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West Bromwich Albion are in imperious form of late, brushing aside nearly every team they face with relative ease.

Carlos Corberan has forged a remarkable atmosphere at the Hawthorns and transformed the Baggies from a relegation-threatened soft touch into a true force to be reckoned with. Should this blistering form continue, promotion could be guaranteed.

What is also most impressive is the feel-good environment he has fostered for the players, staff and fans alike. It breeds confidence in the same way that Eddie Howe has done at Newcastle United, simply riding the wave.

It therefore offers the unique opportunity to bring through youth players with minimal risk of burdening them with the harsh realities of the Championship too early, affording them all the time to imbed and hopefully save the club millions.

One such option who could soon be set for such integration into the first team is Rico Richards, who has starred for the U23s for some time now.

Should he reach his sky-high potential, there is no reason to suggest he cannot emulate the qualities of a former Corberan player, James Rodriguez.

Although brief, the Colombian did sign for the Spaniard during his small stint at Olympiacos, giving him but a glimpse of the sensational operator that has previously graced Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Everton.

Now he could look to replace that talent with another decisive asset, as the 19-year-old Richards has been impressive this season. With five goal contributions in just nine Premier League 2 matches, he operates in a similar way to Rodriguez, drifting from the right wing onto his wicked left foot.

His inclusion in The Guardian’s 2020 Next Generation list is indicative of just how well thought of this teenage sensation is, as they describe him as having “a creative eye in terms of finding others but is equally capable of carving openings for himself.”

This statement could be describing the 31-year-old, who enjoyed a fine campaign at Goodison Park where he recorded 11 goal contributions in just 23 league appearances before Rafa Benitez banished him.

Having previously been lauded by writer Alex Chaffer as a “world-class” footballer, the great Carlo Ancelotti, who has long been a fan of the attacker, also sought to praise his work rate: “I wanted James on the wing for his talents as a footballer. He is a hard worker and not selfish at all: an authentic professional.”

The “splendid” Richards – as dubbed by Joe Chapman – has that grit too but pairs it with a technical proficiency that belies his years.

He should be aiming to reach the heights of Rodriguez’s illustrious career, because even falling way short of that would see him still have a sparkling career. Regardless, all the assets are there to follow in his footsteps.

Newcastle United were only able to pick up one point on the weekend against the struggling West Ham United at home and there has been some concerns raised over Callum Wilson’s fitness.

What’s the latest?

It was the 30-year-old striker who provided the Toon with the lead on the weekend as his early strike gave Eddie Howe’s side the advantage.

However, the Magpies could not build on their lead which eventually saw the Hammers pull level in the second half to earn themselves a point.

Wilson’s goal will have come as a relief to some with the Englishman having failed to score since October prior to the goal on Saturday evening.

But speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Craig Hope has raised some concerns about Wilson’s fitness with his record in front of goal taking a hit over recent months:

“Again today, he did look a little bit leggy. And there’s clearly something slightly amiss with him.

“I spoke to Malcolm Macdonald about it before the game in the press room. And yeah, he was saying the same himself. You know, he just thinks that Wilson isn’t really moving correctly at the moment. I’m sure that is something that will be refuted by the player and Eddie Howe but you know, I kind of agree with Super Mac.”

Worried for Wilson

Since making the move up north, Wilson has provided a solid return of 27 goals in his 66 appearances for the Tyneside club (via Transfermarkt).

But the return is perhaps even more impressive given the Englishman’s dreadful injury record which he has had to endure since playing at St. James’ Park.

However, it seems Hope has his concerns over Wilson’s current form as a potential result of some kind of fitness issue which may be the reason behind his recent struggles.

He had actually made a bright start to the campaign after scoring six goals from his opening nine appearances in the Premier League.

But it was apparent there were more goals to be had on Saturday against the Irons which Wilson simply did not take up and, ultimately, proved the difference between three points and the one point they had to settle for.

According to SofaScore, Wilson missed one big opportunity, however, Nayef Aguerd was able to catch up with Wilson who was bearing down on goal to provide a stunning late challenge to deny the striker.

Since the World Cup break, Newcastle’s results have dipped slightly with just two wins from their six Premier League games.

Although they have not lost any of those games, there struggles in front of goal have allowed the likes of Tottenham Hotspur to close the gap and surely Wilson’s form will be viewed as a potential reason behind the dip in results.

Wolverhampton Wanderers look to be in the market for a new right-back this month and while Ethan Ingram is unlikely to be a first-team signing, it seems as if Julen Lopetegui is keen on recruiting the West Bromwich Albion defender.

In a recent interview with Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke shared the lowdown on a potential Wolves move for the 19-year-old gem.

He said: “Wolves are in the market for a new right-back and are keeping tabs on Ethan Ingram’s situation at the Hawthorns.”

His contract at the Hawthorns is also set to expire in 2024, with a report from Football Insider suggesting that an exit could be on the cards, with a new deal currently not on the cards.

The England U20 international has made just two senior appearances for the Baggies in his career, featuring in two League Cup ties across the past two seasons, but he is yet to make his Championship debut.

This suggests that he probably wouldn’t oust the senior options at Molineux at first, but he could solve two big problems in the long term.

Firstly, is the lack of defensively competent options at right-back in Lopetegui’s squad, with both Nelson Semedo and Jonny having struggled for form so far this campaign, with WhoScored ranking them as the 10th and 14th-best performers after some disappointing displays.

This has led Lopetegui to promote Dexter Lembikisa to the first-team squad in recent weeks, and Ingram could find himself competing with the academy talent for a spot in the starting side in the future.

Secondly, is the lack of homegrown, English players at Wolves. Since his arrival at Molineux, Lopetegui has made steps in the right direction to increase the Old Gold’s homegrown quota, with Craig Dawson and Daniel Bentley joining the squad, while Lembikisa and Joe Hodge have both been promoted from the academy setup.

Before this, there was arguably only Max Kilman who qualified as a homegrown English player in the squad, compared to nine players of Portuguese descent.

Therefore, it can only be a good thing that Wolves are looking to sign promising young English talents on the cheap, especially in a market where the price of English players is undoubtedly inflated.

Should the Old Gold complete a move for Ingram, either this month or another time, it feels like a low-risk, high-reward by Lopetegui.

Fulham are ‘in talks’ to sign Arsenal defender Cedric Soares this month, according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Long-standing interest

The Portugal international’s contract at the Emirates Stadium isn’t set to expire until 2024, but he’s been generating interest having fallen out of favour under Mikel Arteta at the top of the Premier League.

The Cottagers made several enquiries for the right-back last summer and were reported to be reigniting their interest in the winter where there has now been a huge breakthrough.

The Latest: Fulham in discussions

Taking to Twitter, Thomas revealed that Fulham are finally in negotiations with Cedric regarding a potential move after being given the green light by the Gunners.

“#FulhamFC are in talks with Cedric Soares over personal terms. #ArsenalFC gave the player permission to speak to them.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

Cedric has been praised for his ‘brilliant’ delivery into the box by Sam Dean, and Fulham completing a deal for him is an absolute no-brainer when you consider how much he could flourish under Marco Silva.

The Singen native has racked up 30 assists and even scored seven goals himself throughout his career, alongside ranking in the 93rd percentile for passes attempted, showing his desire to get down the flank and make an impact linking up in the final third.

Cedric also shares the same agent as Willian so this could be a huge advantage for the club when it comes to getting this move over the line before the end of the window.

Liverpool are continuing their negotiations with Roberto Firmino over a new contract at Anfield, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The Lowdown: Firmino’s contract situation

The Reds attacker is currently in the final year of his deal at the Merseyside club, meaning that unless he puts pen to paper on a new one, he’ll be leaving Anfield as a free agent at the end of this season.

However, it was reported earlier this month that the Reds have been in talks with the 31-year-old over the possibility of him signing a new one or two-year deal at the club.

Now though, some extra behind-the-scenes details have emerged on the matter.

The Latest: Romano’s Firmino update

In a recent Twitter post, Romano shared an update on the contract situation surrounding Firmino, starting by relaying recent comments from Jurgen Klopp on the matter, who confirmed he wants the forward to stay.

“Negotiations are ongoing on [a] potential short-term deal, but Firmino has to decide his future as Liverpool idea is very clear.”

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The Verdict: Firmino should sign

Taking into account what Klopp had to say about him during his latest press conference, it’s clear that the Liverpool boss still sees him as a vital player in his squad.

Bearing in mind how the Brazilian has scored seven goals and delivered three assists in 13 league appearances this season, his attacking talent has been vital for the team.

In addition to that, the veteran currently has the highest percentage of shots on target (60.6%) in the squad, highlighting how clinical he is in front of goal.

With Romano revealing that Firmino has yet to decide whether he wants to continue with Liverpool or not, we feel that he should sign a new deal with the club given how highly thought of he is at Anfield.

A further update has emerged regarding Leeds United’s settlement with RB Leipzig over the transfer of Jean-Kevin Augustin.

The Lowdown: Leeds statement

The Whites released a statement earlier this week, confirming they have ‘reached an amicable resolution of the dispute’ over the transfer of Augustin.

Leeds agreed on a deal to sign the forward permanently, should the club win promotion to the Premier League in the 2019/20 season.

A dispute has been ongoing ever since, with Leeds’ argument seeming to be the impact of the pandemic on that campaign. Financial details have now been shared on the situation after the club lost their appeal with The Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Latest: Update

LeedsLive relayed an update from Bild with ‘further details’ on Leeds and Leipzig’s settlement.

They claimed that the Whites will pay the full €21m fee, as well as €340,000 in interest for Augustin, however, Leipzig are reported to have been ‘accommodating with the payment modalities’, suggesting it can be paid in instalments.

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The Verdict: Bad news

Some may have seen Leeds’ statement earlier in the week and thought that the two clubs could have struck a deal below the full €21m fee.

However, that isn’t the case and it seems to have been confirmed that Leipzig will eventually receive the full amount.

That will only come as bad news for Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises, with Augustin only playing 48 minutes for Leeds and now on the books at FC Basel, where he holds a mere €1.5m Transfermarkt valuation.

Glasgow Rangers should ‘not trust’ manager Michael Beale, according to former Scottish Premiership professional Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Beale takes charge

The Light Blues confirmed the 42-year-old as their new boss last week, taking over at Ibrox from Giovanni van Bronckhorst following his sacking in November.

The Bromley-born coach had previously been in talks to join Wolves but turned down a move to Molineux and reaffirmed his commitment to QPR, a loyalty that was quickly broken after accepting the job north of the border.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie admitted that he’s not pleased by what he’s seen of Beale since his arrival and isn’t convinced that he is the right man for the job.

“I do not trust the guy.

“That is the first thing I would do, not trust him. Good coaches do not make good managers.

“From what I hear he is one of the best coaches out there. But as a manager, you have got all the weight of the world on your shoulders. This is his first managerial job. He was in the door 15 minutes at QPR.

“When you are coach and you are pals with the players, you can’t do that as a manager. Players are going to expect that again and he will have to be distant from them. This might not go down too well.

“If he does not like pressure he has gone to the wrong place.“

The Verdict: Results matter most

Rangers may be fearful that Beale could walk away in the same manner that he left Loftus Road should a better opportunity arise, but it’s the performances and results on the pitch that matter most, and if that situation arises it likely means those things are going their way.

The Scottish giants have sometimes found it hard to play on the front foot, but with the former Hoops man’s preferred formation being a 4-3-3 attacking system, this should instil some prolific intent in the final third.

Beale has also shown impressive consistency and success having guided QPR into the playoff places in an extremely competitive league before his departure, so turning form around should be the only immediate focus at hand.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Dan Kilpatrick can’t believe one injury update to have emerged involving Cristian Romero.

The Lowdown: Journalist shares Romero news…

In the last 48 hours, Spurs supporters were handed a mixed bag of an injury update on the 24-year-old by overseas journalist Gaston Edul – coming amid their other injury woes to Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski.

It is believed that, in some ‘good news’ for the player personally, Romero could be able to feature for Argentina at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, with a claim emerging on his ‘strain’.

Edul claimed that the Tottenham ace could be ‘cured’ in time to make Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the tournament, but as since relayed by Kilpatrick, there is some bad news from a Tottenham point of view.

The Latest: Kilpatrick can’t believe Romero update…

Taking to social media, the reporter has blasted Spurs’ luck with his own verdict on the update.

Edul claims that Romero could be fit again after the Lilywhites’ last game before the World Cup, an aspect of the player’s recovery which means he will miss Antonio Conte’s next three matches in a blow for Spurs.

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Kilpatrick stated (via Twitter): “Romero reportedly out for 10 days, which would rule him out of Spurs’ last three games but see him return for the WC. Well I never.”

The Verdict: Blow for Spurs…

While Romero making the World Cup is fantastic news for the player himself, it’s a setback for Spurs, who would’ve been hoping to have him back for crunch Premier League encounters against Liverpool and Leeds United prior to the tournament in Qatar.

The former Atalanta star has impressed in N17 since making the move from Italy, with club legend Ledley King even calling him ‘brilliant’.

He has shown his defensive credentials by posting the highest interceptions average (1.4) and second-most tackles per game (2.4) among Tottenham’s squad so far this term, as per WhoScored.

Conte will be hoping that Romero comes back from Qatar in full nick as Spurs chase another Champions League qualification spot.

Following the news that West Bromwich Albion have parted ways with manager Steve Bruce, reliable journalist Scott Wilson has namechecked former Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder as a potential successor to the 61-year-old.

The Lowdown: Bruce’s West Brom tenure

After a disappointing eight-month tenure with the Baggies, the former Newcastle United manager was relieved of his duties following an eight-match winless run which left them sitting inside the relegation zone. Backroom staff Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence and the manager’s son Alex Bruce have also left The Hawthorns.

Having been in charge of 32 games spanning across two seasons, Bruce’s West Brom side averaged just 1.13 points per match, with the club falling from sixth to tenth in the Championship table between the day of his appointment and the end of the campaign.

Under-21s coach Richard Beale has been appointed interim boss and will be assisted by James Morrison and Gary Walsh for next Saturday’s Championship clash against Reading.

The Latest: Wilson names possible successor

Wilson has now weighed in on the 61-year-old’s sacking, name-checking one potential successor whilst doing so.

Taking to Twitter, The Northern Echo journalist claimed: “Hardly a surprise to see former #NUFC and #SAFC boss Steve Bruce lose his job at West Brom – and wouldn’t be a shock to see ex-#Boro manager Chris Wilder replace him at the Hawthorns either…”

The Verdict: Good candidate?

After 11 months in charge at Middlesbrough, Wilder was relieved of his duties as manager last week, having won just two of their first 11 league matches this term. However, despite Boro getting off to a disappointing start in the Championship, the 55-year-old has a strong pedigree of promotion in recent years.

Prior to replacing Neil Warnock at the Riverside Stadium, Wilder became manager of Sheffield United in May 2016 and led the Blades to the Premier League in his third season in charge after overseeing two promotions.

Former England manager Steve McClaren hailed that achievement as ‘phenomenal’, and the Yorkshire club finished an impressive ninth in their first campaign back in the top flight in 2019/20.

Having subsequently taken over at ‘Boro in November last year, the former Northampton boss led the Teeside outfit to a seventh-place finish in the Championship.

Therefore, whilst results over the last few months haven’t gone his way, Wilder’s achievements suggest that he could revive West Brom’s fortunes if reports of him being an early favourite for the job at The Hawthorns turn into an eventual appointment as Bruce’s successor.

Leeds United have been “really impressed” with summer signing Sonny Perkins, according to Sky Sports reporter Tim Thornton.

The Lowdown: Perkins on fire

Perkins arrived from West Ham over the summer and has begun the current campaign in fine form for both the Whites and England.

The 18-year-old has netted six goals in five games for the U21s and impressed for England U19s, scoring five times and providing an assist in games against Montenegro U19, Georgia U19 and Denmark U19.

He’s mainly been featuring on the right-hand side at Thorp Arch but started in an attacking midfield role last time out, playing a key role in the club’s impressive start to the Premier League 2 season.

The Latest: Thornton’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Thornton said that he knows that Leeds officials have been ‘really, really pleased’ with the young forward for the way he’s ‘adapted’ following his summer move.

“Yeah, Perkins in particular, he’s hit the ground running since he came in.

“Leeds have been really impressed with him; he looks like he’s a real talent. So, I know that they’re really, really pleased with the way that he’s adapted. He’s really caught the eye and done well.”

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The Verdict: Good to hear

Perkins and midfielder Darko Gyabi were the two high-profile academy additions over the summer, with the latter captaining England U19 against Denmark U19.

The pair seem to have settled in Yorkshire, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Perkins made one of Jesse Marsch’s first-team matchday squads following his impressive displays.

Perkins would have surely been catching Marsch’s eye in recent weeks, so it would be deserved if he did make a squad prior to the World Cup in Qatar.