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Wolverhampton Wanderers signed Fabio Silva for £35m in a record-breaking transfer for the club, but Silva has since only been given 36 minutes of Premier League football so far this season under Bruno Lage.

The Portuguese boss hasn’t been playing the 19-year-old forward often, with just two starts for the side in the league cup, during which he has bagged two assists for the side.

The Wolves manager did speak out last week about why he hasn’t been included in the side much this season:

“Fabio is important for us,” Lage said. “He’s a young talent. Me and my staff have a pathway for the youth. Luis (Nascimento) worked with Fabio before so we see potential in him.”

“He needs to continue to work and wait for that chance. He needs to work for today and work for tomorrow.”

The teenager played 37 games in all competitions last season under Nuno Santo, scoring four goals and assisting three times for the side but has become out of favour for game time since the arrival of new manager Bruno Lage, in the summer.

Silva has been predicted to be an “extraordinary striker” by Sporting CP legend, Manuel Fernandes and even compared the teenager to Ronaldo.

“When Ronaldo was 17, he played as a centre-forward for Sporting’s youth teams. I saw him doing things that I’m now seeing a boy from FC Porto do, Fabio Silva.”

One of the main reasons that Silva did get so much game time last season was due to the fact Raul Jimenez suffered a horrific skull injury a few months into the season in November 2020, missing the rest of the season for Wolves, meaning that the youngster had the opportunity to step into his shoes quickly.

Although the Mexican has made his return to the side, Lage will need to look at future prospects for Silva, who will be keen to break back into the first team.

Wolves will be looking to capitalise on their fantastic first half of the season, with the view to securing a European spot by finishing in the top half of the Premier League.

The number of attacking options in Wolves’ locker still hasn’t deterred the rumour mill from working overtime when it comes to the imminent winter transfer window, with Enner Valencia linked to a move to the Molineux.

However, Lage could make smarter moves by saving millions and forgetting about the aforementioned target, utilising Silva in the team instead.

In other news: Hatfield hints at an early exit for Traore

Tottenham’s reluctance to pay big wages could make it difficult for the club to compete against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool under Paulo Fonseca, warns football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

After a slight decline over the last couple of seasons, finishing seventh and scraping a Europa Conference League place in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, Tottenham supporters will be hoping for improvement during Fonseca’s reign.

The former AS Roma boss is set for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dugout next term following Jose Mourinho’s sacking, with the 58-year-old now at Fonseca’s old stomping ground.

Maguire, though, has his concerns over the north London club’s ability to compete, with their Premier League rivals currently able to attract better players due to the wages they are willing to hand out.

“It’s just whether they’re willing to start to pay wages to players that are more attractive when they’re trying to recruit,” The Price of Football author said in an exclusive interview with FFC.

“Historically, Spurs have been significantly behind the two Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea. And, also, they’re even quite far behind Arsenal in terms of wages. Spurs’ wage bill is £45m below that of Arsenal.”

While the above is a concern, Fonseca can take inspiration from the earlier part of Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham spell, where he was able to guide his side to finishes inside of the top three and have them competing for the title despite not having the same financial muscle as some of their rivals.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has said that only Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Stephen Welsh stand out as players exempt from a looming squad overhaul at Parkhead.

Interim boss John Kennedy will oversee the concluding four games of the season before the club make a final decision on Neil Lennon’s long-term managerial successor.

Kennedy has been unable to salvage the Hoops’ campaign. On Sunday, they were beaten 2-0 by arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup fourth round, a result which confirms their first trophyless season since 2010.

They are also 20 points adrift of Steven Gerrard’s men in the league table, a damning state of affairs.

‘Practically a blank sheet of paper’ for incoming Celtic boss

Writing in his Record Sport column, Sutton predicted that Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer would follow loanees Mohamed Elyounoussi, Jonjoe Kenny and Diego Laxalt out the door.

In his eyes, only McGregor – set to take over as captain as Scott Brown heads to Aberdeen – midfielder Turnbull and centre-back Welsh are guaranteed to be part of the long-term picture.

“It’s practically a blank sheet of paper,” Sutton wrote.

“What’s on it? Callum McGregor, David Turnbull are on there, you maybe give youngster Stephen Welsh the benefit of the doubt even if he wasn’t at his best against Rangers.”

Sutton added: “It’s a heck of a shopping list at Celtic Park if they are to even think about having a chance of wrestling the title off Rangers next season.”

At the start of the month, it was reported that Celtic were on the verge of appointing former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe.

However, no announcement has followed, and Football Insider have claimed that the 43-year-old has entertained a rival approach from Crystal Palace.

Transfer Tavern verdict

If you were a Rangers fan assessing Celtic’s predicament, you would be licking your lips. With a summer of upheaval ahead, it seems unlikely that they will be unable to strike back quickly, even under new management.

Their crosstown rivals have looked a level above this season, progressing to the Europa League round of 16 and going 34 league matches unbeaten.

In terms of the players who will still be at Parkhead next term, Sutton is justified in advocating the cases of Turnbull, McGregor and Welsh based on their generally solid performances throughout the current campaign.

In other news, this reported Celtic managerial candidate fears he has been overlooked.

Bournemouth have reportedly made an approach to sign Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh this summer.

The Lowdown: Drameh at Cardiff

The Leeds youngster decided to head out on loan during the January window, joining Championship side Cardiff City until the end of the season.

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Drameh has become a regular for The Bluebirds, making 18 consecutive starts following his move to Wales.

The 20-year-old, who’s positioning was labelled as ‘awful’ by Ian Wright against Arsenal back in December, now appears to be catching the eye elsewhere following his spell in the second tier.

The Latest: Bournemouth approach

According to Wales Online, Bournemouth have made an approach over a move for Drameh, outlining how much they’d be willing to offer when it comes to wages.

The report adds that Leeds look likely to assess the full-back in pre-season, with Drameh open to the idea of another exit if he isn’t guaranteed minutes under Jesse Marsch.

The Verdict: Tricky…

Drameh will be entering the final two years of his contract in the summer, and it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani, the 49ers group, Victor Orta and Marsch will have another difficult call to make on the youngster over the coming months.

We have already seen that Drameh is willing to force his way out of Elland Road, and another temporary deal away could suit all involved.

Bournemouth could well be a destination, and it looks as if they are going to earn promotion back to the Premier League. Therefore, if regular minutes can be guaranteed, then the south coast could be the perfect place for Drameh ahead of a potential breakthrough into the Leeds side in 2023/24.

In other news: Sky Sports now share big news on Leeds star’s Elland Road future; ‘dealing’ already happening. 

Liverpool earned a slender victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday evening, in a match that was unfortunately overshadowed by an injury to Rui Patricio.

The goalkeeper sustained a head injury late on, with the game eventually being sealed thanks to a goal just before half-time from former Wolves man Diogo Jota.

The Portuguese winger did excellently to combine with Sadio Mane before directing a shot into the near post.

Despite proving to be the match-winner at his former stomping ground, Jota’s contribution did not just end with his goal.

The £36m-rated forward was a constant thorn in the side of his ex-employers, having two shots and getting each of them on target, according to WhoScored.

A further dribble added to his game, whilst the home side were only eventually able to stop him by unfair means, with Jota winning two fouls throughout the game. Only Thiago Alcantara and Adama Traore were fouled on more occasions than the Reds’ match-winner.

His excellence on the ball continued throughout the game, as he proved to be a creative influence, providing another key pass, whilst he was also hugely reliable on the ball, only getting dispossessed on just one occasion.

Regardless of his attacking contributions, Jota was also key as Liverpool aimed to hold onto their slender lead.

Against his former club, he contributed a clearance, a tackle and two interceptions, whilst also committing just one foul. Meanwhile, he also won a huge four aerials, which for a player standing at just five foot and eight inches, is a remarkable figure, and the highest on the entire Liverpool team.

With Roberto Firmino still suffering with injury, more outstanding performances similar to that at Molineux will certainly stand Jota in good stead if he has hopes of continuing to lead the line for the Reds.

AND in more news, read why despite getting back to winning ways, the Reds have to forget about the Premier League this season…

If you had doubts over the Everton hierarchy following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti then those have likely now been elevated.

That’s because the Toffees are moving closer to the appointment of Rafa Benitez, a man synonymous with the red side of Merseyside and hated by the blue stretch.

Benitez once dubbed Everton a “small club” but that’s seemingly not been an issue for the senior officials at Goodison Park who want him to be the new manager.

If the Spaniard takes over then he could be well backed in the transfer market. The 61-year-old struggled with the financial constraints at Newcastle but should have no such issues on his return to Merseyside.

With that in mind, how could Everton shape up next season under Benitez?

Here’s our prediction of how things could look if the Spaniard arrives this summer…

We’re tipping much of the side to remain the same but with four new additions to their ranks.

One of the most high profile deals could be at left-back where Real Madrid legend Marcelo has been linked with a move to the Premier League and Everton.

Benitez knows him well from his time at Madrid and could axe Lucas Digne in order to get the £5m defender into his side on a regular basis. It would be harsh on Digne to lose his place, but Benitez may want at least one star player in the side who knows his methods well.

Next to him, in the heart of the defence, is England international Conor Coady.

The Wolves centre-back has been linked with a move to Goodison and despite Nuno Santo no longer in the frame for the job, we reckon Everton should target Coady for his leadership skills anyway. He is currently valued at £22.5m.

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Following Andre Gomes’ poor end to last season, Benitez could do with a bit of extra muscle in midfield so that sees Yves Bissouma arrive from Brighton.

The tough-tackling midfielder is valued at £40m and is a player that Everton made an enquiry for last month.

The final acquisition is on the right of midfield. The Toffees have been touted with a move for Wilfried Zaha but following a war of words between him and Benitez back in 2018 about referees, they may focus their efforts elsewhere.

As a result, he could favour Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby. As revealed by Football FanCast, Everton are in the market for a right-winger this summer and that should not change with the arrival of a new manager.

Diaby is valued at €40m (£34.2m) and with 13 goals to his name this term, would be a brilliant addition to their forward line.

Overall, that could take Marcel Brands’ spending in the first window under Benitez to a grand total of £101.7m.

It’s important to stress that this is merely our prediction and isn’t indicative of what will definitely play out at Goodison this summer.

AND in other news, Everton must complete swoop for “phenomenal” 28 y/o, he thinks Nuno Santo is “amazing”…

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Gary Mabbutt believes that Oliver Skipp will be fighting for his place in Spurs’ first-team next season in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

The central midfielder has gone on loan to Norwich City this season, with the club attempting to win promotion to the Premier League.

Skipp has played in every single Championship game and the club are currently top of the league, having taken 83 points from 38 games.

They are 14 points clear of third-placed Swansea City and are eight clear of second-placed Watford.

Skipp is also currently away with the England U21 team at the European Championships and Mabbutt believes that he can come back and make a real impression at Spurs next season.

He has played 23 times for the senior side in total, making his debut back in the 2018/19 season under Mauricio Pochettino, and played seven times in the Premier League last term.

Mabbutt told FFC: “Going away on loan to Norwich has been a great move for Oliver. When you have the competition, there are times as a club when you have to look at it and say ‘this player is nearly there, he’s not quite there’.

“Going away on a season-long loan to Norwich when you know they’re going to be fighting at the top of the table, and are an excellent team who should get back in the Premier League, that is a fantastic move for him.

“It has been both from the club’s perspective and from his own, so I’m delighted that he’s doing so well. It has shown that he is a player, I would think, that will be back involved in the Spurs first-team for next season.”

Liverpool bolstered their chances of finishing in the Premier League top four on Saturday with a straight-forward 2-0 victory against Southampton.

Sadio Mane opened the scoring midway through the first half as he converted Mo Salah’s cross before Thiago Alcantara sealed victory with his first Liverpool goal late on.

The win moved the Reds up to sixth following Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat earlier in the day and nowthey sit just six points behind fourth-placed Leicester City with a game in hand.

It goes without saying then that victory was crucial and key to that success was scorer of the opening goal, Mane.

The Senegalese winger was a threat to the Saints all evening long, racking up two shots according to WhoScored, one of them finding the net via a great diving header from Salah’s ball in.

It was just his ninth Premier League goal of the season but his second in his last three matches having also scored in the 1-1 draw against Leeds United in mid-April.

Mane’s contributions did not end there though.

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The forward, who earns approximately £100k per week at Anfield, contributed three key passes for his teammates. Only Trent Alexander-Arnold could better that figure in the Liverpool side with five of his own.

It was on the ball where he was particularly effective too. The 29-year-old managed to complete four dribbles throughout the game, the most in the entire Reds’ team and also won two fouls which again was a number bettered by none of his teammates.

His excellent evening’s work was eventually brought to an end in the closing stages as he was replaced by Curtis Jones.

Previously hailed by a “warrior” by Liverpool legend Graeme Souness, Mane will surely be keen to continue his excellent form going forwards especially with the Reds set to take on Manchester United on Thursday in the Premier League.

The forward has had a quiet season by his own high standards, but if he can perfrom to the same level as he did on Saturday night in Liverpool’s next four fixtures, the Reds will have a decent chance at salvaging a top four finish.

AND in more news, read about the four injuries that could devastate the Reds’ Champions League push…

Watford have offered Tom Cleverley a new three-year deal at Vicarage Road, according to a report by Football Insider.

What’s the talk?

A Watford source has told Football Insider that Xisco Munoz’s side have opened talks with the £2.7m-rated midfielder regarding a new contract, with the 40-year-old manager viewing Cleverley as vital to the Hornets’ chances of establishing themselves in the Premier League beyond next term.

If he signs, the 31-year-old would remain at Vicarage Road until the summer of 2024, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season.

Fans will be buzzing

Having joined Watford from Everton in an £8.37m deal four years ago, Cleverley has gone on to establish himself as an important part of the Hornets’ first team, making 147 appearances for the club, over which he has chipped in with 18 goals and registered 13 assists.

This season, the England international was highly influential in ensuring that Watford made a swift return to the Premier League, scoring four goals, providing two assists and creating two big chances over his 34 Championship appearances.

The midfielder also averaged 0.7 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and one key pass per game, in addition to completing an average of 81% of his attempted passes, with these metrics culminating in a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.10 – ranking him as Watford’s third-best performer in the league.

As such, should the £50,000-per-week Cleverley commit the next three years of his future to the Hornets, it would surely leave fans of the club buzzing, as the midfielder will likely play a huge role for Xisco’s side again next season, this time with the aim of retaining their status as a top-flight team come the summer of 2022.

In other news: Watford gain huge transfer boost over “outstanding” £3k-p/w gem, Xisco will be buzzing – opinion

Celtic’s attractive playing style under Ange Postecoglou could suffer following the departure of Ryan Christie, according to The Celtic Way reporter Anthony Haggerty.

Christie made the deadline day move to Championship side Bournemouth for a fee believed to be in the region of £2.5million.

It comes despite Postecoglou, who was appointed as Celtic’s new manager in June, wanting to extend the winger’s contract following an impressive start to the season.

Christie’s Bhoys deal was due to expire in January and, with deadline day looming, the 26-year-old was also linked with Bournemouth’s south coast rivals Southampton at a cut-price fee.

Saints were not the only Premier League outfit who raised an interest as Burnley explored the possibility of being able to tempt Christie to Turf Moor on deadline day.

Christie leaves a sizeable gap in Postecoglou’s preferred starting line-up, having appeared in all four of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership fixtures so far this season.

Haggerty admits Christie was a key cog as Postecoglou recovered from a poor start to his reign.

He told The Transfer Tavern: “I think there were machinations going on behind the scenes to try and keep Ryan Christie sweet and keep him on board.

“I think the Celtic supporters, to a man, woman and child, would say it was a no-brainer to try to keep him.

“But he has left and a big part of Angeball has left now because he hit the ground running under Ange.”