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Journalist and Sunderland supporter Josh Bunting has given his reaction to some transfer news that he has heard involving Jack Diamond.

The Lowdown: Fleetwood interested in Diamond

As per Football Insider, League One club Fleetwood Town have now registered their interest in signing Diamond, with the winger is a ‘top target’ for Scott Brown’s side.

The Championship club have reportedly given the ‘green light’ for the 22-year-old to leave the Stadium of Light, despite giving him a contract extension last year.

The Latest: Bunting reacts

Taking to Twitter, Bunting gave his instant reaction to the news of Diamond’s possible departure from Sunderland, claiming that the winger would be a ‘good signing’ for Fleetwood, and that he hopes that the propsed deal comes off.

Bunting stated: “Good signing for Fleetwood this if they get him, they’ve been direct in their opening two League One games and that will suit Jack Diamond. Just get the ball into him and he will drive at defenders. Can see him do well there, hope it happens.”

The Verdict: Sell him

Given the recruitment of attackers Ellis Simms, Jack Clarke and Leon Dajaku so far this summer, it seems unlikely that Diamond would get much game-time if he stays at Sunderland beyond the current transfer window.

He has not featured for Alex Neil’s side yet this season and was shipped off to Harrogate Town last term after making just five appearances for the Black Cats when they were in League One (Transfermarkt).

At 22 years of age, Diamond needs to be playing regular football now, so if Sunderland can get a decent fee for him from Fleetwood, it would be a move which would surely suit all parties involved.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have seen a £10m bid for Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque turned down, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Lage on the lookout

Raul Jimenez is now facing a significant spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury during the Premier League side’s pre-season friendly against Besiktas last month, and Bruno Lage is keen to sign a direct replacement, despite adding versatile attacker Goncalo Guedes to the pack.

Sky Sports (via Birmingham Mail) first credited the Wanderers with an interest in the 28-year-old Ajorque, stating that Bruno Lage’s men sent scouts out to watch their target in pre-season action, and it looks like they’ve now made their first attempt at a deal.

The Latest: Wolves get offer rejected

Football Insider report that Wolves’ £10m offer for Ajorque has been ‘rejected’, with Strasbourg having ‘knocked back’ the bid as they are adamant to ‘hold out’ for their ‘£18m asking price’.

It’s believed that fellow top-flight clubs Leicester City, Brentford and Everton are all ‘keeping close tabs’ on the forward and ‘watched him’ in the Ligue 1 squad’s fixture vs Monaco last weekend.

The Verdict: Time to act fast

Wolves will of course want to wrap up any kind of deal for as little as possible and having this rejection will be a blow for Lage, but Ajorque is a player who they need to splash the cash on imminently to fend off their competitors.

The Frenchman, dubbed a ‘beast physically’ by football journalist Alessandro Schiavone, is known for his 6 foot 6 frame and prolific form in front of goal, having netted 12 times with eight assists in Ligue 1 last season while winning 3.5 aerial duels per game.

Ajorque could add a different dimension with his height in the final third and be the target man that Wolves have been looking for to fill that Jimenez-shaped void.

Sunderland return to action in the Championship tonight as they travel away from the Stadium of Light to face Sheffield United.

The Black Cats come into the match off the back of a 2-2 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers at the weekend. Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart put them in a commanding position only for the opposition goalkeeper to come forward to score an equaliser in stoppage time.

They were also hit with a significant injury blow in the match as summer signing Daniel Ballard was forced off the pitch within the opening ten minutes of the game.

The centre-back has now been ruled out for an unspecified amount of time, with Neil telling the club’s official website:

“It is difficult to put a timescale on it,”

“We have a few other scans to undertake – and a couple of specialists to see – to fully understand the severity of it, but that process is underway to ensure he then receives the necessary treatment to get him back as soon as we can.”

Neil must now replace the former Arsenal man in the starting line up and he should unleash the versatile Luke O’Nien from the start tonight.

The £5k-per-week gem, who was once dubbed a “revelation” by former manager Jack Ross, came on for Ballard against QPR and put in an eye-catching display.

O’Nien won six of his seven individual duels and made five interceptions in the match. Dennis Cirkin and Danny Batth, who both played the full 90 minutes, won a lower percentage of their battles and only made three interceptions between them.

This shows that he was stronger than his fellow centre-backs and read the game more effectively as he cut out opposition attacks more often than both of them combined.

Therefore, he was the best player in the back three on the day as he stood out ahead of Cirkin and Batth defensively, despite being chucked in at the deep end in the first-half due to the injury.

He was needed badly in that situation to deal with the blow and that is the casee again tonight. Neil is without Ballard for the clash with the Blades and O’Nien should be unleashed as they need the strong defending he showcased against QPR, given how superior he was to his colleagues.

The former Wycombe man proved that he can slot into that position and not look out of place at Championship level and that is why he must be named in the starting XI to fill the right centre-back slot that is now in desperate need of an occupant.

It may only be three games into the new Premier League season for Aston Villa, although pressure is seemingly already mounting on manager Steven Gerrard, with little improvement having been made from last term despite a strong summer of recruitment.

Two defeats and a win thus far have ensured that the former Rangers boss has a dismal record of 14 defeats from his opening 30 league games in charge at Villa Park since his appointment back in November, having failed as yet to have the desired impact.

The 42-year-old has not been helped, however, by the loss of summer signing Diego Carlos, with the Brazilian defender set to be out for an extended period of time after suffering an Achilles’ injury in the victory over Everton last week.

The absence of the former Sevilla man could well see the Midlands outfit forced back into the market for another centre-back before the September deadline, with Chelsea starlet Trevoh Chalobah one name that has emerged on the rumour mill of late.

The suggestion is that the Villans are eyeing a loan swoop for the 23-year-old before the end of the window, with the Sierra Leone-born menace – who is also attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur – believed to be wary of losing his place at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues academy graduate is yet to feature this season under manager Thomas Tuchel, with the potential addition of Leicester City gem Wesley Fofana only set further harm his first-team chances.

That inability to earn a regular role – particularly following the exodus of centre-backs in the capital over the summer – has somewhat come as a surprise, following what was a real breakthrough campaign last time out for the £18m-rated “colossus”, as described by journalist Joe Krishnan.

After having spent the previous three seasons out on loan, the former Three Lions youth international was thrust into the first-team set-up by Tuchel at the start of last season, going on to feature 31 times in all competitions for his current side.

That bright impact had seen the £20k-per-week brute even likened to a young Virgil van Dijk by pundit Ian Wright, with those at Villa Park no doubt hoping that they could have their own version of the Liverpool leader on their hands if they are to sign the Chelsea gem.

Speaking about the youngster, Wright said: “You know what he reminded me of, not the same player, not the same stature, but the way Virgil Van Dijk when he played for Celtic, people said he’s just taking liberties just because he’s good and not in the same standard [as others].”

A “composed” figure – as described by Krishnan – much like the Dutchman, Chalobah seemingly has a similar statistical record to that of the 31-year-old with regards to their quality in possession, as the younger man has a 91.2% pass completion rate per 90, while the Reds hero averages 90.7% for the same metric – albeit with the latter man having played more minutes.

Both also possessing impressive size and stature – with Van Dijk standing at 6 foot 4 and Chalobah at 6 foot 3 – they also provide a real threat in an attacking sense, having each scored three league goals last term.

Although the one-time Lorient loanee has some way to go to match the standing of a player whom Michael Owen dubbed the “best centre-half of all time”, it is intriguing the comparisons that can be made between the pair.

Amid their current woes, Gerrard would no doubt love to have a Van Dijk-esque figure in his Villa side this season.

Crystal Palace have submitted an offer for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher as Patrick Vieira would like to bring him back to Selhurst Park, this time on a permanent deal.

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Times, who claim that Palace have made a £27m offer for Gallagher as Vieira aims to lure him back to Selhurst Park.

The club hopes that they can agree to a permanent deal instead of bringing the midfielder back for a second consecutive loan spell.

Vieira will hope to persuade Gallagher that a move could work out well for his World Cup chances, which starts in November.

It could be a Vieira masterclass

Palace have started off the Premier League season slightly better than expected given their fixtures. A loss to Arsenal in their opening match was followed by a credible draw against Liverpool at Anfield.

The first win against Aston Villa was well deserved and the club took a two-goal advantage against Manchester City at the weekend but eventually crumbled to lose 4-2.

The Frenchman has Palace playing well and they are not afraid to go toe to toe with the likes of Liverpool and City but adding in Gallagher could make a big difference to their midfield.

The 22-year-old spent an incredibly productive year on loan at the London side last season, scoring eight goals and grabbing a further five assists in 39 matches for the Eagles, meaning that if they could lure him back to Selhurst Park this summer, it would be a masterstroke from the recruitment team.

After all, this was a player who won the club’s Player of the Season award last term and was also nominated for the PFA’s Player of the Year. Clearly loved by everyone associated with the Eagles, this would be a real statement of intent and one remarkable way to end the transfer window.

it’s not just his numbers that make him stand out but his versatility could be important to Vieira also, with Gallagher able to play effectively either further forward in a more attacking role or deeper if required in front of the back four.

Compared to positional peers in the top five European leagues, Gallagher ranks in the top 8% for dribbles completed (1.37 per match) and touches in the opposition box (2.93) and this is the main reason why he netted eight times last season.

Defensively, he won 44 tackles, made 43 interceptions, and applied a total of 783 pressures, exuding his ability to help the defence as much as possible.

Ex Sheffield United midfielder Mark Duffy described him as a “pressing machine” and his work rate is something Vieira will require if he aims to take Palace to a top-half finish.

Glasgow Rangers are currently in the midst of a mini-crisis after losing 4-0 in back-to-back games in the Premiership and Champions League.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men were hammered by their arch-rivals in the Scottish top-flight before being easily swept aside by Ajax in the Netherlands.

However, the last two results should not take away from the enormous strides that the club have taken in recent years, with the Dutch head coach reaching the Europa League final and qualifying for the Champions League group stages since arriving at Ibrox in 2021.

Their relative success can be attributed to several reasons, but Ross Wilson’s superb work in the transfer market has been one of the key factors.

He has been able to land some bargains in the last few windows and one player, in particular, that he played a masterclass with was the signing of John Lundstram.

The Gers brought him to Glasgow in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer after his contract with English side Sheffield United had expired, following their relegation from the Premier League.

Wilson admitted that the £22k-per-week midfielder was a “major” target for Rangers and claimed that they fended off serious competition from other clubs to land his signature.

Lundstram quickly justified the club’s desire to sign him by enjoying a fantastic debut season in Scotland, impressing in the Premiership and the Europa League.

Ex-Rangers man Maurice Ross described him as the “cornerstone” of the team and the Englishman’s former teammate Kane Hemmings claimed that he is “invaluable” to the team.

Domestically, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92 in the Scottish top-flight as he played 27 times under Steven Gerrard and van Bronckhorst combined. He made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per match and won 60% of his duels as he made himself a physical presence in the middle of the park.

Meanwhile, he caught the eye in Europe as he started 12 games in the competition – including the final against Frankfurt. He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.01 and this placed him fourth in the Gers squad, only behind Alfredo Morelos, James Tavernier, and Ryan Kent.

He made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per outing as he constantly disrupted opposition attacks and provided a screen in front of the defence to help the Gers reach the final – also scoring against Borussia Dortmund in the play-off round.

The 28-year-old has made a fast start to the current Premiership season and is averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.13 as it stands, starting six games so far, which is the sixth-highest score in the squad.

Therefore, Wilson played a masterclass with the signing of Lundstram in 2021 as he managed to sign a player who has become one of the top performers in the side without paying a single penny in transfer fees to bring him in.

Hopefully, he can now continue to put in strong performances on the pitch and further prove that his arrival was a stroke of genius from the sporting director.

Sunderland are reportedly in danger of losing Academy of Light prospect Chris Rigg to Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interest

Interest from the St. James’ Park outfit was reported last week, with Premier League rivals Everton also thought to be battling it out with them for his signature.

The 15-year-old is unable to sign a professional deal at the Stadium of Light until he is 17, meaning that until then he can be more easily snapped up by other clubs.

The Latest: Newcastle edge ahead

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, reliable journalist Lee Ryder has revealed that the Magpies have now edged ahead in the chase for Rigg, and are hoping to complete a deal for the central midfielder ahead of a host of top clubs.

The Black Cats could be helpless in their hopes of keeping him as he is yet to sign a professional deal, while their rivals have already been given the go ahead from sporting director Dan Ashworth to push ahead with a £2.5m move.

The Verdict: Big blow

It would certainly be a big blow for the Wearside club to lose a player with the potential that Rigg has so early on in his career, especially to their bitter rivals.

Hailed for a ‘frightening ability’ to turn defenders inside out and score wonder goals by football insiders, and regarded by local scouts as one of the best players around the whole of the UK at his age group (The Chronicle), Rigg is clearly a player with a very bright future, and so Tony Mowbray’s side will no doubt be reluctant to let him go.

Nonetheless, having already captained England at youth level with the U16s as well, they will want to keep hold of their best English prospects and eventually give them a pathway into the first team.

Celtic are believed to already be turning their attention towards the January market, despite manager Ange Postecoglou having only just secured nine major deals in what was an extensive summer of recruitment.

Recent reports have suggested that the Parkhead outfit have identified highly-rated 18-year-old, Oscar Gloukh as a potential target in the winter window, with the Scottish champions anticipating potential departures should their key men impress at the upcoming World Cup.

The likes of Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley could be in action for Japan and Denmark, respectively in Qatar – albeit with the latter man yet to earn a senior call-up – with a string of strong performances likely to only further catch the attention of potential suitors.

Turning to the Maccabi Tel Aviv starlet could well see Postecoglou and co land yet another relatively unknown gem, with the versatile midfielder likely to cost in the region of £8m – albeit with his current deal set to expire in 2024.

Although his current side will likely be reticent to part ways with such an exciting talent, Maccabi owner Mitchell Goldhar has hinted at a potential exit in the near future, only recently stating: “Gloukh is one of the best players who grew up here in our academy. He has abilities that remind us of the greatest of them all. He will continue with us a little longer. Maybe in January or at most in the summer he will progress.”

Landing the teenager would also come with the added bonus of frustrating the Hoops’ Old Firm foes Rangers, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side having been heavily linked with a move for the emerging prospect throughout the summer.

The Israel U21 international has warranted such interest as a result of his sparkling form in his homeland of late, despite having only made his senior debut back in March, scoring six goals and laying on four assists in just 19 games since then.

The eye-catching “wonderkid” – as dubbed by Gers podcaster Andy Barnett – has been in particularly impressive form in the early weeks of the current campaign, having scored three goals and laid on four assists in just five league games.

Should Gloukh be snapped up by the Glasgow side in the near future, the hope will be that he can emulate the impact of compatriot Liel Abada at Celtic Park, with the latter man having sparkled since his £3.5m arrival from Maccabi Petah Tikva last year.

The 20-year-old has scored 21 goals and laid on 12 assists in just 61 games across all fronts for the Scottish Premiership side to date, having enjoyed a particularly profitable debut campaign last time out in which he provided 26 goal contributions.

That strong attacking output has continued in the current campaign as the £6.75m-rated ace has scored six goals in just seven league games thus far, including a hat-trick in the 9-0 thrashing of Dundee United last month.

While the forward had arrived in Scotland with more experience than his fellow countryman will have – making 76 appearances for his former club – he has shown that it can be a smooth transition to life at Parkhead from Israel.

There will no doubt be hefty interest in Gloukh’s signature, yet the indication is that he could well mirror Abada in becoming a future Hoops star.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has heaped praise on Rodrigo Bentancur after Saturday’s 6-2 victory over Leicester City.

The Lowdown: Spurs’ win against Leicester

The 25-year-old played the full 90 minutes for the Lilywhites at the weekend as they ripped a struggling Foxes side to shreds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Uruguay international bagged his first goal for the north London club since arriving at Hotspur Way in January, also adding an assist to his emphatic performance.

After the game, Spurs teammate Eric Dier showered praise on the 25-year-old, saying the “biggest compliment” he could pay Bentancur was “we play well when he plays well” (via football.london).

The Latest: Robinson full of praise

Robinson, who made 175 appearances for the Lilywhites, has hailed Bentancur for his incredible start to life in a Tottenham shirt, impressed by his recent performance against Leicester.

Speaking with Football Insider, the former goalkeeper said:

“He has been amazing since he has come in. Him and Kulusevski have been fantastic signings.

“Players take different amounts of time to settle into the Premier League. Bentancur was given a birth in the team early and has since made himself undroppable. He is one of the first names on the teamsheet. He has offensive and defensive capabilities.

“The team has improved a lot under Antonio Conte and Bentancur is a big part of that.

“Everyone thought [Yves] Bissouma would come into the team when Spurs signed him in the summer but Bentancur and [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg have been that good.

“Bentancur is a player that goes under the radar, but he’s been sensational. His all-round performance is excellent, it really has.”

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The Verdict: Bentancur flying

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the 88th percentile for pass completion, in the 85th percentile for pressures and in the 82nd percentile for assists.

These wide-spread attributes illustrate why Bentancur has been such a good fit for the Premier League, especially considering he was used to player at a slower pace in Serie A.

With statistical comparisons made to the likes of Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets, Liverpool’s Fabinho and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, it is little surprise to see such praise for the Uruguayan, who is proving to be a great signing for Tottenham.

Leeds United are reportedly looking to sign Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic in January.

The Lowdown: Pulisic at Stamford Bridge

Pulisic made the move to the Premier League back in 2019 and has made 123 appearances for the Blues since then. The 24-year-old has scored 25 times and has registered 19 assists, however, he has started just one league game during the current campaign.

The USA international is under contract until 2024, but it looks as if Chelsea are keen to move the player on over the next 12 months.

The Latest: Leeds links

TEAMtalk relayed an update from Italian outlet Calciomercato on Wednesday regarding Pulisic.

They claimed that Chelsea are willing to cash in on the forward for around €35m, with Leeds one of numerous clubs interested in a move.

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The Verdict: One to watch

Marsch brought in two USA internationals this summer in Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson, so landing Pulisic could well be a realistic move.

The Leeds boss has labelled the forward a “big, big talent” and said he always scores when he comes up against his sides, something which he did at Elland Road last season in a 3-0 win for the Blues.

He can play as a right winger, left winger or attacking midfielder, something that could come in handy for Leeds come next year, making this potential transfer one to watch.