Defeat to Cardiff on Friday means Wolves have lost five of their last six games in the Premier League.

The Championship winners made a decent start to life in England’s top division, losing just one of their first eight games after achieving promotion. However, their form has since curtailed, and a late goal from Junior Hoilett condemned the Midlands club to a 2-1 defeat against the Bluebirds. The game against Neil Warnock’s men was the first time Wolves have lost after opening the scoring since February 2017.

Nuno Espirito Santo has strengthened his side heavily in past transfer windows, and his side’s recent form will definitely tempt him to dip into the transfer market yet again. The Portuguese must be desperate to bolster his firepower after failing to land a regular goalscorer in the summer. A new forward should be top of his priority list when business opens in less than a month.

One man he should attempt to lure to the Premier League is Rangers hitman – Alfredo Morelos. Valued at just £2.03m by Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old has been scoring for fun in Scotland since joining from Finnish champions HJK Helsinki in the summer of 2017. Morelos ended his first season at the club with an incredible 18 goals in all competitions but has taken his game to the next level following Steven Gerrard’s takeover.

The youngster has already found the back of the net 17 times under the former Liverpool captain as well as registering ten assists for his team-mates. The Colombian has a knack of scoring important goals for the Gers and scored the winner against Hearts at the weekend to send his side top of the Scottish Premiership. Morelos has scored goals wherever he has played, and Wolves should give him the chance to shine in the Premier League.

In a squad of Wolves’ quality, the goals will be flowing at Molineux.

Wolves fans, thoughts?

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Swansea City’s summer signing Bersant Celina came off the bench to change the game as the Welsh side beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 on Saturday, and here at Football FanCast we want to know just how much he is worth to the Swans.

The two sides were cancelling each other out until just after the hour mark, when Wednesday substitute Marco Matias beat Erwin Mulder to give the away side the lead against the run of play.

However, Celina was sent on by Graham Potter to replace Kyle Naughton just after the goal, and it was a decision that eventually secured the Swans three points.

Just five minutes after he had come on, the 22-year-old equalised with a first-time finish. Then, just a minute later he provided an inch-perfect pass for veteran winger Wayne Routledge to slot the ball through keeper Cameron Dawson’s legs.

Celina, a Kosovan international, joined from Manchester City this summer for just £3m, but he is now surely worth at least double that – between £6m-£9m thanks to the regular game time he is getting at the Liberty.

So, Swansea fans, how much is he worth to your club now? Have your say by voting in the poll below.

Feel it’s about time to change Tottenham Hotspur’s trophy record? Taking on the Spurs job is a tricky one and will give you a new found respect for Mauricio Pochettino. But relax – Football FanCast has you covered with an in-depth guide to North London club on FIFA 19 Career Mode.

The board’s expectations

The board feel its time for a change in fortunes as they want you to clinch their first Premier League trophy and pair it with the FA Cup – Spurs have not won the top flight since 1961!

Domestic success is the only critical aspect of your objectives, with the board also looking for you to promote and develop youth players and make £176million through shirt sales – something that will be helped by having the likes of Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen performing well on a regular basis.

The transfer kitty

With a new stadium just built, the transfer budget for your first season is a lot smaller than the club’s rivals. You do have the benefit of that new ground – ready and waiting from the off unlike in real life – but with just £79.6million to play with, you will need to be cautious about who you target.

One option to stretch the budget is to move the focus even further towards the outright amount. Should you take the wage allowance down from £272,000-a-week to £162k, you will find it far easier signing two additions for your starting XI.

Three players to buy

Hirving Lozano

Hirving Lozano destroyed Tottenham in the Champions League when Pochettino’s side faced PSV Eindhoven, and would be the ideal addition to the Lilywhites’ flanks.

His rapid pace and agile dribbling allows the Mexican to nip around defenders and deliver a killer cross or blistering shot, and he performs well beyond his initial 81 rating.

Lozano can also play on either wing and, should you need, as a striker.

Daniele Rugani

Over the past few years, Tottenham’s centre-back partnership of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen has been the best in the league – even if they are yet to have a trophy to show for it. But with the Belgian duo hitting the latter stages of their careers, a new addition to partner Davinson Sanchez would be a wise move.

Juventus star Daniele Rugani may start as an 82 rated defender, but his 86 standing tackle, 86 interceptions and 87 marking make him a monster to get around.

Pau Lopez

Hugo Lloris is one of the highest rated goalkeepers on the game, but the 31-year-old often performs well below his rating in this year’s edition of FIFA. He’ll be a steady pair of hands for the first few seasons, but you’ll regret not making a move for Real Betis shot-stopper Pau Lopez when you need a new man between the sticks.

The Spaniard is just 23 and goes on to reach an 87 rating.

Three players to sell

Fernando Llorente

There may not be a lot of options up top in Spurs’ ranks, but Fernando Llorente is not the man you want to call on when Harry Kane needs a rest. The 33-year-old is rated just 76 and his best stat is his positioning.

You would think with positioning in the mid-80s he’ll get where the goals are, but with 29 acceleration and 32 sprint speed he’ll still be in your half when the ball whizzes across the box.

Michel Vorm

Even if you don’t buy a new goalkeeper to deputise for Lloris, Michel Vorm must be sold.

The Dutch goalkeeper is on the decline but can see you make around £3million before his contract expires in the following summer.

Ben Davies

Pochettino may love using him, but Ben Davies is not the full-back you want to use on FIFA. Danny Rose has the pace, the dribbling and the passing, while the Welsh international only has his tackling and stamina to fall back on.

Three for the future

Juan Foyth

He’s smashed into the first team in real life and you can rest easy knowing Juan Foyth can be a member of your starting XI.

The 20-year-old begins as a 72 rated defender, but goes on to reach 85 given enough game time. His 71 pace and 73 reactions make him a superb young defender.

Oliver Skipp

The defensive midfield slot is a hotly contested position in the first team, but look to the youth ranks should you need another option for Oliver Skipp has great potential and solid all-round stats. There are no stand-out numbers on his board, but the 18-year-old has solid foundations should you give him enough care and attention.

Tashan Oakley-Boothe

If you like your young defensive midfielders to be ball-playing options rather than tackling gods, Tashan Oakley-Boothe will be more up your street. The 18-year-old has a lower potential than Skipp, but possesses amazing passing for someone of his age and rating.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl criticised striker Shane Long in his Manchester City pre-match press conference on Friday, and he may have just given Celtic the green light to reignite their interest in their reported summer target as a result.

What did he say?

Long entered the pitch as a substitute for Danny Ings in the 61st minute against the Hammers with Hasenhuttl clearly hoping he would make a similar impact to what Michael Obafemi did against Huddersfield Town last weekend, where he scored once and could have had a hat-trick as he caused chaos with his pace.

It didn’t happen for Long on a difficult night for him and the Austrian’s team however, and speaking on Friday, via The Daily Echo, the 51-year-old said:

“Michael Obafemi it really hurts he is not part of the squad at the moment. The injury in training was a pity because I need him and his speed.

“That’s what I expected from Shane Long and it was not really the same what he put on the pitch and I hope for more in the future.”

What do his comments mean?

Well, they certainly suggest that Hasenhuttl was not impressed with what he saw from the 31-year-old, who may not have got any game time at all had Obafemi been available.

Celtic were linked a move for the Republic of Ireland international during the summer and given manager Brendan Rodgers reportedly wants to bring two new strikers to Parkhead during the January transfer window, it would be no surprise if he still holds some interest in Long.

While he has struggled to be prolific in the Premier League, it is a different kettle of fish in Scotland and his pace and never-say-die attitude means he would be a huge threat to opposition defences and could be a great foil for Odsonne Edouard.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below...

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once again decided to opt for a central midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner in a clash against one of their fellow Premier League big boys during the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

The charismatic German obviously felt that the trio were the most reliable three midfielders from both a defensive and offensive point of view against Pep Guardiola’s men as they looked to keep their unbeaten record this season intact, and to try and at least maintain the seven-point gap between them and their title rivals.

However, the decision failed to pay off as the Merseyside club ended up on the losing side in Manchester, and while centre-back Dejan Lovren was to blame for his part in both goals for the hosts,  Henderson, Wijnaldum and Milner didn’t really cover themselves in too much glory with their performances either.

The latter in particular struggled against his former club before being replaced by Fabinho in the 56th minute, with the Reds instantly improving as a result.

The 33-year-old former England international only made one tackle and one interception during just under an hour on the field, as per WhoScored, and he failed to make an impact in the final third either by failing to register a single shot or key pass for his teammates.

Milner is usually known for his reliability in possession but even he struggled with the pressing by his opponents with his accuracy standing at just over 78% before he was replaced, and it was generally a miserable night for the Klopp favourite.

There will be a lot of calls for the Liverpool chief not to start Lovren in pivotal top-of-the-table clashes again this season as the club look to take advantage of the great position they are in to win their first ever Premier League title, but it is Milner that shouldn’t be in the XI if they want to get results against the sides around them.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

Arsenal are in pole position to secure the services of former Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco, who is reportedly keen on returning to Europe following a year in China.

According to Sky Sport Italia, via the Mirror, the Belgian is currently being monitored by another Premier League giant in Manchester United with AC Milan also keeping a close eye on the situation.

But the report reveals that the Gunners have expressed the biggest interest in Carrasco, joined Chinese outfit Dalian Yifang in February last year.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery could be lining up the 25-year-old as a replacement for Danny Welbeck, who suffered a horrible injury against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League in November, a competition that the bet calculator

has the Gunners as strong contenders for, subsequently ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

Welbeck is one of a whole host of players who are out of contract at the Emirates at the end of the season and a big doubt remains as to if the Gunners will offer him an extension on the deal, according to Sky Sports.

This situation has opened the door for manager Unai Emery and head of recruitment Sven Mislintat to explore some options with Carrasco the best available fit for a move to North London.

Carrasco made a total of 124 appearances in the colours of Atletico Madrid before leaving for China, scoring 24 goals in the two and a half seasons he played under Diego Simeone.

The winger could add the pressure in competition on someone like Alex Iwobi, who has been brilliant this season, but Carrasco will most likely take up a squad player role in the Arsenal camp, like Welbeck did, to help Emery get the best out of his first-choice players.

Carrasco poses a natural attacking threat on the wing and has brilliant vision in picking out his teammates.

He is also excellent with the ball at his feet and is a tough player to defend against due to his ability to keep hold of possession for a long time.

For Emery, Carrasco would be the perfect player to use from the bench, while offering full commitment on the pitch.

According to Spanish outlet AS, Tottenham’s star midfielder Christian Eriksen is unlikely to sign a new contract with his club. 

If the Dane does not sign this new deal, Real Madrid are rumoured to be the frontrunners to secure his signature.

With the midfielder’s contract due to expire at the end of next season, Tottenham will now be caught as to what is best to do. If they keep hold of him until the end of the season, they will still get more out of him, but they will slowly lose their bargaining power as the 26-year-old reaches the end of his contract- as has been seen with the likes of Toby Alderweireld.

Many Tottenham fans will be devastated to see the elusive player leave, however, they will also be disappointed if the Denmark international is sold under what he is worth. Tottenham will want to make the most from him, and that may entail selling him as soon as possible.

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With the likes of Érik Lamela, Delle Alli, Son Heung-min and Lucas Moura already at the club, Spurs have the personnel to survive without Eriksen (valued at £72m on Transfermarkt.co.uk). Additionally, The Lilywhites have joined the race to sign Lyon’s Nabil Fekir, who would almost certainly cost less than what Madrid would be willing to pay for Eriksen. However, to get this fee, he would surely need to leave this January.

Ultimately, this is a player that does not want to commit to Tottenham, therefore, the best thing that he could do for the team is to leave as soon as possible in order to make the most money for Tottenham.

According to The Scottish Sun, Sunderland would be willing to accept an offer for Josh Maja from Scottish giants Celtic, providing the player can be loaned to them for the rest of the season. 

The Black Cats have not been able to reach an agreement with the 20-year-old to sign a new contract, as his current one expires at the end of the season.

It has looked more than likely for a while now that the striker would be leaving the Stadium of Light, but many fans would have expected him to leave completely this month, rather than returning on loan. This saga has endured throughout January, and this could perhaps be one of the leading causes behind Sunderland’s drop in form lately, which has seen them draw their last three League One games.

In light of that, this is a deal that Sunderland should snap up instantly, as, other than him signing a new contract, this is the best possible deal that they could get. The Black Cats would not want to see the player leave for free at the end of the season, so in this case, they are actually making some money from a very promising player. Likewise, manager Jack Ross would not want the forward to leave this month as, in truth, he is their best chance of promotion back to the Championship this season.

With 15 goals already this season for The Black Cats, the prospect of keeping hold of Maja for the rest of the season will fill Ross with delight, and Sunderland should not hesitate to accept this deal with Celtic.

Crystal Palace supporters are well accustomed to reports linking Wilfried Zaha with a whole host of Premier League clubs, but the latest report concerning his future concerns a potential bid from Borussia Dortmund. 

Indeed, according to a recent report from German media outlet Bild, Dortmund have identified Zaha as a potential replacement for Christian Pulisic, who is set to join Chelsea at the end of the season after a £58 million deal was agreed.

The same report claims that talks between Dortmund and Palace are already underway, although it remains to be seen how much the Bundesliga giants would be expected to pay for the 26-year-old wing-wizard.

The fact Dortmund recently agreed to sell Pulisic could eventually come back to bite Palace. Not only do Dortmund need a new winger to bolster their ranks, they have the financial resources from which to prise Zaha away from south London.

Interest in Zaha’s signature is par for the course during any transfer window, with his form in the Premier League naturally drawing attention from some of the division’s biggest clubs.

However, if Palace were eventually forced to sell Zaha, whether it be this month or in the summer, it’s fair to presume they would much prefer to offload their talisman to Dortmund over a fellow domestic rival.

The deal which will see Pulisic move to Chelsea at the end of the season caught plenty of people by surprise, and the Pensioners’ decision could yet represent Palace’s nemesis now that Dortmund are armed with a healthy sum of cash to utilise in their pursuit of Zaha.

Crystal Palace fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

[ad_pod ]Leicester City defender Harry Maguire is set to be fit to face Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening, after making a full recovery from a knock sustained in the dramatic 4-3 loss to Wolves in the Foxes’ last Premier League outing, as reported by the club’s official Twitter account.

Whilst that may seem like good news for Claude Puel and Leicester, it could also be a blessing in disguise for the Reds.

Why could it be a good thing?

Whilst the England international is undoubtedly the Foxes’ best defender, his few weaknesses could be exploited to the maximum against Jurgen Klopp’s side. The 25-year-old is a commanding, physically imposing presence who is surprisingly very good on the ball, although his lack of pace and noticeable immobility could and should be taken advantage of at Anfield.

Those of you who remember this same fixture on Merseyside from last season should recall the joy Mohamed Salah had against the former Hull City man, in which he turned Maguire and made him look foolish before slotting into the back of the net.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Could the same happen again?

Maguire has since embarked on a memorable World Cup campaign with the Three Lions, becoming a household name in the process as he won admirers from all over the country, although he may not be the same player against the Reds on Wednesday evening.

Leicester are in a bit of a rut and have lost four of their last five games, and after being cut apart by Wolves like a hot knife through butter on more than one occasion last time out, the game against a Liverpool side who are top of the league could expose Maguire in noticeable fashion.

Salah is one of the quickest players in the league, and his new role as a central striker will see him come up directly against Maguire – if you were to ask me who I think would win the battle, I’d say the Egyptian could have a very fun evening against the team from the east Midlands.