripping a ball, with the words Crystal Palace Football Club around the picture.

Now the design has changed the colour of the Eagle from white to blue, with the name of the club underneath instead of around, and there have been many historic moments which the South London side has made since the new crest was created.

This includes staying in the Premier League for the longest time in their history, via Premier League, and some amazing victories. For example the 3-2 win against Manchester City, via Premier League, featuring the division’s Goal of the Season from Andros Townsend, and the dramatic comeback against Liverpool at Selhurst Park which saw the Eagles 3-0 down until the last ten minutes when they managed to score three goals to draw the match, per Squawka.

Fans will be hoping even more memories can be created in the near future when football resumes. Here is what they had to say following the tweet as they debated which emblem they like best…

Palace fans what are your thoughts on the new crest? Comment below!

Jermain Defoe has played in some massive derbies throughout his career.

The North London Derby and Tyne-Wear Derby are widely recognised as two of the biggest derbies in the UK and the striker has scored in both, but he’s also had a taste of the Old Firm Derby during his time at Rangers, and it’s this hotly contested rivalry that has impressed the 37-year-old the most.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Defoe said: “It’s the best. It’s unbelievable. I appreciate all the derbies I’ve played in but when I spoke to Graeme Souness before I signed for Rangers, he told me it’s the best football match in the world.

“But you have to experience what it’s like, it’s a special game. When we beat them 2-0 at home, the atmosphere was incredible. I was looking around, almost in a trance, looking at the crowd bouncing, it gave me goosebumps.

“It really was amazing.”

Rangers won the last Old Firm derby and while Defoe is yet to get himself on the scoresheet for Rangers against Celtic, with a one-year Ibrox contract agreed ahead of next season he’ll have a few more chances yet to add yet another derby goal to his impressive goalscoring record.

And it’s making his name at Rangers that is driving Defoe forward, with dreams of making history at the forefront of his focus once football restarts.

“When you walk down the tunnel and on to the pitch at Ibrox you can see the names of great players on a board and I say to the players, if we can be on that board one day then we’ve done something special,” Defoe added.

“I’m just focused on being a part of Rangers history.”

You can read the full interview with Jermain Defoe, in conjunction with On The Ball Global, here.

With money set to be tight amidst the current climate, Tottenham, like most clubs across Europe, will have to be on the look-out for some shrewd deals that represent great value for money. And they could find exactly that with a swoop for Ryan Fraser.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Spurs had earmarked the Bournemouth winger as a potential transfer target for this upcoming summer transfer window, with his contract with the Cherries coming to an end next month.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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Now, Spanish publication TodoFichajes24 have claimed that Spurs have reached an agreement with the Scotland international for him to join the north Londoners this summer, and that whilst “details of the new contract are still unknown…it is very likely that they will make it official next week”.

And after hearing about the update on their move for Fraser, Spurs fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their potential first signing.

A few fans suggested how Fraser’s ability to cross a ball – he averaged one successful one per game this season in the top-flight – would add something to the team that they have lacked.

Whilst he may not have enjoyed the kind of stellar season he had last year where he racked up an incredible 14 assists in the Premier League alone, Fraser would be a very smart signing in the circumstances.

On a free transfer, and a Premier League proven winger, Spurs would be hard pressed to find a player that represents better value for money than the Scot this summer.

And if they are close to signing him, then Daniel Levy will have conducted some great business.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has transformed the Reds into a world-beating side inside an extraordinary 13 months. 

Klopp will be immortalised forever at Anfield alongside the likes of Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan. However, life could have been very different for the Premier League champions.

According to The Athletic, as relayed by @AnfieldEdition, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) were interested in appointing Eddie Howe after sacking Brendan Rodgers in 2015. Rodgers, who is now in charge of Leicester, met his demise following a slump in form.

FSG “gave serious consideration to hiring Howe” as he was on a three-man shortlist with Carlo Ancelotti, who later ended up at Merseyside rivals Everton, before opting for Klopp instead.

By that stage, the Cherries boss had earned a reputation for developing young players and playing attractive football, although he was still relatively inexperienced at the time.

Bournemouth are engulfed in a relegation scrap for survival and remain in the drop zone on goal difference ahead of the game against Newcastle this evening. To make matters worse, Callum Wilson, who is the club’s top scorer, has been handed a two-match ban.

Unsurprisingly, loads of LFC fans blasted the “close shave” on social media, with one fan tweeting that Howe could have been “another Brendan Rodgers” in reference to Bournemouth’s dramatic decline in form, while another added that he is “garbage”.

Scroll down through some of the scathing reactions so far…

Liverpool fans, are you glad you ended up with Jurgen Klopp and not Eddie How? Let us know your views in the comments below!