Sheffield Wednesday haven’t been one to give youth an opportunity in recent years.

Only Jos Luhukay has braved such a task and it cost him his job. The pragmatic Dutchman risked it all in order to try and breed through a new generation in south Yorkshire, which was epitomised most by his decision to drop veteran goalkeeper Kieren Westwood to third-choice with Cameron Dawson being handed the number one spot.

Until last weekend at Leeds, the Owls hadn’t used a single player under the age of 23, a theme concurrent with a wider issue facing manager Garry Monk.

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Per Transfermarkt, the squad currently rank as the second oldest in the Championship with an average age of 27.7, only Cardiff City (28.0) can beat that.

Although in recent weeks, Monk has given a glimpse into changing that by trusting academy prospect Osaze Urhoghide to the extent of handing him a debut in a big FA Cup tie at Premier League opposition.

It has also led to Moses Odubajo being cast off and available for transfer should anyone want to sign him.

The young 19-year-old went viral for his humble post-match interview after the Owls managed to defeat Brighton and Hove Albion and the AMEX Stadium.

He was then thrown into the deep end again against then league leaders Leeds United.

Wednesday kept another clean sheet with Urhoghide at the centre of it all once again – he recorded three tackles and clearances, one interception and even managed three successful dribbles despite being tasked with Jack Harrison and Ezgjan Alioski, per WhoScored.

His rise to Monk’s first-team plans surely leaves question marks over the future of Liam Palmer, who only signed a three-year extension in the summer – one of Steve Bruce’s final decisions before leaving the club for Newcastle.

He played every game bar one in the league under the 59-year-old last season.

The 28-year-old has been at the club for over ten years, but that doesn’t mean he should walk straight back into the side as the young lad is yet to slip up.

If he continues to impress, then the Scotsman will surely find it hard to have much of a future at Hillsborough, although, his ability to play on the left side of defence offers further encouragement even if Morgan Fox is in talks over a new deal.

While in other news, could this Carlos Carvalhal signing also be nearing an exit this month?

There haven’t been too many outgoings at the Stadium of Light this month but TEAMtalk report that several Premier League clubs have one Sunderland youngster in their sights.

What’s the word?

Everton, Leicester, Southampton and Bournemouth have reportedly been monitoring Brandon Taylor over the past few weeks and now they are all ready to approach the Black Cats for his services.

The young defender hasn’t enjoyed too much time on the pitch this season, though he did complete 90 minutes against Grimsby and Gillingham in the EFL Trophy and the FA Cup.

The interest from multiple parties could work in the Black Cats’ favour, as they may be able to pit each club against each other, though with his contract expiring at the end of the season he could be targeted on a free by the four clubs mentioned.

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Setting a precedent

Sunderland have had a few successful academy graduates in recent seasons. Denver Hume is an example of a youth player who has become a regular in the first-team with 27 appearances this term, but he is an oddity.

The likes of Josh Maja and Joel Asoro impressed enough in the north-east to earn moves elsewhere, and Sunderland must show that they have learnt from those setbacks and deter any interest in their young players.

If Taylor was to be picked up it would signal that the club is powerless in holding onto its prospects, particularly if he was to leave on a free.

As a result, there should be plans to extend his deal as he has faired well in the games he has played, and though it may be difficult for Phil Parkinson due to his current defence conceding three times in seven games, the centre-back should be given more game time.

Minutes on the pitch may be the only thing which can prevent him from departing to the Premier League, though Hume’s success also provides evidence that there is a pathway to the first-team in place.

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Perhaps the only positive is that the interest in the 20-year-old shows that the academy continues to prosper despite the U18 side struggling in Premier League 2 this season, as they sit bottom with zero points.

Elsewhere, Sunderland fans have been reacting to a significant transfer taking place in League One.

Newcastle United have been looking to loan out Rolando Aarons and Jamie Sterry in the final hours of the January transfer window, according to Lee Ryder, of The Chronicle.It may be late in the day, but there is still the prospect that the two academy graduates can secure moves which would see them get a greater chance of game time.

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Aarons has been on loan at Wycombe Wanderers, but his 2019/20 season has only seen five league starts and a further five substitute appearances so far, with one goal being scored.

Meanwhile, Sterry may be 24 years old, but his only involvement in senior football this season has come in the form of three EFL Trophy starts, though they were still with the U23s.

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Considering the severe lack of game time both have had, it is understandable that their club wants to get them a loan move.

If successful, this could hand them minutes on the pitch, which can be so important for a player’s development – though they are pressed for time to ensure it happens.

Ryder’s original tweet about the pair can be seen below:

Meanwhile, stay up to date with everything happening on Deadline Day by checking out the FFC live blog.

There are a few signs that we’re coming towards the end of winter.Leaves are growing back on trees, the sun is staying out for a bit longer and TalkSPORT have once again wheeled out their infamous ‘super computer’.Indeed the radio station continued their regular tradition of using their groundbreaking piece of technology to predict the Championship table, and it makes for good reading for Leeds fans.

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Yes, according to the machine, the Whites’ 16-year wait for a place in the Premier League is finally going to come to an end as they’ve been tipped to win the title.

Understandably, a number of United fans were happy to see their side top this table.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go, but after winning just two of their last nine games it seems as though this was a much-needed boost for some members of the fanbase.

Others had their doubts about this prediction.

One fan jokingly asked whether or not the computer predicted Leeds to lose to Wigan, while others commented that a similar prediction was made last year after the Elland Road outfit were touted for a second-place finish and automatic promotion.

In other news, Leeds may miss Phillips and Forshaw more than ever on Saturday.

Trezeguet has won Aston Villa’s Goal of the Month award for January, as revealed on the club’s official Twitter page.

This accolade came for his dramatic winner in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Leicester City, which sent the team through to Wembley.

His fellow Egyptian Ahmed Elmohamady whipped in a superb cross, which Trezeguet got on the end of and diverted into the bottom corner of Kasper Schmeichel’s net.

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However, not everyone is in agreement that this should have been the goal that took the award.

There are various Villa fans who have been claiming that Jack Grealish should have taken the club award.

The talismanic figure has been a highly influential figure for the club, scoring nine goals in all competitions throughout the campaign.

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This has translated into the month of January, which has seen him score twice – once against Burnley and then again against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Within those who have explicitly mentioned the goal they think should have won, the Burnley strike received a vote, while the striker against Brighton has two.

At Turf Moor, the ball was worked out to him on the left, before he shifted it to get a yard on Phil Bardsley and smashed his strike past Nick Pope.

Against the Seagulls, with the Villans 1-0 down, Douglas Luiz played a brilliantly weighted ball, which Grealish hit with his left foot on the half-volley.

It has to be said that either of these goals would have been worthy of winning the accolade.

Meanwhile, Louie Barry has been setting out his ambitions.

West Brom have a huge opportunity to go six points clear at the top of the Championship table later this evening, should results elsewhere go their way.

The Baggies head to Reading where a victory would see them move further clear of title rivals Leeds United after they drew to Brentford last night.

Slaven Bilic’s side is trending back in the right direction, too, after recording back-to-back victories and successive clean sheets following a run of seven league games without the glorious taste of three points.

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We expect there to be two changes as Albion look to build further momentum towards their promotion push.

The back four and goalkeeper remain exactly the same, meaning there’s no place for Kieran Gibbs just yet after he featured for the U23s earlier this week, so Connor Townsend and youngster Dara O’Shea are the full-backs either side of Kyle Bartley and Semi Ajayi in the middle.

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Sam Johnstone keeps his place between the sticks too.

There’s one change in the heart of the pitch as Romaine Sawyers is gifted a rest ahead of this weekend’s game so in comes 19-year-old Rekeem Harper to deputise for his first league start of the season. He will partner skipper Jake Livermore.

Filip Krovinovic continues to operate at the peak of the three-man midfield in the number ten role with Blades loanee Callum Robinson and Matheus Pereira also starting on the wings once again.

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However, there’s a tweak in attack as Charlie Austin wins the battle of the 30-year-olds over Hal Robson-Kanu.

Kamil Grosicki, despite providing the assist for the winner on Sunday, has to settle for the bench once again.

And in other news, West Brom fans debate this DIVISIVE Bilic regular…

Bernardo Rosa put in an impressive performance for West Ham United U23s, against Stoke City, despite the team failing to take all three points.

It was a dominant display from the young Hammers, but a lack of prolificacy in front of goal and two individual errors saw the game finish as a 2-2 draw.

There are clear areas of development for some players within the team, but there were certainly impressive individual displays.

One of the most impressive among Dmitri Halajko’s ranks was 19-year-old Bernardo Rosa, who featured on the first-team bench for the 1-0 loss against Sheffield United.

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The Brazilian was deployed alongside Alfie Lewis at the base of Dmitri Halajko’s midfield in this game – he can also play as a full back and on the wing – but was the far more progressive player of the two.

There were periods where he sat back alongside his partner, but he also bombed up the pitch with greater regularity.

Rosa’s most obvious trait was his engine, as he pressed intensely and seemed full of energy throughout most of the game. This made it difficult for the opposition, with Stoke’s defenders looking especially uncomfortable at times when he put them under pressure. He did slow down a bit towards the end but that was understandable.

His passing was also impressive. The midfielder recycled the ball well at times, but he was also capable of producing defence-splitting passes. There were moments where he played well-weighted through balls between the full-back and centre-back, allowing the attackers to run onto them.

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This paid dividends for the opener, as it was the number 4 who played the ball behind Stoke’s defence that eventually saw Xande Silva get the ball into the back of the net.

If there is one thing that could be improved on – like many in the team – he could have been a bit more clinical with his own finishing. Rosa did have one good chance but hit it in a comfortable position for the goalkeeper. This is also highlighted by the fact that he has one goal from 18 appearances this season.

Despite this, he was one of the Hammers’ standout performers on the day and this is not the first time he has caught the eye, after being named the one to watch by The Athletic journalist Roshane Thomas following his performance against Manchester United U23s.

With all of this in mind, it would not be surprising if he is at the front of the queue to get further chances in David Moyes’ squad.

Meanwhile, one youngster has made their mark away from West Ham.

Laurie Whitwell has spoken about Fred’s performance during Manchester United’s 3-0 win against Watford, during a Q&A on The Athletic.

What did he say?

It was a comfortable win for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team in the end, thanks to goals from Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

There will be plenty of individuals receiving plaudits for their performances considering how one-sided the scoreline was, but that seemingly isn’t the case for Fred.

There were questions asked of the Brazilian by fans during the Q&A, with Whitwell replying to one fan who specifically picked at the Brazilian’s quality on the ball.

The Athletic journalist responded saying: “Yes in that sense he had a poor game – so many stray passes – but he brings energy and discipline.”

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Improvements still needed

Fred has become an important player for United this season, making 20 Premier League starts in their midfield and coming off the bench on a further three occasions. That does not necessarily mean that he has perfected his game though.

The midfielder is still yet to record a single goal or assist in the Premier League, hitting some terrible shots from near the edge of the box, such as the one that he attempted to side-foot into the top corner during the weekend fixture.

He made the second-highest number of bad touches of any player in red and executed various “stray passes” as Whitwell put it, even if he did end the game with a pass success rate of 85.1%. The 26-year-old also didn’t make any dribbles throughout the game.

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Now that Scott McTominay is coming back, as signified by the fact he came off the bench, while Nemanja Matic is still available, it will be interesting to see whether Fred is able to keep hold of his place in United’s starting lineup.

He may need to improve his quality on the ball if he is to put his position in the midfield beyond any doubt.

Meanwhile, United have their eyes set on a Europa League talent.

When you’ve only scored 24 goals in the entire Premier League season, ensuring your £40m striker is at the top of the pitch is surely one of the main port of calls for a manager?Instead, on Saturday afternoon, Steve Bruce went right outside of the box by deploying Joelinton from the left-hand side.Whilst the Brazilian has had experience playing out wide before with some of his previous clubs, it is still not his most natural position. And it showed big time against Burnley.

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As per Sofascore, he made just 18 passes, had no shots on goal whatsoever, and lost possession 13 times. And after seeing Bruce’s decision to change up Joelinton’s position, Newcastle fans took to Twitter to lay the blame at the manager’s door.

Some fans took aim at Bruce leaving Allan Saint-Maximin on the bench in order for Joelinton to play from the left, with one supporter in particular saying that the move was evidence of the Newcastle boss being a “clueless charlatan”.

One fan of the Tyneside club meanwhile questioned why Bruce didn’t play the Brazilian on the left all along if he felt that’s where he is most comfortable.

It certainly wasn’t the most ideal scenario for Joelinton to be involved in.

The 23-year-old would have been keen no doubt to add to his measly tally of three goals, but Bruce did him no favours by shunting him out wide.

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The only positive for him may be that this is only a one-game experiment and that he returns to his normal role in the next game.

Meanwhile, Newcastle fans tear into this ace’s display against Burnley.

Loads of Southampton fans on Twitter have been reacting after a report by Football Insider over the weekend said that captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has knocked back the club’s efforts to extend his contract.

The Denmark international’s current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2021, and it appears as though the south coast outfit are keen to get the former Bayern Munich man to commit his future to them.

However, Football Insider have suggested that the 24-year-old doesn’t want to remain at St Mary’s in the long term, with the player also recently appointing super-agent Pini Zahavi as his new representative in recent weeks.

It remains to be seen whether this was to negotiate a better deal to remain with Saints or to work on securing a big move for the Dane, who has won possession in the midfield third more than any other Premier League player this term, according to a tweet by WhoScored.

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His passing isn’t always perfect though, as proved by the fact his accuracy came in at 78.6% in the 3-1 defeat against West Ham United on Saturday, compared to midfield partner Will Smallbone who recorded an accuracy of 88.2%, also as per WhoScored.

It appears as though many Saints supporters would be happy to see Hojbjerg go, as you can see by their replies to a post about the Football Insider report from the Saints News & Views fan account on Twitter.

One compared him to former midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin who was forced to stay having handed in a transfer request in 2014. He departed for Manchester United 12 months later, where he ultimately flopped.

However, not everyone believes that Southampton should cash in one of their most valuable assets at the end of the season.

Indeed, they point to his leadership and work rate as reasons to keep him at St Mary’s, and he is clearly and visibly a player who motivates his teammates to work hard, and has impressed Ralph Hasenhuttl given he gave him the captain’s armband when he succeeded Mark Hughes in 2018.

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One individual even suggested that the club keeps him until the end of his contract before releasing him.

That would certainly be an interesting choice, and it may well depend on what sort of offers they receive for him this summer if indeed he has no intention of extending his deal.

Anything about £20m for a player with 12 months remaining on his deal would surely be difficult to reject.

In other Southampton news, Saints fans on Twitter have been selecting who they would want to be captain if Hojbjerg does leave…