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Derby County have already shown they mean business this summer and are closing in on another signing to strengthen ahead of the Championship season, according to John Percy.

Derby County back themselves to make Championship statement

With six new arrivals through the door and John Eustace restoring the feel-good factor at Pride Park, there is every reason for Rams’ supporters to feel optimistic heading into the new campaign.

Captain Ebou Adams shares the sentiment that Derby County can make a ‘statement’ in the second-tier, claiming his side will allow themselves to dare to ‘dream’ as he feels the fans, manager and players are united in their vision to thrive.

Owen Beck has arrived from Liverpool on loan and Derby aren’t keen to stop there after lining up Coventry City’s Jake Bidwell as their latest target, with the Sky Blues open to selling the 32-year-old this summer.

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Posts ByBrett Worthington

The Rams also saw a £1 million bid turned down for Bristol City’s Zak Vyner. It remains to be seen whether his future at Ashton Gate is resolved, but their attempt to land his services illustrates that Derby are targeting reinforcements across all areas of their squad.

Now, a familiar face could be set to link up with Eustace again at Pride Park as their recruitment drive accelerates ahead of the competitive kick-off.

Derby County set to re-sign David Ozoh

Taking to social media platform X, reliable reporter Percy of The Telegraph has confirmed that Derby County are set to re-sign midfielder David Ozoh on loan from Crystal Palace, with confirmation expected later this week.

The 20-year-old made 12 appearances during a loan spell last term, but a hamstring injury alongside muscular problems limited his chances of earning further minutes.

Nevertheless, Eustace has previously labelled Ozoh a “fantastic player” back in February, signalling that he will have every chance to shine under his stewardship despite his stint being cut short last time out due to fitness issues.

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All parties now appear to be close to a deal and his parent club seem to be happy with the arrangement, which will enable the Valencia-born man to develop away from the spotlight of Premier League football.

More importantly, Derby will inherit a talented youngster determined to prove a point while also shoring up their midfield at little financial cost.

Glasgow Rangers produced yet another Jekyll and Hyde display in the Premiership, scoring a late winner to seal all three points against Dundee on Saturday evening.

Dundee went into the half-time interval holding a slim 2-1 advantage, which they soon stretched to 3–1 thanks to a goal from Scott Tiffoney.

Goals from James Tavernier, Tom Lawrence and then Cyriel Dessers – on his 100th appearance for the Light Blues – sealed another comeback victory.

Despite missing several chances throughout the tie, the Nigerian striker finished as the hero for Ferguson with his game-winning goal.

Cyriel Dessers’ display in numbers vs Dundee

Starting alongside Hamza Igamane, Ferguson once again operated with a 3-5-2, aiming to dominate the midfield, with plenty of chances being created for the two frontmen.

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It worked to an extent, with Dessers registering an incredible 12 shots – nine on target and three off – yet he missed five big chances.

He won only 50% of the duels he contested while losing possession 13 times and succeeding with just one dribble.

Dundee vs Rangers – Key Statistics

Metric

Highest-ranked

Accurate passes

Nicolas Raskin (47)

Key passes

Mohamed Diomande (4)

Tackles

Connor Barron (6)

Shots on target

Cyriel Dessers (9)

Ground duels won

Josh Mulligan (8)

Via Sofascore

Persistence paid off, as he slotted the ball home with three minutes left, but this shouldn’t paper over the cracks.

Igamane was also far from his best, losing the ball 17 times along with having just one shot on target. Dessers, however, appears to have finally shifted his scapegoat tag, despite still missing chances on a regular basis.

Has this now been passed on to Jack Butland? Who endured another poor display for the Ibrox side.

Rangers could now have found the new Dessers

Butland enjoyed a relatively solid debut season for the Gers. His mistake in the dying minutes of the Scottish Cup final against Celtic proved costly, but it was deemed a one-off.

Fast-forward nearly a year later, and the Englishman has made a few high-profile mistakes throughout the current season, with journalist Josh Bunting stating back in December that he was “in a real rut of form”, while looking “shaky”. His mistake against Motherwell at the start of March was costly in the eventual 2-1 defeat.

He also clattered into an opponent during the match against St Mirren on Boxing Day, giving away a penalty that saw the Gers suffer defeat.

Against Dundee, Butland took 42 touches, was accurate with just four of his 13 long ball attempts and completed only 65% of his passes.

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It was his mistake for Dundee’s second goal which looked as though it could cost Rangers, however. A weak Simon Murray shot somehow spilt out of his hands and into the path of Joe Shaughnessy, who slotted the ball home to make it 2-0 to the home side.

Given that this wasn’t his first mistake of the campaign, might his time at Ibrox be coming to an end? Especially with a new manager arriving in the summer.

A large section of the fanbase certainly hope so. His penalty shoot-out heroics against Fenerbahçe a few weeks ago are now a distant memory. Mistakes like these can cost the club titles, no doubt about that.

With Dessers having turned the corner, Butland is surely the new high-profile villain for the Ibrox faithful.

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Posts ByBen Gray

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery could be a busy man when the January transfer window comes around.

The club are in a great position to make it through to the knockout round of the Champions League, with these added games adding more pressure to the squad.

That pressure has been ramped up after six consecutive games without a win, meaning another few bodies will surely do in the upcoming transfer window.

Who Aston Villa could sign in January

According to reports emerging in recent days, it looks as thought the Villa Park side are in the mood to sign a new forward despite the form of Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins this season. Indeed, it’s claimed that they are showing interest in Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee, who is currently struggling at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim is looking at making some drastic changes at the Red Devils and this could see the Dutchman sold in January.

Elsewhere, CaughtOffside has reported that Emery is looking to sign Real Madrid youngster Arda Güler on loan, with the Spanish side open to let the teenager leave on a temporary basis until the end of the season.

These two signings could certainly offer something extra for Villa going forward, although will Emery need to move some players on to free up the wage bill and raise funds?

That may well be the case, so who is the most expendable asset?

How Aston Villa can raise funds in January

One name who might be open to leaving the club is Emiliano Buendia, who hasn’t been getting too many opportunities under Emery since returning from a serious injury.

The Argentinewas signed by former manager Dean Smith in the summer of 2021, it was initially seen as an exciting move. Smith was only too pleased to capture the attacking midfielder, saying:

His first season saw the attacking midfielder score four goals for the club in the top flight, while the 2022/23 campaign saw Buendia net just five times. Nine goals in two seasons for a player who cost Villa £33m was hardly the best return.

Things went from bad to worse, however, when he cruelly picked a cruciate ligament injury that ruled out the former Norwich star for the entirety of last term.

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Villa subsequently went on to make great strides without him, signing new England international Morgan Rogers in January, who eventually settled into the number 10 role – Buendia’s favoured position.

Emiliano Buendia’s statistics in PL for Aston Villa

Metric

2021/22

2022/23

Goals

4

5

Assists

6

2

Big chances created

8

8

Key passes per game

1.4

1.1

Successful dribbles per game

1.1

0.7

Via Sofascore

Of course, he is still battling back from this injury, yet the midfielder has played only 196 minutes in all competitions for the club this season. With a contract until the summer of 2026, might Emery look to use January as the time to cash in on their once-record signing?

Taking home £75k-per-week for minimal output on the field, he should be one of the players who the club must be keen on moving on sooner rather than later.

Although hailed by Smith as being an exciting signing in 2021, he hasn’t quite lived up to his lavish fee. That’s a certainty.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington

Crystal Palace have reportedly submitted an offer to sign a "special" attacker and have already received a reply, Sky Sports report.

Crystal Palace eyeing new forward signing

The Eagles have been making preparations behind the scenes ahead of Oliver Glasner‘s first season in charge, with two new signings already made. Centre-back Chadi Riad from Real Betis was the first to arrive at Palace and, more recently, they also secured the services of attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada on a free transfer.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Now, attention appears to be on securing a new attacker after Michael Olise officially completed his move to German giants Bayern Munich. Former Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, now at Marseille, has been linked with a return to England, whereas a bid worth more than £12m has been submitted for Sporting CP winger Marcus Edwards. Juventus’ Matias Soule is also another who could become Olise’s long-term replacement, with Fabrizio Romano saying:

“Another player they've been tracking is Matias Soule but Juventus want €40 million for him. Also, West Ham United and Leicester City are interested, but €40 million is a lot of money, so not that easy. And I expect Crystal Palace to do something absolutely because Oliver Glasner, apart from obviously Daichi Kamada joining, wants one more player.”

However, an attacker closer to home appears to be of interest, with an offer now submitted to secure his services.

Crystal Palace make Emile Smith Rowe bid

According to senior Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth in the last 48 hours, Crystal Palace and Premier League rivals Fulham have both made offers to sign Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe.

However, the Gunners have turned down the proposals from Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage, with talks ongoing at Palace on whether or not to make an improved bid.

The 23-year-old has progressed through the academy with Arsenal and has gone on to make 115 senior appearances for the Gunners, scoring 18 goals and registering 13 assists in all competitions. Smith Rowe has also come in for high praise earlier in his career, with Jamie Carragher waxing lyrical over his displays back in 2021.

“Emile Smith Rowe will get England caps, absolutely no doubt. There are so many good young players. He'll have to bide his time, there are other young players ahead of him right now but I absolutely love that lad.

“I always want him to do well, you're urging him on. To watch him in full flow, I've said he's the best player in the Premier League running the ball.

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“He's so exciting, the pace, moving with the ball. He's a special talent. He can pop up in different positions, he has that ability to play all four positions up top and that's a real bonus.”

He struggled for game time under Mikel Arteta last season though, playing under 500 minutes of football in total, so a move away could be just what is required.

Jurgen Klopp's teenage strikeforce secured victory for Liverpool in the FA Cup to continue a remarkable season that has already secured the Carabao Cup trophy in tough circumstances, with wasteful Southampton beaten 3-0 at Anfield.

The second-tier outfit took advantage of some understandable discordancy from the hosts to find a host of promising goalscoring chances but couldn't make it count, with 18-year-old debutant Lewis Koumas weaving and scoring with a deflected effort just before the break.

In the second half, Liverpool started to assert their control despite further squandered efforts from the travelling Saints, with Jayden Danns cementing himself as one of English football's brightest teenage talents to net an emphatic brace off the bench and set up a quarter-final tie away against Manchester United.

Jayden Danns takes his chance vs Southampton

Danns has made quite the impression since his second-half introduction against Luton Town in the Premier League one week ago, also enjoying a cameo against Chelsea in Sunday's final to test Djordje Petrovic and lift the first major honour of his career.

But against Southampton, he proved his innate striking ability with an expertly dinked attempt over Joe Lumley's goal when placed through by Harvey Elliott to quell the visitors' hopes of a fightback and set Anfield rocking.

Not quite done, the 18-year-old marksman exhibited his anticipation to latch on to a well-saved rebound from Conor Bradley's shot and rifle into the net, bagging a delightful brace before receiving his first professional starting appearance.

As per Sofascore, the rangy forward only took six touches in an efficient striker's performance to leave Erling Haaland taking notes, very much deserving the effusion of chatter to bring his name into the limelight.

While Danns' display was exciting, and rightly took the headlines due to his attacking prowess, he wasn't the only young gun to have saved the day for Klopp's injury-hit Liverpool team, with Bobby Clark sublime in his performance in the centre of the park.

Bobby Clark's performance in numbers v Saints

Rarely have so many academy members been tasked with filling in for their sidelined senior peers in one deluge of concern, but the likes of Clark have sparkled and proved themself capable of competing for a Liverpool side searching for honours across multiple fronts.

The elegant midfielder, aged 19, signed for Liverpool from Newcastle United when he was 16 years old and has started to earn regular opportunities in recent weeks, with his starting showing against Southampton the eighth senior performance of the campaign.

The Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle certainly saw the teenager's quality, handing him an 8/10 match rating and writing: 'Good run and pass to create the opener and fashioned another chance for Gakpo first half and excellent after break. What a talent this young man is.'

Bobby Clark: Stats vs Southampton

Stat

#

Minutes played

90'

Assists

1

Touches

70

Accurate passes

42/46 (91%)

Key passes

3

Dribble attempts

1/3

Possession lost

12x

Tackles

2

Clearances

2

Source: Sofascore

Indeed, Clark played the full 90 and impressed with his crisp distribution – notably completing 91% of his passes – his energy, creativity and defensive application, really starting to cement himself as one of the Reds' standout up-and-comers.

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One Liverpool analyst even saw exciting similarities to former star Adam Lallana in his gliding gait, ease when in progression and effectiveness when wheeling around and driving toward goal, with the ex-Southampton man hailed for his "brilliant" quality by Klopp in the past.

It's another win in the bag and more excitement for Liverpool as this remarkable set of players move steadily toward a grand slam finish.

Will they achieve it? Who knows. But Klopp has created something truly special and his legacy transcends silverware, the emergence of players such as Clark showing just how far Liverpool have come.

To say that Everton have endured a tough few years in the Premier League would be an understatement. The Toffees are no longer a side likely to appear in the comforts of mid-table, or cause a shock by competing for the European places. Instead, they find themselves surviving through late-season heroics and hanging onto their top flight status by a thread.

The bad news just keeps coming, even away from the pitch, with Everton's financial fair play investigation potentially leading to a 12-point deduction, arguably handing Sean Dyche's side an impossible mountain to climb when it comes to avoiding the drop. Their financial issues have left them vulnerable to player sales, too, ahead of the January transfer window.

Everton's FFP breach could force player sales

Everton are being investigated for breaching FFP rules, and whilst details remain unknown, it is believed to be related to a tax issue connected to loans for Everton’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore dock. If found guilty, the Premier League has recommended that the Merseyside club are deducted as many as 12 points.

Given their financial issues, Everton could be forced to sell some important stars, including Amadou Onana, who said recently during international duty with Belgium: "I’m not going to say that it [international duty] is my main source of motivation because I take very seriously the task that I have with Everton, namely, to help the club to survive.

"But I must admit that this change in atmosphere and finding a team with high-quality players changes the mood. Mentally, it does me a lot of good. That was my goal at the start of the season. But like I said I don’t have a crystal ball. I am not able to tell you what will happen in the future."

Journalist Paul Brown, speaking to GiveMeSport, then had this to say after hearing Onana's words: "Hopefully, his development continues at the club and they don't need to sell him. But I do think he's one of three or four players who could be targeted, I think, by other clubs, and I do think Everton are vulnerable to a sale. They would probably look at that and think if they can generate enough profit from the sale of someone like Onana, they might have to do it."

A 12-point deduction would be disastrous enough for Everton, but if they lost certain players on top of that, then avoiding relegation may turn into nothing more than a pipe dream for Dyche and co.

Amadou Onana – Everton's best midfielder?

Onana's stats show exactly why Everton should be doing everything they can to keep hold of their midfielder. He could be crucial to their survival chances, and at 22-years-old, he'll only get even better at Goodison Park. Dyche will hope that the Belgian stays put until at least the end of the season to help ease any worries over finding a January replacement.

Player

Progressive Passes

Pass Completion Rate

Tackles Won

Blocks

Amadou Onana

44

82.9%

13

7

He has earned deserved praise during his short time at Goodison Park, including from former player Noel Whelan, who told Football Insider: “I think we saw why they brought him in to the football club – even in that short time on the field. He almost scored a goal himself; he got into a great position.

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"He’s one player now that I don’t think Everton can afford to keep off the pitch for too long. I think they need these new signings to bed in very quickly. They can’t afford to wait around for him to adjust to the Premier League. He’s got to be on the field from the start in the next game.”

Liverpool could accelerate their interest in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia if Fabinho leaves the club for Saudi Arabia in this window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Romeo Lavia going to Liverpool?

Football Insider report that Liverpool are preparing a formal bid for Southampton midfielder Lavia and Jurgen Klopp is said to be 'extremely keen' to bring the Belgium international to Anfield.

The outlet adds that any offer may be contingent on finalising the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson amid interest in their services from Saudi Arabia. Fabinho has a £40 million offer on the table from Al Ittihad; meanwhile, former Liverpool man Steven Gerrard is keen to take Henderson to the Gulf region and the 33-year-old is keen to reunite with his ex-teammate.

talkSPORT understand that the Reds have moved ahead of Chelsea in their pursuit of Lavia, who is valued at around £50 million by Southampton despite their drop into the Sky Bet Championship.

Chelsea recruitment co-director Joe Shields thinks highly of Lavia and has recommended him to Mauricio Pochettino as a player that has a lot of potential to develop into a Premier League star.

Renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on Twitter earlier this year that Manchester City have a buyback clause worth £40 million that will activate in 2024, stating: "Romeo Lavia will be one to watch in the summer. Man City £40m buy back clause, valid in 2024. Chelsea [wanted him last summer] and Arsenal [still keen on Caicedo too] among clubs interested – Southampton hope to keep him."

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Liverpool could accelerate their efforts to land Lavia if Fabinho jets off to Saudi Arabia between now and the close of play.

Jacobs told FFC: "Liverpool have always been interested in Lavia; they've explored the deal seriously. We should mention Arsenal and Chelsea because they could still enter the race, but at the moment, it looks like Liverpool are slightly more active because Arsenal have been focused on getting Rice over the line. Chelsea have focused on Caicedo, so it's not to say that other suitors couldn't enter the race, but Liverpool have looked at the deal and could well move on the deal if Fabinho ends up going to Saudi Arabia."

Would Romeo Lavia be a good replacement for Fabinho or Jordan Henderson?

Liverpool look set to have a completely different midfield this campaign compared to years gone by and the notion of both Fabinho and Henderson being absent from the engine room would be a strange sight at Anfield.

Nevertheless, Lavia, who has been hailed as an "absolute monster", is a youngster with supreme potential and could form part of an exciting trio behind Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Last term, the Belgian enforcer made 34 appearances in all competitions with Southampton, registering one goal and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

The 19-year-old is no stranger to getting stuck in for his side and managed to amass 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per match in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

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FBRef show that Lavia is adept at driving his team forward from the middle of the park, evidenced by the fact he successfully carried out 41 shot-creating actions over the course of the season.

If a couple of experienced Liverpool midfielders do leave the club, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Klopp replenish that area of the field with some younger reinforcements such as Lavia.

Todd Boehly is reportedly ready to sanction a Chelsea deal for Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen and the Nigerian's potential arrival at Stamford Bridge could allow Graham Potter to finally unlock the best version of Kai Havertz.

Could Chelsea sign Osimhen?

Chelsea, like several other sides across Europe, have been regularly linked with signing Osimhen in recent months amid his incredible performances for Napoli in Serie A and the Champions League.

Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella has now suggested on Twitter that Chelsea are one of two serious clubs that are "ready to poach" the forward away from the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium this summer.

Manchester United are the other side credited with an interest in the 24-year-old forward, but any potential suitor could be forced to pay as much as €150m (£132m) if they want to land Napoli's main man ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Chelsea's need for a natural striker is clear, as they have mustered just 29 goals in the Premier League so far this season, with only seven sides scoring fewer, all of whom are currently embroiled in a closely-fought relegation battle at the bottom.

Osimhen's return of 21 goals and four assists in just 23 Serie A appearances this season suggests that he could be the man to fix that problem, as Potter's side look to challenge back at the top end of the table again next year.

Since joining from Lille in 2020, the Super Eagles striker has crashed in 53 goals and 14 assists in just 91 appearances, with his performance against Cagliari in 2021 seeing him described as "phenomenal" by former manager Walter Mazzarri.

Could Havertz benefit from Chelsea signing Osimhen?

Chelsea's top scorer so far this season is Havertz and the German boasts just seven goals in the Premier League, with the German maestro underperforming on his xG in all three of his seasons at Chelsea, having regularly overperformed during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.

There is no doubt that the 23-year-old still has the attributes and the potential to be a big player for Chelsea in the future but his record in front of goal suggests that he will never be the clinical striker that they require to be a success at the top of the Premier League.

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Should Osimhen arrive at Stamford Bridge and lead the line, it could allow Havertz to drop into a more familiar attacking midfield role where he excelled at Leverkusen, with the Nigerian forward running the channels and winning the physical battles to allow the German more time on the ball to create opportunities.

Therefore, while £132m is obviously a huge amount of money for Boehly to invest, he could help Potter to finally unlock a more dangerous version of Havertz if he were to play alongside Osimhen in the Blues' attack.

West Ham United have made an offer to sign Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo as Roma give their reply to the approach, according to reports.

The Lowdown: West Ham making moves…

The Hammers have already signed one striker in Danny Ings from Aston Villa as David Moyes attempts to both keep his team in the Premier League and maintain his job amid reports of him facing the sack if they lose to Everton today.

West Ham are currently battling relegation and are among the lowest scorers in the top flight, making the need for attacking additions all the more prevalent.

Summer signing Gianluca Scamacca is also sidelined, putting even more pressure on the club to strengthen their ranks up top, and reports suggest that they are pursuing further attacking signings despite the acquisition of Ings.

The Latest: West Ham make Zaniolo offer…

According to reports in Italy, the east Londoners have moved for Serie A attacker and 11-cap Italy international Zaniolo as they seek further forward additions.

As per Corriere dello Sport, West Ham have ‘offered Roma a one-year loan deal’ to sign the 23-year-old from this month to next January. However, this is deemed ‘inadmissible’ by Jose Mourinho’s side, who have said ‘no’ to the Irons’ advances for now.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-6/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-david-moyes-premier-league-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Try again

Described by members of the media as having ‘amazing ability’ and ‘tremendous talent’ despite a damp patch of form this season, we believe that Zaniolo could be a good option for the right price.

Having only scored one goal in the current Serie A campaign, the Italy ace has shown that he can be a real threat in recent years. As per WhoScored, he ranked in Roma’s top three for shots at goal per 90 over the 2021/22 domestic campaign whilst completing more successful take-ons than any of his team-mates.

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Zaniolo also attracted their highest rate of fouls per 90 last season, indicating that he can be a really tricky player to come up against when at his very best.

Although West Ham’s loan move has been rejected, the nature of the transfer window means that an improved bid could potentially sway Roma depending on developments, especially with the Giallorossi open to selling the 23-year-old.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ defeat to Crystal Palace on Tuesday evening saw promising defender Hugo Bueno impress on what was his full debut for the Midlands side, with the young Spaniard having been a real shining light despite the overall disappointment on the night.

The 20-year-old’s “superb” performance – as described by journalist Nathan Judah – saw the exciting full-back tee up compatriot Adama Traore with a stunning whipped cross to fire the visitors ahead at Selhurst Park, having only made his first senior outing just a few days earlier against Nottingham Forest.

On the same night as the left-back showcased his talent on the Premier League stage, the club’s U21 side were also in action in the EFL Trophy away at Port Vale, with that encounter showcasing that there are further academy assets just waiting to be unleashed in the first-team.

Despite their eventual defeat to the League One outfit, Wolves’ exciting crop of youngsters – who had already qualified for the knockout stages – certainly put up a good fight against Darrell Clarke’s side, with centre-back and captain Ollie Tipton having been particularly stoic at the heart of the defence.

The 19-year-old – who is still waiting for a chance in the senior set-up – seemingly did all he could to try and keep out the home side on the night, having recorded a remarkable haul of 14 clearances, while also making three blocks and winning 100% of his aerial duels.

The exciting Englishman – who can also feature in a defensive midfield berth – has been a crucial asset for the club in the competition thus far, with his average match rating of 7.03, as per SofaScore, the sixth-highest among his teammates.

Tipton had also previously stood out at U18 level as he scored ten goals and provided one assist in 47 games in all competitions, with all the signs pointing to a player who could well join the likes of the aforementioned Bueno, Chem Campbell and Joe Hodge in making his mark on the first-team.

The local lad has previously been lauded for his quality and commitment by technical director Scott Sellars, who said of the defender’s talents back in December 2020:

“We’ve been assessing Oliver’s progress since he was 11, so to see a local boy’s growth through the Academy is great. We’re really proud of his development over the years and the work he’s put in to get himself to this stage, and this contract is a reward for that commitment.

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“He’s very focused and has a very professional attitude for a young boy, who shows every day a real consistency in his work ethic and trying to improve. He’s been a captain a lot from a young age, and shows very good leadership skills, but he’s got an extremely focused mentality and is a young man who is really keen to progress and learn.”

The defensive ranks have been somewhat depleted over the summer following the departures of the likes of Romain Saiss, Willy Boly and Conor Coady, so there could well be a chance for Tipton to make his mark for Wolves sooner rather than later, with the Old Gold having the potential to unearth their next big thing in the teenage talent.