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Sunderland reporter for The Chronicle James Hunter has been left thrilled by some injury news involving Niall Huggins.

The Lowdown: Rarely seen

Having signed a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light from Leeds United back in the 2021 summer transfer window, with manager at the time Lee Johnson praising his versatility, physicality and speed, the youngster looked a really exciting capture.

However, his career on Wearside has been plagued by injuries so far, and he has only managed to make four senior appearances since joining, and none since September of last year.

The Latest: U21s comeback

Taking to Twitter, Hunter gave his reaction after Huggins played 45 minutes for the Black Cats’ U21s in a 3-1 loss to Reading on Friday night, calling it a ‘big positive’:

“Despite the result, big positive takeaway from the U21 game was Huggins’ comeback. Just played the first 45mins but looked pretty sharp – you wouldn’t have known he’d been out for 13 months. Needs more gametime, but this was a good first step.”

He of course won’t be involved in the first-team this week against Wigan, but getting minutes under his belt is the first major step in making that leap back into the senior squad.

The Verdict: Promising signs

The fact that Huggins looked ‘sharp’ upon his return is a positive sign that he can recover from his long-term injury quickly and hopefully get back to playing regular football without any more problems.

There was a lot of promise when he first joined, and there could still be a place for him in Tony Mowbray’s squad.

A player capable of playing at both right-back and left-back, Mowbray only has two other natural full-backs in his senior squad, and so the 21-year-old could yet play a key role in the rest of the season.

West Ham United forward Said Benrahma needs to ‘prove’ himself in the Premier League or risk losing out on first-team action, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Falling out of favour

The Algerian made the £30m move to the London Stadium two years ago from Brentford and had an impressive start to life under David Moyes, though this has since taken a turn.

The summer arrivals of Lucas Paqueta and Maxwel Cornet have pushed the 27-year-old down the pecking order and his game time has suffered as a result, having made just three league starts this season.

The Latest: Brown’s verdict

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown insisted that Benrahma must find a solid run of form to force his way back into the starting XI if he wants to be seen as more than a fringe player.

“I think that’s the big thing for him, he’s not really been able to find much consistency at West Ham over long spells.

“So, I think it’s down to him really to prove that he’s first-team regular material, otherwise, he’s going to find himself on the periphery like this a lot more this season.”

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The Verdict: Second chance required

Benrahma has been hailed ‘immense’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, and despite recently dropping off, he more than has the ability to make an impact moving forward.

The winger has made 29 goal contributions in the final third and currently averages 1.6 shots, 1.2 dribbles and 1.2 key passes per league game (WhoScored).

His work rate is sometimes noticeably lower than his teammates, but if he adds this side to his game, he will provide Moyes with an all-round threat up top.

Aston Villa are set to offer former Liverpool coach Pako Ayestaran the chance to become Unai Emery’s assistant at Villa Park.

The Lowdown: Arias in?

Emery is set to take charge of his first game as Villa manager against Manchester United next month. However, before then, Villa will be looking to add to his backroom staff, with reports from Spain suggesting that young coach Jaime Arias has already signed for Villa.

Arias won’t be the only arrival, though, and it looks as if NSWE are working on another off-field move in Ayestaran.

The Latest: Another Villa move?

Dominic King and Tom Collomosse revealed for The Daily Mail in the last 48 hours that Emery has offered Ayestaran the chance to be his Aston Villa No 2 in a move considered both important and shrewd.

King shared the news on Twitter, labelling it as ‘a significant move by Emery’, while Collomosse also took to social media to praise the coach’s experience.

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The Verdict: Good news?

Ayestaran has previous experience in the Premier League with Liverpool where he worked under Rafael Benitez, helping the Reds win four trophies in three years.

The 59-year-old also has plenty of experience as a manager, so a move to work alongside Emery could prove to be a coup in the long run.

We saw first hand with Steven Gerrard how important backroom staff can be, with Michael Beale’s departure over the summer coinciding with Villa’s form plummeting during the current campaign, so hopefully, Ayestaran will have a positive impact.

Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has reportedly been in contact with Barcelona over a potential free transfer next year.

The Lowdown: Contract situation

Hailed as an “irreplaceable” figure at Selhurst Park by journalist Malik Ouzia, the Ivory Coast international will soon be entering the final six months of his current deal. The 29-year-old is one of 11 Eagles players who are out of contract in 2023.

He has continued to be a regular under Patrick Vieira, contributing to eight goals in 12 games in the Premier League this season, but it seems as if Zaha may have one eye on his long-term future, possibly in Spain.

The Latest: Zaha contacts Barcelona

One Spanish outlet shared a story regarding Zaha and Barcelona on Tuesday.

They claimed that the Palace star has made an offer to the Catalan giants over a potential free transfer, adding that the winger would like to try his luck in Spain.

The Verdict: Big decision for Palace

Palace are facing the possibility of losing Zaha for nothing, so they may have a big call to make over the coming months regarding his future.

Should the 29-year-old not want to sign a new contract, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman may decide to put the forward up for sale to ensure that the Eagles receive a fee for their star player.

Of course, that wouldn’t be ideal mid-season, but otherwise it looks as if there is a strong possibility that Zaha may depart Selhurst Park for nothing next summer.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery could bring Villarreal trio Nicolas Jackson, Pau Torres and Yeremy Pino to Villa Park.

The Lowdown: £152m

The trio were all seemingly important players under Emery at Villarreal and all have release clauses totalling €175m (£152m).

Forward Jackson’s termination clause is thought to be the cheapest of the three at €30m, whereas Torres’ is €65m and Pino’s the most expensive at €80m after recently agreeing on new terms.

NSWE are set to hand Emery a ‘huge’ January budget, though, despite spending over £400m since their return to the Premier League.

The Latest: All named

According to one Spanish source, Emery wants to bring all three Villarreal players to England.

Their report adds that Villa are preparing ‘a millionaire investment’, with the trio’s respective release clauses named in the update.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Emery enjoyed success with the La Liga side during his two-year stint, winning the Europa League during the 2020/21 season.

Torres was a regular at the back under Emery and is set to represent Spain at the World Cup later this month, whereas Jackson and Pino appear to be two exciting young forwards who could go on to become future stars.

Therefore, with the club after a new centre-back, potentially ending Tyrone Mings’ time at Villa Park, and also needing to add goals to their squad, a raid for the three Villarreal gems could be a shrewd move, but also fairly expensive.

Arsenal are in discussions to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk ahead of the January transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano…

What’s the word?

In his latest update for Caught Offside, the renowned transfer guru said that the Gunners were “in contact” over a move for the 21-year-old sensation and he also claimed that: “I think Arsenal is the perfect place for him: Premier League, ambitious project, young players and excellent manager/board.”

However, Shakhtar Donetsk are looking for more than the €55m (£48m) fee that has been rumoured and the Ukraine side are still yet to receive a formal offer.

He’ll boost Arsenal’s title chances

It’s no secret that the north London giants are in desperate need of reinforcements heading into 2023 as Mikel Arteta’s side are only a couple of injuries away from disaster.

They have been outstanding since the start of the 2022/23 campaign in pretty much every regard but have had the fortune of a consistently clean bill of health, for the large part.

Key players such as Gabriel Jesus, Granit Xhaka, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka have all remained healthy and are among four of the top seven in terms of most minutes played in the top-flight this term. An injury to any would be a devastating blow, which is why owner Stan Kronke must back Arteta in the transfer market, seeing as they are five points clear at the top heading into Christmas.

Bringing in a signing of Mudryk’s calibre would certainly bolster their title credentials, not only providing valuable cover to Gabriel Martinelli – who will be at the World Cup in Qatar – but to Martin Odegaard and many other players, too.

The 21-year-old dynamo has been in electric form this season, where he has delivered eight goals and seven assists across 15 appearances, including some big performances against the likes of Real Madrid, Celtic and RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League.

His skill set is far more than just goals and assists, with his speed a key asset that allows him to often get the better of his opposite numbers, such is the case as journalist Josh Bunting lauded him as having “a frightening turn of pace and directness.”

Similarly, the ‘Ukrainian Neymar’ as some call him, has also been dubbed a “very special talent” by broadcaster Joe Flemons, just one of many glowing remarks about the dynamic attacking midfielder.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe, Mudryk is often in a league of his own, ranking inside the top 1% for non-penalty goals, the top 3% for assists, the top 3% for completed dribbles and the top 5% for touches in the opposition’s penalty box (per 90), via FBref, making him a constant threat in the final third for other teams.

So not only can he compete for a place in Arteta’s XI – thus elevating the performances of his teammates in the fight to start every week – but he can also be a valuable and versatile option that the Spaniard will need, with games coming thick and fast in 2023 following the break for the winter World Cup.

Edu and co must sign the Shakhtar sensation to bolster their lofty title dreams.

AND in other news, Arsenal signing £25m “phenomenon” is “a matter of time”, he’s what Arteta needs in January…

Ellis Short’s decision to sell Jordan Pickford from Sunderland to Everton in 2017 was a necessary one at a time when the club needed funds quickly.

However, the former chairman’s failure to include a sell-on fee for the England international may be about to cost the Black Cats a lot of money, as the shot-stopper is being linked with a move to Chelsea.

Considering he is England’s number one and is still only 28, the ‘keeper is likely to demand a significant fee should Graham Potter’s side come knocking in January.

Unfortunately for Tony Mowbray and those associated with Sunderland, none of that potential fee will be heading to the Stadium of Light, at a time when an increased transfer budget could be vital.

Sunderland currently sit just four points outside of the playoff positions in the Championship and will no doubt be looking to continue a promising start to life back in the second tier when they resume in December.

Had the Black Cats inserted a sell-on clause in the deal to sell Pickford to Everton, they could have easily been receiving north of £5m in January, given that the 28-year-old is currently valued at €28m (£24.3m) by Transfermarkt, which could have gone a long way towards signing a number of new players to aid them in the Championship for the rest of the season.

Since his move to Goodison Park, Pickford has gone on to make 213 appearances for the Toffees, conceding 303 goals and keeping 57 clean sheets.

Given that Frank Lampard’s side once again find themselves in a relegation battle in the Premier League this season, it would be easy to see why the goalkeeper would want to move to a side such as Chelsea, where he could test himself against Europe’s elite in the Champions League.

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Therefore, should he complete a big-money move away from Everton in the near future, Sunderland will surely be rueing their former chairman’s lack of financial nous when selling Pickford in 2017.

Newcastle United are thought to be “tracking” Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: A meteoric rise

Mudryk has gone from strength to strength in recent years and is now rated as a €100m (£87m) player by Shakhtar.

The 21-year-old registered nine league goal contributions in 11 appearances for Shakhtar in the 21/22 season, with Mudryk building on that momentum this season.

Mudryk currently sits on a total of 13 attacking returns in the league in the form of seven goals and six assists from 12 games.

To top off his meteoric rise, the starlet boasts three goals and two assists in the Champions League, after failing to register a single return in the competition last season.

The Latest: Newcastle “tracking” Mudryk

Jacobs, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, said that Newcastle are tracking Mudryk ahead of a potential January swoop for his services.

He added that the Magpies have received somewhat of a boost, with Brentford and Everton seemingly put off making a winter window move for the Ukraine international due to Shakhtar’s asking price.

“Newcastle are tracking the player as well, Brentford and Everton haven’t come back in, not for January anyway, because they feel like they’ve been priced out of the market.”

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The Verdict: Statement signing?

The signing of Mudryk in January could represent a smart move from the Tyneside outfit. The 21-year-old may be seen as a statement signing for the future, without yet possessing the profile of a world-beating talent.

With his haul of returns in both domestic and European competition improving, Mudryk has found his touch in the attacking third and may fancy a move to an exciting project in the Premier League.

From a Newcastle perspective, this is a signing that could help them in their quest for European football, in what will be a tough second half of the season.

Glasgow Rangers forward Ryan Kent signing a new contract at Ibrox ‘would be a massive coup’, according to one Sky Sports pundit.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The winger’s deal at the Premiership club is set to expire at the end of the season meaning that he will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January onwards.

Light Blues chiefs are reportedly attempting to convince the 26-year-old to extend his stay at Ibrox, but having not yet put pen to paper on fresh terms, his future remains up in the air.

The Latest: Robinson’s comments

Asked by Football Insider whether Kent should consider leaving Rangers to make the move to the Premier League, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson responded:

“It would be a massive coup if Rangers can keep hold of him. He has been linked with a move to the Premier League for a very long time now.

“The opportunity to leave on a free does not come around often. Is this going to be his last opportunity to get to the Premier League? He needs to think about that.

“He hasn’t been at his best this season but it would still be a huge coup for Rangers. There is no doubting his talent.”

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The Verdict: Tie him down

Michael Beale’s recent arrival is believed to have had no negative bearing on Kent’s future, so the new manager needs to do everything that he can to tie him down for the long-term.

The Oldham-born talent has been a revelation in Scotland, racking up 84 goal contributions (53 assists and 31 goals) since joining Rangers, showing the prolific impact that he can have in the final third.

The Light Blues certainly haven’t been at their best so far this term, but with Beale now in the dugout, Kent could begin to flourish again in the manager’s probable new 4-3-3 attacking formation.

Glasgow Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara has been backed to become one of the most important players at Ibrox under the management of Michael Beale.

The Lowdown: Kamara struggling for starts

Famously signed for just £50,000 in 2019, the Finland international was a regular in the Light Blues’ team under Steven Gerrard, playing a prominent role in the Premiership title triumph of 2020/21 and starting 11 matches en route to the Europa League final the following yeara.

However, prior to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s sacking last month, the 27-year-old was struggling to get a look-in under the Dutchman, starting just three league games so far this term and only once in the Gers’ ill-fated Champions League campaign.

Indeed, it was recently reported that Serie A club Salernitana plan to try and sign Kamara in January, having been tracking him since the summer.

The Latest: Laudrup gives backing to Kamara

Now that Beale has replaced Van Bronckhorst in the Ibrox hot seat, though, Rangers legend Brian Laudrup believes that the Finnish midfielder could become a “trusted” figure under the new regime.

The 53-year-old wrote in his Daily Mail column [via Daily Record]: “Look, in particular, at what Beale said about Glen Kamara. ‘He will be a big player going forward.’ It’s a simple statement.

“But, to me, one clearly designed to make Kamara feel he is important again. Because that had been lost in recent times. The midfielder comes across as a quiet, mild-mannered person. Not one with a huge ego. Everyone needs reassurance, though, and Kamara plainly wasn’t a key man towards the end of Van Bronckhorst’s reign.

“Now, however, Beale is trying to build him up. He is showing he has faith but will expect that to be rewarded with performances on the park. And quickly. Perhaps better than anyone, Beale knows what Kamara can offer.

“He is only 27 and has a contract until 2025. A player of his talent can’t just drift away from being an effective part of Rangers. Instead, he should be someone capable of delivering a big fee in the future. It looks like he’s going to be one of those trusted to put Beale’s vision into practice.”

The Verdict: Clean slate for Kamara

When looking at WhoScored metrics, it’s clear to see that Kamara has been on a downward trajectory so far this season, with an average rating of just 6.09 compared to 6.96 last term and 6.90 in 2020/21.

Had Van Bronckhorst been retained and Kamara continued to struggle for starts, there seemed every chance that the 27-year-old may have decided that a move away from Ibrox was due.

However, looking at what Laudrup has said about Beale’s apparent trust in the player, the managerial change could offer the midfielder a clean slate in Glasgow.

Hopefully Kamara will get his fair share of opportunities under the new boss and get back to the form that he showed in the 2020/21 Premiership triumph and last season’s memorable Europa League run.