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Many Wolves fans have been left raging as Tim Spiers posted their squad for their pre-season trip to Marbella in Spain.

While Spiers tweeted some names that supporters will surely get excited about, such as new signing Jose Sa and the return of Raul Jimenez, a lot of the squad is made up of youth players and highlights how thin it is going into the new 2021/22 season.

Of course, players such as Adama Traore and Conor Coady will return to the Midlands a little bit later given their exploits in Euro 2020, but nonetheless it does seem like a squad that is in desperate need of new additions.

With the new Premier League campaign a matter of a few weeks away now, it seems as if several members of the Molineux faithful are growing more impatient with the lack of incomings at this moment in time.

Wolves fans on pre-season squad

These WWFC supporters fumed as the pre-season squad was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it was ‘awful’:

“We can fit the whole squad in a tweet, we’re actually in trouble”

Credit: @wwfc_bibb

“Our squad is weak need some new faces to be added big time #wwfc #Wolves”

Credit: @Georgewwfc2

“Nuno left us in a right state”Credit: @Gary_Poynton”What an awful squad of players that is”Credit: @Macca_Clifton”Seeing it laid out on paper makes us look weak man!!”Credit: @goldandblack17″Wow. Concerned by the lack of depth here”Credit: @StefanF30In other news, find out what transfer update has Wanderers fuming here!

Liverpool’s U23s got the job done against Shrewsbury on Tuesday in the FA Cup fourth-round replay.Jurgen Klopp decided that neither he nor his players would be at the game as they were going to respect the two-week winter break decided on last April. As such, it was left to Neil Critchley and the club’s youngsters to get them through to the next round of the competition. In the end, they did just that, clinching a 1-0 victory against the League One side.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

It seems that the displays of two players in particular have caught the eye. According to journalist Dominic King, 16-year-old Harvey Elliott and 19-year-old Curtis Jones are “under consideration” for England U21 call-ups later next month, after U21 assistant head coach Lee Carsley and U20 head coach Paul Simpson were amongst a delegation to be at Anfield to take in the clash.

The Liverpool fans have been reacting to the news, and they are adamant they should be included.

The two have been in good form in the cup competitions so far this term. Jones has already scored twice in the FA Cup, for example, and was captain against Salop, whilst Elliott has featured in all of this term’s cup matches as well as the Premier League too.

Some fans, meanwhile, have referenced the FA’s reported reaction to Klopp’s comments.

According to Goal.com, the English governing body was “surprised and frustrated” by the 52-year-old’s choice. In the end, though, it looks as though the former Borussia Dortmund boss was right.

Meanwhile, one Liverpool youngster stood out on Tuesday.

In light of the news last week that Liverpool would be without right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold for the next few weeks, The Reds were thrown into a mini crisis. 

The 20-year-old is a mainstay in Jürgen Klopp’s team, and with Nathaniel Clyne unable to be recalled from his loan spell at Bournemouth, the question was to who would slot in as a fullback at Anfield last Saturday against Crystal Palace. James Milner stood up and filled in on the right, however, it was not without its controversy as the 33-year-old picked up a red card in the closing minutes of the game.

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That now means that Milner misses Liverpool’s next game against Leicester at Anfield, and Klopp again has a job on his hands trying to figure out who occupies the right-back position. One of the main candidates is Fabinho, who deputised as a centre-back in the absence of Dejan Lovren, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip. The Brazilian has some experience of playing as a fullback, but the trouble is that it leaves the central midfield looking severely sparse, as neither Fabinho or Milner would be present.

There is no denying that this is a major setback in Liverpool’s title challenge. Although they sit at the summit of the Premier League table, rivals Man City are haring behind them, and Klopp will know that his side cannot afford any slip-ups in order to secure their maiden Premier League title. Milner’s red card only increases the pressure on Liverpool as they head into a tricky period.

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A late equaliser meant heartbreak for West Ham on Saturday night as they saw a much-needed three points become one. Having gone down to 10 men in the first half, the Hammers defended valiantly against Leicester City and will feel they deserved the victory for their committed display.

Ultimately, however, a wicked deflection off of Fabian Balbuena redirected a Wilfred Ndidi strike into the back of the net and ensured that the spoils were shared at the King Power Stadium. The deflection off of Balbuena was a particularly cruel twist of fate, as the centre-back had otherwise put in a wonderful performance.

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The 27-year-old summer signing put Manuel Pellegrini’s side ahead from close range and was a rock at the back as the outnumbered Irons clung on for so long to their slender advantage.

Despite his unwitting hand in the Foxes’ goal, many West Ham fans were highly appreciative of the Paraguayan’s efforts. After the match, lots of Hammers supporters took to Twitter to sing Balbuena’s praises…

According to reports in Turkey, via the Birmingham Mail, Gabby Agbonlahor’s next destination could be Super Lig side Malatyaspor, though some Championship clubs have shown interest in the free agent. 

Agbonlahor’s entire career to date has been spent at Villa Park, but the 31-year-old’s time with the club has finally come to an end this summer with the expiry of the his contract.

Agbonlahor’s next move is likely to take him abroad. However, certain Championship clubs would be wise to tempt the former England international to remain on these shores. 

Leeds United have already bolstered their attacking options this summer with the signing of Patrick Bamford from Middlesbrough. Though, some extra depth up front looks like it could be needed if the Whites are serious about becoming genuine promotion contenders this season.

The Breakdown

Last season, Leeds struggled to convert chances into goals, something which new boss Marcelo Bielsa will be keen to change. The recruitment of Agbonlahor would arm his squad with another player who is capable of being very efficient in front of goal.

The top level experience that the former Aston Villa man possesses would also be a healthy addition to Bielsa’s ranks. 

Agbonlahor, of course, isn’t a long term option, but he would add a little more depth to the attacking contingent at Elland Road in a cost effective manner.

If Leeds could come to a fair contract agreement with the striker, then making this deal happen would be yet another smart bit of business done by the Yorkshire club this summer. 

Now that the international break is over, Premier League clubs are gearing up for the return of the domestic calendar.

In a bid to get fans excited for Saturday’s fixture against Bournemouth, Arsenal posted a tweet on their official page urging the team to get back to winning ways.

Arsene Wenger’s men have had a tough run after their opening weekend 4-3 victory over Leicester City.

They were undone by a single goal from Stoke City and prior to the international break they were humiliated by Liverpool 4-0 at Anfield.

The players were targeted with some fierce criticism for their performance and now the pressure is on to get a result at the Emirates.

Judging by the fans’ comments, Arsenal’s social media team did not get the desired response to their video.

The clash against Bournemouth will be the first game since the transfer window closed.

Arsenal recruited Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette, and they sold a handful of fringe players, as well as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool.

Despite rumours surrounding the futures of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, both players stayed at the club.

Liverpool, once again, are heading for the summer transfer window with a long shopping list. After pursuits of players like Mahmoud Dahoud seemed to have come to an inconvenient ending, a new shortlist must be drawn up. Liverpool’s transfer policy has been hesitant at times, too often leaving the club short of players in certain positions or making do for players not up to the standard they really need.

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Amongst Liverpool’s jaunts into the market there have been some shockers in recent years. Deals that made no sense, didn’t fit the team’s style or were simply misguided. One such deal was the signing of Christian Benteke. You can decide for yourselves how many of those categories he fitted into.

Benteke was signed for over £30 million and discarded only a year later for a similar fee. No financial loss and a player moved on when he was not in the plans of the first team boss, it sounds like a good deal. The Belgian has had an indifferent season for Crystal Palace, too, further suggesting this was a smart piece of face-saving transfer work from Liverpool.

Benteke has always been a patchy player. Bemoaned for a lack of work ethic one week and nigh-on unplayable the next, comparisons to Didier Drogba are not far off the mark at times. He never adapted to Liverpool and, in truth, the signing was an odd one. The Reds were not – and are not – set up to play towards a target man like he is. He was only ever feasibly an option either from the bench or a plan B for the manager, but his transfer fee meant he required a role in the squad far greater than what he was best suited to.

This season, however, Liverpool have been all too frequently one dimensional. Roberto Firmino has taken the role of centre forward and played it very well, but another option has been lacking. Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge can play as more conventional number nines, yet they are not offering anything quite as remarkably different as a player like Benteke would have done.

Sturridge is likely to finally be on his way out of the club this summer, while Origi is still a raw talent who could become a key player in the future, but his decision making and finishing need to improve quickly.

Liverpool are left, amongst other positions, needing to add a natural centre forward when the window opens. Sadio Mane and Firmino have been fantastic for swathes of the campaign, though, and a striker will realistically only be a second or third option for Jurgen Klopp. As much as the squad can change, he will need to be willing to change his team’s build-up if they are to add a player like Benteke.

Holding an unpleasant record against bottom half teams who sit deep and counter attack, Liverpool are blunted when forced wide. As was evident away at Leicester and on other occasions this season, teams will defend the width of the penalty area under the knowledge Liverpool present no threat aerially. Georginio Wijnaldum has popped up with a few important goals from midfield, but the fact they have needed his third man runs to provide extra goals so often is only a minor compensation for the lack of a natural striker.

The beauty of Liverpool’s play is the fluidity of it, but sometimes a central attacking focal point is required. He needn’t be a target like Benteke, but someone who can physically occupy the central defenders and give an option to play more direct balls into the opposition’s final third would aid Liverpool significantly.

He was the wrong man at the wrong time, but the sale of a striker who would’ve been the ideal alternative in the final third adds to the frustration as Liverpool prepare to delve into the centre forward market once again.

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Brit’s abroad don’t always do well. From sunburnt, lager-swilling stag parties, to ignorant folk who believe talking louder in English is a reasonable attempt to make contact with foreign men and women, we are often looked at as bad travellers. These may seem like terrible stereotypes, but they must have a semblance of truth to have been formed in the first place.

Much the same with the typical British footballer. A handful have taken steps to improve their game by moving to clubs on the continent, but as a whole Brit’s tend not to leave the comforts of football at home. After all, the number of English or British players plying their trade on foreign soil over the years far fewer than many other of the top nationalities.

But, one young man from Cardiff bucked the trend of the majority of British players in the Premier League and has now become the leading British goal-scorer in La Liga history. Not even three years into his spell at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale has succeeded where many fail, or even fear to tread. Recently surpassing Gary Lineker’s feat of 42 goals for Barcelona, set nearly 30 years ago, the Wales talisman has already won more with Real than he ever would at Spurs – or arguably any other Premier League side – joining a club as ambitious as himself.

But where might the next Bale come from? I don’t necessarily mean in talent – his is a unique one that is not easily replicated – but in terms of being a quality British export from the Premier League making as big of a splash as the 26-year-old Welshman has at Real Madrid? David Beckham and Michael Owen both tried of course, part of the Galacticos era at the Bernabau in the early/mid 2000’s, but neither really had the kind of effect on the pitch that the current No.11 at the Madrid side has.

Is there anyone playing in the Premier League right now who can cope with the very different demands of European football as well as the Welsh winger? Who can represent the best of what the UK has to offer and help enhance the reputation of the Brit abroad, in footballing terms anyway? Is there anyone with enough skill to attract the attention of one of the premier clubs around Europe? Or are our players destined to cozy up at home, safe in the familiar surroundings of the Premier League?

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The most obvious candidate that springs to mind is actually plying his trade at Bale’s old club Spurs. Harry Kane is currently setting the the Premier League alight with his goalscoring feats for Mauricio Pochettino’s high-flying Tottenham side. He may not have the pace or the flair of his former team-mate, but his natural goalscoring ability is sure to attract some admiring glances from the continent’s biggest clubs. If he continues to match, or surpass, his goal tallies from this and last season then the lure of a scorer may be too great to ignore, even if he is from a country not really known for it’s footballing exports. And with Daniel Levy as his chairman, it likely wouldn’t take too much persuading to see the north Londoner’s prize asset sold off in the future for the right fee.

Looking around the rest of the league, you don’t really see too many other Brits with the kind of talents that would attract the bigger European sides. Bale’s fellow countryman Aaron Ramsey is rumoured to be on Barcelona’s radar, but aside from the Arsenal man, few stand out. Looking at the current England squad for example, it’s hard to highlight one player who has both the talent and the character to play abroad. Eric Dier came to this country from Portuguese football and it seems to have stood him in good stead, the 22-year-old rapidly becoming as important as Kane or Dele Alli for Spurs.

Indeed, given his prior experience of the continent there is every chance Dier may move back one day. Team-mate Alli has the skill, but at such a young age it’s hard to predict whether he will challenge himself and move abroad in his career as, at the moment at least, he seems like a very family orientated ‘homeboy’, but then the same could have been said of Bale when he was at Spurs.

No one really knows why British footballers plying their trade on foreign soil are so few and far between, and it’s a topic that no doubt warrants a much longer discussion than is possible here. Perhaps the comforts of their own language and culture are too great, or maybe the Premier League brings all the best the world has to offer to them, meaning there is no reason to move. But, whatever the reason, hopefully it won’t be another 30 years before we see a British player setting records in a continental league.

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Neymar is reportedly already planning his departure from Al-Hilal, with the Brazilian intending to return to Santos ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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• Left PSG for new challenge in the Middle East
• Confusion over his lucrative deal
• Plans to head home before major tournament

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 31-year-old forward only took on another new challenge in his distinguished career when heading to Saudi Arabia backin August. There had been talk of the South American superstar agreeing a four-year deal in the Middle East, but that is supposedly not the case.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reports of a two-year contract are said to be closer to the mark, with Neymar not intending to stick around at Al-Hilal for long. According to Brazilian journalist , the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker will return to his roots at Santos in 2025.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Quintino has said on his social media channels: “During conversations with friends of Neymar Senior and Neymar Junior, I received the information that they did not sign a four-year contract with the Saudis but rather a two-year contract so he can return (to Santos) a year before the World Cup. Neymar approached Santos and asked to return. I have friends in common with Neymar, whom I will not name, but he has a very strong desire to return to Santos.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Neymar – who is now Brazil's all-time leading scorer – has only taken in three appearances for Al-Hilal so far and is still waiting on his first goal for the club. He has never shied away from the fact that he intends to head back to Santos at some stage, with the plan seemingly being to make that switch a year out from the World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

The Red Devils risk falling behind their rivals this summer after failing to sign or sell a single player while the takeover saga rumbles on

It feels as if the season only ended yesterday, but Manchester United players are due back at work next Monday to begin getting in shape for the next campaign. The players who did not take part in any international matches after the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City – including Lisandro Martinez and Donny van de Beek – will be the first to report back at Carrington on July 3, while those who did play for their national teams will return from July 10.

Then the serious work begins: the first pre-season friendly against Leeds United on July 12 in Oslo followed by a fixture against Lyon in Glasgow on July 19. The club will then embark on an exhausting tour of the United States to face Arsenal, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Wrexham, before a final tune-up game against Athletic Club in Dublin one week before the Premier League season starts.

The returning players will be placed on a ruthless training regime to get back in shape for the campaign. But while Erik ten Hag's men are subjected to a military-style programme, from the outside the club resembles an unorganised mess.

There is little sign of progress on transfers and even fewer prospects of enacting the player clearout that is needed to build on the progress made last season. And in the background, there is still no indication of who will own the club in the long term. Pre-season is usually associated with hope and excitement, but at United, not for the first time, there is a feeling of trepidation and unease.

GettyTransfer targets go elsewhere

The transfer window is open for another two months yet, but given what their rivals have been up to, United fans would be entitled to feel concerned about the lack of business they have done. The only tangible movement so far has been three bids for Mason Mount, none of which have managed to convince Chelsea to let go of their midfielder, even as he enters the final year of his contract.

Meanwhile, the club have apparently ended their pursuit of Harry Kane, who was believed to be their top target just a month ago, with Bayern Munich instead leading the race to sign England's captain. Bayern also look set to beat United to another transfer target in South Korea defender Kim Min-jae.

And despite longstanding interest in Declan Rice, United made no bid for the West Ham midfielder, who is set to join Arsenal in a British-record £105 million deal. Interest has been shown in Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana and Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, meanwhile, but no formal bid has been made for either player.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesRivals making swift and smart moves

Meanwhile, United's rivals are wasting little time in improving their own squads. Chelsea have already signed Christopher Nkunku for £53 million, finally landing the top-level striker they were badly missing last season; treble-winning Manchester City have made their peace with Ilkay Gundogan leaving for Barcelona and have snapped up Mateo Kovacic; and Liverpool have done some early business by signing Alexis Mac Allister, another player who was on United's radar.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have been the busiest of the Premier League's big clubs. They announced the signing of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz on Wednesday, while in addition to closing in on Rice, they have made steps towards a move for former United target Jurrien Timber. Signing all three players would take their summer spending to a total of £200m ($252m) already.

Even Tottenham and Newcastle, who will hope to be battling for places in the top four, have made moves. Spurs have signed James Maddison from Leicester City, while the Magpies have agreed a deal to bring AC Milan star Sandro Tonali to the north east.

GettyDeja-vu over 'one player at a time'

United, meanwhile, have been criticised in the past for focusing on one transfer at a time rather than simultaneously pursuing a number of targets. The club spent much of last summer trying to land Frenkie de Jong, for example. Barcelona were desperate to sell the Dutch maestro, who developed into a world star under Ten Hag's guidance at Ajax, but the player wanted to prove himself at Camp Nou and was unwilling to swap his idyllic lifestyle in Catalunya.

Rather than pursue alternatives, United wasted valuable weeks trying to lure De Jong, and once they finally conceded defeat, they had very little time left in the transfer window to sign an alternative while the season had already begun. It led to a desperate scramble for Adrien Rabiot and finally the move for Casemiro, an excellent signing but a costly, short-term deal at £70 million for a then 30-year-old.

The club appear to be adopting a similar strategy with Mount, however. It emerged in late May that United were trying to sign the Chelsea midfielder. They made their first bid for £40m in mid-June and have made two subsequent offers, of £50m and £55m, both of which have been knocked back by the Blues.

United's continued interest in a player who has just had a desperately disappointing season with Chelsea has raised eyebrows among plenty of fans, particularly given that midfield is not the most important area of the squad they need to address. Signing a world-class striker remains the club's number one priority, as Ten Hag has previously admitted, so it is baffling that there has been so little news of a serious bid for a centre-forward at this stage.

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Getty The De Gea saga

United will also need to make a move for a goalkeeper after withdrawing their offer of a new contract for David de Gea. Most fans will agree that the club need to look beyond the Spaniard after a season beset by high-profile errors, but the U-turn makes the Red Devils look unprofessional as well as indecisive – even if it is ultimately the right call.

It looks as if the club offered De Gea a new contract despite their reservations about his form because it would be too costly to sign a new first-choice goalkeeper in the summer, only to change their mind after his unconvincing end to the season.

Their dilly-dallying is not only a slap in the face to the club's longest-ever serving goalkeeper and record clean sheet holder, it means they have wasted valuable time in signing a new No.1 too. Their terrible handling of the situation could well put off prospective new players from joining the club.