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The decision to decrease ticket prices was a good move by Dejphon Chansiri, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern.

Per The Star, season tickets for adults have dropped by around 20% as Chansiri looks to rebuild his relationship with supporters after a difficult campaign.

Wednesday were relegated from the Championship to League One after finishing bottom in English football’s second division and had very little stability during that season.

It is something the Wednesday owner has to take responsibility for having sacked two managers, Garry Monk and Tony Pulis, in the same term.

For Palmer, though, this latest move is a step in the right direction. He told TT:

“It’s a good move. At least it’s showing some good faith to the supporters in very difficult times because money is tight with people being furloughed and you want to get the crowds out. Obviously, it’s a fantastic gesture.”

Given how shambolic the 2020/21 season was, there is probably still a long way to go until all is forgiven.

There are also other matters that certainly need addressing, like the fiasco surrounding unpaid wages, though that does seem as if it is being sorted. But the decision regarding ticket prices should bring some positivity to supporters.

Dean Smith appears to have somewhat of a transfer war chest this summer at Villa Park but a shrewd and under the radar piece of business could be Chris Wood ,who has been backed to impress for the Villans by former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey.

Wood is part of an illustrious club that may surprise a few people, especially Villa fans who may not be impressed with links suggesting Smith could move for the striker, as he is one of only eight players to have hit double figures in the last four Premier League seasons.

The New Zealand international has a contract that runs until 2023 but that has not stopped Villa from being linked with the striker, and it would appear no price tag would put them off if they accept Manchester City’s £100 million offer for Jack Grealish.

It would certainly be a different type of signing to Ollie Watkins but with Smith unable to rely on his main striker to be firing every single game, a proven Premier League player like Wood who would offer them a different style of attacking could be a smart signing, according to Howey, who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“He’s certainly a very good outlet, you can just clip a ball into him if you’re under pressure and he can win you a foul further up the pitch. 

“If he can improve his hold-up play then I certainly think you’ve got a striker there with his goals that could be quite good for Villa.”

Wood was signed from Leeds when they were in the Championship and despite being part of a Burnley side who are more often than not in a relegation battle, he’s thrived off great service and Sean Dyche’s side playing to his strengths.

Despite his frame and being six foot three, his touch and finishing with his feet is very underrated. You just have to look at his goal away to Fulham last season which left Alphonse Areola with no chance, and Alan Shearer praising him last year for being very good at occupying two centre backs at once, saying he’s “horrible to play against”.

Bruno Lage has been in the Wolves hotseat for a few weeks now but he’s yet to conclude any transfer business.

The Old Gold may have to deal with potential departures before they welcome any new incomings, with Adama Traore and Ruben Neves reportedly both up for sale.

What’s the word?

If the Portugal midfielder does leave the club, they’ll need to find a replacement in the middle of the park.

Wolves already have a number of defensive midfielders at their disposal but they could land a big upgrade in Roma’s Amadou Diawara. According to reports from Italy this week, the Old Gold have submitted a bid to sign the holding player.

Valued at €30m (£27m) this time last year, it’s unknown what sum of money they submitted for his services.

Unfortunately, it looks as though Diawara has rejected Wolves’ proposal. That’s despite the idea of Granit Xhaka joining the Italian club from Arsenal this summer.

It remains to be seen whether Wolves make another offer for the 23-year-old.

Better than Dendoncker?

Wolves may have a plethora of options to play in a holding position but none are arguably more combative and forceful than Diawara, and Leander Dendoncker is one player who could suffer as a result of Wolves’ interest in the Guinea international.

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The Belgian is currently playing at Euro 2020 for his country but had a rather indifferent season under Nuno Espirito Santo at Molineux.

The 26-year-old played at centre-back and in midfield but failed to offer them much progression when in control of the ball, while his defensive statistics were also rather hit and miss.

Dendoncker won 1.04 tackles per game, which was fewer than Diawara’s impressive average of 1.64. Furthermore, the Wolves transfer target completed more interceptions (1.23 per match) than the Belgium international, who recorded 0.97 per game.

On top of that, the Guinean is a lot more comfortable in possession. He was successful with 89.3% of his passes last term; a number which put him in the 94th percentile for passing among midfielders in Europe’s top divisions. By comparison, Dendoncker ranks in the 71st percentile for completed passes.

The Roma enforcer hasn’t had the most traditional of upbringings but that hasn’t hindered his football development.

Robert Visan, an Italian agent and scout, noticed his talent from a young age and secured him a trial with a small club in the third division of San Marino back in 2015.

The club’s coach Fabrizio Tazzioli waxed lyrical about him, saying: “I saw the guy in training and thought that he is a phenomenon. He is not as strong physically, but better with his feet and has the same presence on the pitch.”

Being compared to Marcel Desailly, Diawara would be a fabulous capture for Bruno Lage and Wolves, and they must somehow convince him to come to Molineux.

AND in other news, Lage could discover his new Ruben Dias at Wolves in “phenomenal” £62k-p/w beast…

Sunderland are finalising a deal to bring Alex Pritchard to the Stadium of Light in the coming days.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by reporter Ian Abrahams, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Pritchard is currently in Sunderland finalising a deal that would see him link up with Lee Johnson’s side ahead of their upcoming League One campaign.

A number of Championship clubs had previously been reported to be interested in a move for the 28-year-old this summer, including the likes of Birmingham City, Bristol City, Derby County and Queens Park Rangers, although the Black Cats now appear to have won the race for the attacking midfielder.

Johnson will be buzzing

While Pritchard has not been in his finest form in recent seasons, scoring just three goals and registering three assists over his four years with Huddersfield Town, if the attacking midfielder can refind the form he was in prior to his move to The John Smith’s Stadium, he could prove to be an extremely astute signing for the Mackems.

Indeed, having highly impressed during a loan spell at Brentford back in 2014/15, where the £2.25m-rated man scored 12 goals and provided seven assists over his 47 Championship appearances, helping the Bees reach the play-off semi-finals, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder earned an £8m move to Norwich City in August 2016.

The £30k-per-week Pritchard once again impressed in his time with the Canaries, scoring eight goals and registering 12 assists over his 43 appearances for the club, before securing an £11m move to then-Premier League side Huddersfield Town in January 2018.

So, while it may have been a while since Pritchard has truly been in a rich vein of form, if Johnson can help the man Christian Eriksen dubbed a “talented” player refind his confidence next season, at just 28 years of age, the attacking midfielder could go on to have a huge impact at Sunderland – not only next year but for many seasons to come.

As such, considering the sheer amount of interest from Championship sides, as well as the fact the former England U21 international could still possess a significant amount of untapped potential, should Sunderland go on to get a deal done for the midfielder in the coming days, it will be a transfer that will undoubtedly have Johnson buzzing.

In other news: Johnson heading for catastrophic Sunderland transfer error over 22 y/o “free spirit”

Former Rangers defender Michael Ball has told The Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that it would be great if Alfredo Morelos stayed at Ibrox for one more year.

Morelos was subject of heavy interest last summer, with Ligue 1 champions Lille having a £16m bid turned down for the player.

In the end, Morelos remained at Rangers, but the 25-year-old forward is now being linked with a move to Porto.

The Scottish Sun, however, claims the Glasgow club are optimistic about their chances of keeping him for another season, and Ball can only see that as being a positive.

“It’d be great for Rangers if he stayed for one more year,” the retired full-back exclusively told TT. “I think it’d be good for him to show everyone that it wasn’t just a one-off season, that he can do it again [help them to another league title].

“I can see him moving on, but hopefully he stays on this season and he can get back-to-back Championships.”

Morelos will only have a year left on his contract next summer, while his disciplinary record also remains a concern, so you can understand if Rangers did decide to sell him in the current transfer window.

That being said, with his goal record in Scotland, Morelos is by no means a player Rangers will be desperate to get rid of, so the Colombia international sticking around for another season probably is a good thing.

Joe Wainman has offered his verdict on Leeds United’s pursuit of Sampdoria maestro Mikkel Damsgaard…

What’s the talk?

The Leeds pundit has said that the 21-year-old should be the club’s number one transfer target this summer, ahead of Hertha Berlin’s Matheus Cunha, although he admitted that a deal is unlikely at this stage.

The Lillywhites are among a number of clubs touted with a move for the Danish forward, along with the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton.

Wainman told his YouTube channel, as transcribed by This is Futbol: “The figures that are getting mentioned, £20m, £25m, £30m, £35m, for me, Damsgaard doesn’t make the move.

“Out of all the wingers that we’ve been linked to, Damsgaard would be the one for me, even over Mateus Cunha, 21-year-old, this kid will go to the very top, the very, very top.

“I just don’t see that move to Leeds United, but listen, if the links are genuine, and there is something in that then Victor Orta, you know, maybe he’s over in Denmark now, maybe he’s frying up some Danish bacon and trying to convince Mikkel Damsgaard to come to Leeds United I don’t know, fingers crossed.

“I mean, I don’t think [he will], but you never know.”

Bielsa would be on cloud nine

Victor Orta must now sanction a swoop for Damsgaard this summer. Although he could cost up to £35m, as Wainman suggests, it could be a terrific piece of business by Leeds.

The Denmark international is a talented young prospect who has already proven his quality at the highest level and could be a key player for years to come at Elland Road if the Whites bring him in.

Damsgaard caught the eye at the European Championship for his country, scoring twice and setting up one goal as he averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.28 across five appearances. For context, Raphinha’s score of 7.22 was the highest by any Leeds player in the Premier League last term.

That suggests that the Dane could be an upgrade on what Bielsa already has at Elland Road, which could leave the Argentine coach on cloud nine if Leeds manage to fend off the strong competition for him.

Danish football expert Martin Mikkelsen hailed Damsgaard as “magical” earlier this year and said that he is capable of switching up his game and going both ways as an attacker.

He told TV2 Sport: “It’s the season’s assist. Isn’t that where we are? He’s magical – what a speed! It is fantastic improvisation, and he just finds Balde in the field, as they both know what is going to happen.

“It is a free space he has, as he is not so locked. He is dynamic and can go both ways. He is creative but also so mature in his decisions. Was it something we dreamed of? It’s awesome.”

He also has plenty of years left to develop and grow as a player, as he only turned 21 earlier this month. This could give Bielsa the opportunity to mould him into becoming the perfect player for his system at Leeds, helping him realise his full potential if Damsgaard moves to Elland Road.

Therefore, Orta must get a deal over the line for the forward, as he could be a superb signing with whom Bielsa would love to work, potentially developing him into a top-class footballer for years to come.

AND in other news, Leeds must act quickly to land “fantastic” £39k-p/w gem, he’s an upgrade on Harrison…

West Bromwich Albion have confirmed the signing of central midfielder Quevin Moises Castro.

What’s the latest?

In a short statement posted on the West Brom website, the club confirmed that they have secured the services of the highly-rated 19-year-old on a two-year deal, with the Baggies holding an option to extend his stay for a further season, after the Portuguese youngster impressed while on trial at Palm Training Ground.

The club went on to state that Quevin is an “energetic and powerful” player, before welcoming the midfielder to Valerien Ismael’s side.

Fans surely buzzing

Having spent time with both Arsenal and Chelsea over the course of last season, with the former reported to have been at the “front of the queue” to land the 19-year-old this summer, it is obvious that the youngster is a player with a tremendous amount of potential.

Indeed, the midfielder’s signing kicks off the Valerien Ismael era at West Brom, with the Frenchman being known to favour young, exciting and talented players when putting together his teams, as can be clearly seen from his transfer business while in charge of Barnsley.

Furthermore, with the 45-year-old being left rather short in options in the middle of the park ahead of next season, it would not be a surprising turn of events to see Quevin integrated into the West Brom first team next season, with Ismael once again known for placing his trust in a club’s younger stars.

And, if the youngster’s signing is anything to go by, it would indeed appear to be a fantastic sign of things to come for Baggies fans up and down the country, with fans undoubtedly left buzzing by the prospect of what the future could hold under such a promising young manager who makes ambitious and “exciting” – in the words of Kevin Campbell – signings such as Quevin.

In other news: Masi drops West Brom transfer update on “complete” £12k-p/w beast, Ismael surely livid

Newcastle United are reportedly prepared to make a bid to sign defensive midfielder Jens Cajuste in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Cajuste a prospect

Cajuste is certainly one of the rising stars in Sweden, as Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig described him as ‘excellent’ in an impressive display for FC Midtjylland against Brondby in a game in the Danish Superliga back in April, and went on to claim that he is a ‘great talent’.

The six-foot-one colossus was a key player for his team in the 2020/21 season, playing in no fewer than 39 games in total over all competitions, and has even made five senior appearances for his country despite being just 21 years of age (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Cajuste eyed

As per SportExpressen, the St. James’ Park faithful, as well as Wolves, Leeds United and Crystal Palace, have all shown ‘concrete interest’ in signing Cajuste.

Rennes have already placed a bid for his signature, but the North East club are also prepared to make an offer of their own and the French outfit are reportedly struggling to finance a bid.

The Verdict: Sign

It would not hurt the Tyneside club one bit to add some depth to Steve Bruce’s squad, and Cajuste could provide just that.

The defensive midfield player would certainly add to the options in the middle of the park, and may find it easy to settle in with international teammate Emil Krafth already at the Magpies.

Nonetheless, he is a player for the future rather than the here and now, and if it does not quite work out with the Toon, then they could potentially sell him on for a nice profit down the line considering he is not yet anywhere close to his prime.

In other news, find out whose NUFC exit is ‘practically done’ here!

Derby County have been dealt a major blow in their bid to keep Lee Buchanan at Pride Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Nottingham Forest have made a fresh bid for the Derby County left-back, although Wayne Rooney’s side are thought to have rejected the proposal.

It was reported by The Athletic earlier this week that the 20-year-old is top of Chirs Hughton’s list of transfer targets this summer, with the Reds having already seen one offer knocked back for the defender by their rivals.

However, it is not only Forest thought to be interested in a move for the Rams youngster, with Arsenal and Celtic both reported to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the England U21 international.

Although, it would very much appear as if Hughton’s side are leading the race Buchanan, with Nixon stating: “Forest. New and improved bid for Lee Buchanan. Derby said no. Latest package definitely better, but not yet enough.”

Morris must not sell

While Nixon does not mention the amount of money Forest have offered for Buchanan, it would be naive to think that Mel Morris is not considering the idea of cashing in on the left-back this summer.

Indeed, the Rams are in the midst of what could well be the club’s biggest financial crisis in their history, while the £2.25m-rated defender is just about to enter the final year of his current contract at Pride Park.

However, despite these facts, Morris must ensure that he resists all temptation to sanction the sale of the 20-year-old this summer, not only as the youngster will have a major role to play in Wayne Rooney’s side next season – with the 35-year-old desperately lacking depth all over the pitch – but also because selling one of the club’s most promising talents to their fiercest of rivals would be seen as an unforgivable act by the Derby faithful.

As such, while the argument could be made that, should Arsenal or Celtic come in with an offer that the club’s owner simply cannot refuse, Buchanan’s departure could actually help sustain the club in the long term, if it is Forest who have an offer accepted for the Englishman this summer – no matter how good it may be for the club’s financial health – Morris will have made a grave error, and one that would quite rightly leave their fans fuming.

In other news: John Percy drops behind-the-scenes Derby County claim, fans will rightly be fuming

Some Liverpool supporters have been reacting positively to Fabinho’s hilarious impression of a Scouser in a social media post.

The start of the 2021/22 season is edging closer all the time, with excitement building ahead of the Reds’ Premier League opener away to Norwich City next month.

The majority of Liverpool’s squad are now back in pre-season training, although some are still enjoying some time off after their involvement in summer tournaments.

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One of those is Fabinho, who helped Brazil reach the final of Copa America, which they lost to arch-rivals Argentina.

On Sunday, the 27-year-old was taking part in a fan Q&A on Instagram and a video emerged on Twitter of him doing an impression of a Scouser, as requested by a supporter.

Fabinho is heard saying “Want some chicken, lad?” in what is an excellent impression, illustrating that he has integrated nicely into the Merseyside community.

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Liverpool fans love Fabinho’s impression

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their appreciation for the Brazilian’s “outstanding” Scouse accent.

“Class”

Credit: @ethanabs_

“I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM, I LOVE HIM”

Credit: @adamwhite_01

“Outstanding from Fabs”

Credit: @ParisPinney

“Yes Fab”

Credit: @hells_bells_10

“Absolutely superb”

Credit: @GregThompson7

“Fabinho is too funny! Great accent!”

Credit: @kop_girl77

In other news, two clubs are reportedly interested in signing one Reds player this summer – find out who it is here.