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Journalist Liam Keen has revealed that Matheus Cunha is expected to feature for Wolves at the weekend despite an injury scare.

What's the latest on Matheus Cunha?

The forward, who joined from Atletico Madrid in January, is yet to score in 11 appearances for the club, and there was concern that he could miss his side's crucial game against Leeds United on Saturday.

The striker was withdrawn with an ankle injury against Fulham, which caused him to miss Wolves' loss to Liverpool, but Cunha is expected to be in the squad as Wolves host Javi Gracia's side at Molineux.

Speaking on the Express and Star Podcast, Keen claimed that his injury is simply careful management of his previous ankle problem and that he is fit to play.

He said: "He's having to manage the injury, having to take the load off the ankle at times and just manage it.

"He should be fine. They're not expecting him to be out injured. They're expecting him to still be fine for Saturday provided, obviously. there's no issues for the rest of this week.

"So it looks worse than it is, but it's just managing the load on the ankle. He was in the squad at Newcastle, he was warming up, I saw him on the sidelines, he looked fine.

"So I would imagine, unless there's [any] issues in the rest of this week, he will be fine for the weekend against Leeds."

Has Cunha been good enough so far?

The 23-year-old joined on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for around £35m, but his lack of goals will be of some concern to Julen Lopetegui.

Wolves' strikers have gone over a year without a Premier League goal, despite the likes of Cunha and Diego Costa arriving to support Raul Jimenez up front, and it was hoped that Cunha could provide more of a threat in attack.

The Brazil international has never been prolific at any of his clubs, and failed to score for Atletico Madrid this season before his move in January.

He may be more suited to a second-striker role rather than as an out-and-out number nine, but given the hefty fee Wolves will have to pay for him in the summer, they will be hoping for a vast improvement in his end product.

Wolves have navigated themselves away from the relegation zone for now, but there is still a long way to go this season as they continue to battle the drop, and their striking problems have been one of their biggest issues in what has been an overall underwhelming season.

And despite Cunha's slow start to life at Molineux in front of goal, having him back in first-team contention can only be a boost for the Old Gold.

Southampton apparently have ‘high hopes’ that starlet Kamaldeen Sulemana can ‘fire them’ to Premier League safety.

The Lowdown: Saints in trouble…

The Saints are in deep trouble and currently find themselves battling a drop to England’s second tier.

Southampton chiefs sacked former boss Nathan Jones two weeks ago, coming after they also relieved long-serving boss Ralph Hasenhuttl of his duties last year.

Currently weighing who will be their third manager of the season, reports have suggested that Ruben Selles could be appointed as permanent boss.

Southampton’s recent 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has handed the club a huge lift and it is believed those inside St. Mary’s hold real faith in Sulemana.

The Latest: Journalist shares Sulemana hope at Southampton…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, has claimed the south coast side have huge faith that the 21-year-old can spark them into life going forward.

He explained:

“They’ve obviously spent big money on Sulemana. They’re hoping that he can have an immediate impact at the club and help fire them to safety in the Premier League.

“I think whoever takes over permanently at Southampton will be looking at Sulemana as a key man in their bid to try and stay up. If they do stay up, they will be looking to Sulemana to be one of the main players to try and build their team around and improve things as well.

“He was a big outlay in the January transfer window and Southampton obviously have high hopes that he can help transform their fortunes.”

The Verdict: Exciting player…

Once linked with both Liverpool and Man United, Sulemana could well end up being a snip for Southampton going by his sky high potential.

FC Nordsjaelland technical director Flemming Pedersen, during the winger’s time at that club, raved over Sulemana as an exciting youngster who is ‘on a par with Neymar’ in terms of ceiling.

The Ghanian was a star impact player for Rennes before joining Southampton – winning four Man of the Match awards and averaging a brilliant 7.0 match rating per 90 over the 2021/2022 season (WhoScored).

In his time with Southampton so far, Sulemana has arguably already displayed flashes of brilliance – attempting 2.7 shots at goal per on average in a Saints shirt so far (WhoScored).

If any player can help to steer Selles’ side away from the drop, it could well be him.

Manchester United’s hectic run of February fixtures continues away to Barcelona in the Europa League this evening, with the Red Devils set to return to the venue of one of the greatest nights in their history – Camp Nou.

While there may not be quite the glamour of that fabled triumph over Bayern Munich in ’99 – with United now competing in the continent’s second-tier competition – tonight’s clash still promises a potentially mouthwatering feast of football, with Erik ten Hag’s resurgent side facing off against the runaway leaders in La Liga.

With it already set to be a stern challenge to pick up a positive result in Catalonia, the Old Trafford outfit have the further headache of being without a number of key figures, with the likes of Scott McTominay, Anthony Martial and Antony all missing through injury, while both Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer are ruled out through suspension.

How will Man United line up against Barcelona?

With those selection issues in mind, Football FanCast predicts that Ten Hag will make three changes from the side that claimed victory over Leeds United last time out, with notable alterations set to take place defensively.

Ahead of long-serving stalwart David De Gea – who recently brought up 400 Premier League appearances –  will likely be a centre-back pairing of Raphael Varane and Luke Shaw, with club captain and defensive “liability” – as per writer Zach Lowy – Harry Maguire set to make way.

With Shaw’s move into the centre set to see Tyrell Malacia remain at left-back, the other full-back berth could well be taken up by £50m “monster” Aaron Wan-Bissaka – as once lauded by CBS Sports reporter Aaron West – with the Englishman’s defensive strength potentially set to be required.

The biggest positive for the former Ajax boss will be the return of influential midfielder Casemiro, amid his current league suspension, with the Brazilian rock set to be supported by compatriot Fred and playmaking gem, Bruno Fernandes.

As for the forward line, the absence of both Antony and Martial should ensure that there are no alterations from the win at Elland Road, with teenage starlet Alejandro Garnacho likely to offer a game-changing presence off the bench once again.

A key feature of Arsenal’s recent resurgence has been the astute dealings of sporting director Edu in the transfer market, with the Brazilian having seemingly endured another impressive month of business in January to secure the experienced duo of Jorginho and Leandro Trossard from Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion, respectively.

The signing of the latter man, in particular, already appears to be something of a masterstroke, with the £27m dynamo having netted his first goal for the club in the draw at home to Brentford on Saturday.

Despite having only just wrapped up such deals, however, the Gunners will already be looking ahead to the summer transfer window in order to further strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad, with work still to be done to ensure that the north London outfit can compete year in, year out.

It does appear that Edu and are co are hoping to build for the long-term rather than merely chasing immediate success, however, amid reports that the title hopefuls are eyeing a deal for Atletico Paranaense teenager, Vitor Roque.

What’s the latest on Vitor Roque to Arsenal?

According to GOAL, the Premier League high-flyers are said to be one of the clubs who are interested in signing the 17-year-old starlet, having seemingly already made an approach in the hope of winning the race for his signature.

The suggestion is that with the forward set to turn 18 next month, the youngster would be able to make the move to Europe at the end of the season, albeit with La Liga giants Barcelona said to be the frontrunners at present in that pursuit.

Should Arsenal try and tempt Roque – who has a release clause of around €60m (£53m) in his existing deal – to England ahead of next season, they could well present the emerging ace with the success of story of fellow Brazilian, Gabriel Martinelli, with the latter man having blossomed since making the move from his homeland to the Emirates back in 2019.

Could Roque be Arsenal’s next Gabriel Martinelli?

Having arrived at the age of only 18 on a £6m deal from lower-league side Ituano, the 21-year-old has since gone to sparkle under Arteta in recent times, shaking off prior injury woes to emerge as a consistent presence so far this season.

The senior Brazil international boasts a respectable tally of seven goals and two assists in 20 top-flight games this term, having only recently been lauded by Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy for his “relentless” form alongside teammate Bukayo Saka.

It would appear that young Roque – who has been described as a player of “crazy potential” by talent scout Jacek Kulig – could well be able to emulate Martinelli were he to make the switch in the near future, as the 5 foot 8 gem possesses a number of similar traits to his compatriot.

The dynamic forward is also a potent attacking threat having scored seven goals and provided three assists in just 36 games for his current side, after previously scoring six times in only 16 appearances for former employers, Cruzeiro.

That form has also been translated onto the international stage as the teen sensation only recently scored six times in just seven appearances for Brazil at the U-20 South American Championship.

Equally, much like Martinelli – who averages 1.99 successful take-ons per game – Roque is also clearly a real direct threat with the ball at his feet, as he averages only slightly lower for that same metric at 1.07.

Those shared attributes – which ensure that both men can feature all across the frontline – do appear to indicate that Edu could be able to land Arsenal’s next Martinelli with the signing of the highly-coveted wonderkid.

Stephen McGowan believes Ange Postecoglou could look to leave Celtic next campaign.

The Lowdown: Celtic facing a nervy time

Many Celtic fans and the board will be worried about the future of Postecoglou as he is being linked with the vacant Leeds United job and Sky Sports have claimed that the Premier League outfit have liked him for a while now.

However, given that Celtic are closing in on their second successive league title victory and could soon be lifting the Scottish league cup, it wouldn’t make sense for him to depart right now.

Postecoglou has done wonders in Glasgow to help Celtic recruit better and ultimately overthrow their league and city rivals for a prolonged period of time now, but progression and development in Europe will surely be key to keeping the Australian.

The Latest: Postecoglou could be looking to move on

McGowan doesn’t think Postecoglou will be leaving anytime soon but claimed on The Press Box podcast that next season could be a different story for Celtic and the Aussie boss.

He said: (2:25) “We all know that a Celtic or Rangers manager now has a shelf life of three or four years. I think it will be next season before we see any kind of heat around Ange Postecoglou.

“When he returns to the Champions League if things don’t improve, if the patience of fans fades by some fairly similar results and performances I think it will get interesting then but right now with a league cup final coming up, with a title pretty much 75% there I don’t see him going anywhere at this moment in time.”

The Verdict: Huge future for Postecoglou

It will be encouraging to hear from McGowan that it’s looking unlikely Postecoglou will be leaving anytime soon and Celtic will have his services probably until at least the summer, although the future is less clear.

Come the summer of even this time next year when the manager merry-go-round starts up once more, Postecoglou’s future could well depend on how both Rangers do under Michael Beale and also how the Bhoys compete on a European stage.

Celtic will know they will have to once again back Postecoglou in the summer transfer window and establish a team that can do better than zero wins in the Champions League group stages otherwise, he will likely see no progression and be tempted by other offers.

Aston Villa winger Bertrand Traore is expected to be recalled from his loan spell with Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir, according to reliable journalist John Percy.

The Lowdown: Traore loaned out last summer

The 27-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Steven Gerrard during the summer transfer window, being loaned out to Basaksehir in the process.

Traore has made 12 league appearances in Turkey’s most populous city this season, scoring twice and registering one assist, as well as playing six times in the UEFA Conference League, finding the net once.

As deadline day nears its conclusion, however, it looks as though Traore could be heading back to England.

The Latest: Deadline day return expected

Writing on Twitter, the reliable Percy claimed that Villa will likely recall the Burkina Faso international before the end of Tuesday:

“#avfc are set to recall winger Bertrand Traore from his loan at Turkish club Istanbul Basaksehir. As it stands the plan is to have Traore back involved in Unai Emery’s first-team.”

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The Verdict: Good for squad depth

It seems clear that Unai Emery views Traore as a more useful option for Villa than Gerrard did, so the decision to bring him back this month could prove to be inspired, as they look to improve on their current 11th-place standing in the Premier League.

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The Villans have lacked natural attacking width this season, aside from Leon Bailey, but Traore is someone who can offer similar quality, having been described as ‘marvellous’ by Dean Smith.

A tally of 15 goals in 68 caps for Burkina Faso outlines his pedigree as a footballer, while 81 career strikes at club level also highlight his end product.

Arsenal transfer target Moises Caicedo has officially changed agents as he possibly looks to push through a move away from Brighton, Fabrizio Romano reports.

The Lowdown: Arsenal keen on Caicedo

The Gunners are having a superb season, topping the Premier League table by five points and thriving in midfield, with the combination of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka’s control and bite sitting perfectly behind the elegance of Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal have emerged as a contender in the Caicedo stakes, alongside Chelsea and Liverpool, as Mikel Arteta looks to keep improving his squad and create a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Now, the Brighton man has made a big decision, one which potentially hints at sealing a high-profile move to one of the biggest clubs in the country.

The Latest: Romano gives update

According to Romano on his Caught Offside Substack [via Caught Offside on Twitter], Caicedo has switched agents in a bid to force through a transfer, with the Gunners name-checked in the update:

“Moises Caicedo has officially changed agents, @FabrizioRomano confirms. Chelsea remain in the race, but he’s not their only option. Arsenal & Liverpool also being kept informed on Caicedo.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Caicedo would be exactly what Arsenal are looking for in midfield, providing extra legs and dynamism that could further guide them to Premier League glory, becoming a rotation option to allow the likes of Partey and Xhaka the occasional rest.

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The 21-year-old has averaged 2.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the league this season – in comparison, Partey has 2.3 and 1.2, respectively –  while he enjoyed an 89% pass completion rate in the 3-0 win over Liverpool earlier this month, showing his class and quality in a big game.

Jamie Redknapp has described Caicedo as ‘magnificent’ and he has played a key part in Brighton’s success, so a January move to Arsenal could help make a potentially legendary season even more likely.

Newcastle United are expected to know in the coming days what Ivan Fresneda will decide over a potential move to the Premier League.

What’s the latest?

It is believed the Magpies are interested in bringing Fresneda to Tyneside this month with Sky Sports reporting talks have been held over a potential move.

The same report also claimed the Spanish right-back would be keen on a move to St. James’ Park having been flattered by their interest.

However, it seems as if Dan Ashworth is up against it now with interest coming from both Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund over the 18-year-old.

And speaking on the Hosue of Champions YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed a decision is expected to be made by the youngster in the coming days:

“Arsenal have a chance, for sure. Borussia Dortmund are still there. There are also other German clubs, I’m told.

“Newcastle have been tracking him for a long time, but at the moment, no decision made yet.

“And so the situation is open, but I think in 2-3 days, it will be clear where Fresneda will play.”

Transfer blow for Ashworth?

From Romano’s comments, it does sound as if Fresneda has narrowed down his decision to a move to either Dortmund or north London.

And this will naturally be a blow to Ashworth who may have felt the Magpies were in a good position to land the right-back earlier in the month.

It was suggested the 18-year-old was one of the Toon’s top priorities this month having sent scouts out to watch the player over in Spain.

And it seems as if in Fresneda, the Toon could have landed one of the most highly-rated young prospects in Europe with Romano suggesting he is one of the best young right-backs in the game.

However, they may soon to have to turn their attention to other options and one of those players could be the West Ham United star, Harrison Ashby.

There has also been a report which has suggested neither could land on Tyneside with a belief Dan Ashworth has his eyes on the Lyn full-back Malo Gusto.

And in comparison to Fresneda, the French defender has provided more shot-creating actions, passes and shots per 90 minutes (via Fbref).

But missing out on Fresneda potentially to Dortmund may feel like a blow for the Magpies who would feel as if they are able to offer a competitive package now to the likes of the German side.

However, if he does choose to join Arsenal then there can be few complaints from Tyneside with the Gunners running away at the top of the table.

Chelsea’s sorry run of form continued on Thursday evening having suffered a 2-1 defeat to west London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage, with that dismal loss ensuring that the Blues have now won just one of their last nine Premier League games.

On a night in which little went right for the under-pressure, Graham Potter, the visitors were undone midway through the first half by a familiar face, as former Stamford Bridge gem Willian fired in for his second top-flight goal of the season.

The away side did eventually draw themselves level just after the interval as summer signing Kalidou Koulibaly turned home in scrappy fashion, with the struggling outfit having made the perfect response after a limp first-half display.

Any real hopes of going on to secure a much-needed victory were then dashed, however, as recent arrival, Joao Felix spoiled what had been an otherwise “lively” debut, as per CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, after seeing red for a horror challenge on Kenny Tete.

That dismissal ultimately proved costly as former Tottenham Hotspur loanee Carlos Vinicius then nodded home at the back post with just over 15 minutes left to play, ensuring that the Blues are now languishing in mid-table and ten points off fourth spot.

For all the blame that may well be attributed to the aforementioned Felix, the main villain for Potter on the night was seemingly that of Trevoh Chalobah, with the academy graduate having produced arguably his “worst performance in a Chelsea shirt to date”, as per sports writer Gabe Henderson.

That defensive “horror show” – in the words of journalist Joe Krishnan – saw the young Englishman play his part in both of the Cottagers’ goals, having somewhat inadvertently deflected Willian’s effort beyond teammate, Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The 23-year-old was then culpable for what proved to be the game’s winning goal having simply gone to sleep at the back post as Vinicius headed in, with the centre-back offering little in the way of a challenge to try and disrupt the leaping Brazilian.

Those two moments encapsulated what was a frankly dismal outing for the £50k-per-week man, in truth, having simply been unable to do “anything right”, as per The Athletic’s Liam Twomey, following what was a “nightmare” first half for the backline.

The statistics are also rather damning as far as Chalobah is concerned as the 6 foot 4 brute won just two of his seven total duels, while also proving a liability in possession after squandering the ball on 12 occasions from his 58 touches.

That grim showing ensured that the former Lorient loanee was hooked in the closing stages, having recorded a match rating of just 6.3, as per Sofascore – the worst of any player for his side.

On a night in which Potter no doubt needed his side to step up and get back to winning ways, the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss was simply let down by Chalobah and his teammates.

West Ham United are looking to breathe fresh life into the defensive ranks following a lacklustre start to the campaign, having performed so well under David Moyes the past few seasons.

What’s the word?

The Hammers have qualified in first position from their Europa Conference League group, but sit in 16th place in the Premier League having played 15 matches.

Looking to provide stability from the back, Moyes is targeting different options in defence, with Spezia centre-back Jakub Kiwior at the top of the winter shopping list. 

But reports stemming from Italian publication La Nazione state that Kiwior will attract a high fee, should his club be willing to part with their ace, with the Hammers previously having a £10m offer rejected and a revised fee of closer to £20m required to prise him away from Italian claws. 

Perfect Zouma cover

With Kurt Zouma having knee surgery last week, Kiwior would be the perfect remedy to ail the Hammers’ defensive issues, having starred in the Italian Serie A and consequently earning a starting spot in Poland’s World Cup squad.

The Poles have enjoyed a successful start to the tournament in Qatar, drawing with Mexico before defeating Saudi Arabia, with the 22-year-old steering the side towards a clean sheet in both outings.

With Argentina still to play and qualification to the knockout phase hanging in the balance, Kiwior will need to harness all of his defensive acumen if he is to thwart the advances of the likes of Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria. 

As per Sofascore, the seven-cap international boasts an average passing accuracy of 78% at the World Cup, as well as making 2.0 interceptions and 4.0 clearances per match. 

And, Whoscored record statistics for Spezia this season highlighting his integral presence in the Serie A side as they look to stave off relegation, completing 85.9% of his passes and contributing with 1.1 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per game. 

Compatriot and coveted striker Robert Lewandowski recently lauded the defender as “extraordinary”, high praise indeed from a devastating forward that will face the young ace regularly in training. 

The 6-foot-2 colossus would be a valuable addition to Moyes’ team, wielding his preferred left foot to slot into the fray and nurture his budding talent in the Premier League, also playing in an anchor position when required, illustrating a versatile approach that will only enhance his prospects of landing a career-changing move to West Ham. 

With European endeavours set to continue in the early stages of next year, Kiwior would also provide cover across multiple competitions as the London-based outfit look to challenge for European silverware, with the FA Cup third round also set to commence shortly after the culmination of the World Cup.