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Aston Villa have been handed a potential injury boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Ashley Preece’s latest report for Birmingham Live, in which the journalist claimed that, after missing Villa’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City last weekend due to illness, the 27-year-old should be available for selection for Saturday’s trip to Leicester – with Preece predicting that the Belgium international’s return date is around September 10.

Speaking ahead of the City fixture, Gerrard said of the midfielder: “Dendoncker’s got tonsillitis, he was a bit rough but he got worse last night so he was unavailable [vs Manchester City].”

Great news for Gerrard

While the argument that it is good news one of Steven Gerrard’s summer signings looks as if he will be able to make his debut for the club this weekend is a rather obvious one to make, it is nonetheless very much the case regarding Dendoncker.

Indeed, despite having secured an impressive point against Pep Guardiola’s side last weekend, in truth, Villa’s campaign so far in 2022/23 has been something of a disappointment, with the club currently sitting 17th in the league standings after taking just four points from their first six fixtures.

Solidity at the back and in the middle of the park has been one reason for this poor showing, with Gerrards’ side having already shipped 10 goals in the league this term – at a rate of 1.6 per game – while the Villans have also not been at their free-flowing best going forwards – having also found the back of the net a total of just five times so far this season.

This is something that, in theory, the addition of Dendoncker will help to improve, with FBref ranking the £25.2m-rated talent in the top 10% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90, as well as the top 27% for aerial duels won, the top 21% for passes completed, the top 21% for non-penalty xG and the top 40% for pressures over the last 365 days.

As such, with the Belgian quite clearly being an imposing figure in the middle of the park, as well as one who is extremely capable with the ball at his feet and can get into goalscoring positions, the 27-year-old’s return to fitness would undoubtedly increase Villa’s chances of picking up a positive result at the King Power on Saturday – with three points being an absolute must for the increasingly under-fire Gerrard.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Callum Hudson-Odoi in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that the Magpies are weighing up a potential swoop to sign the English winger in the coming weeks.

Amanda Staveley was pictured with Chelsea chiefs at Stamford Bridge in their 2-2 draw with Tottenham and the reporter has added that the Toon are looking at two Blues players. 

He Tweeted: “Newcastle’s owners also being hosted by Behdad Egbali. NUFC interested in Conor Gallagher and considering Callum Hudson-Odoi.”

Imagine him & Allan Saint-Maximin

By striking a deal to sign the youngster, Eddie Howe could form an exciting wing pairing with Hudson-Odoi and Allan Saint-Maximin this season.

Both players are impressive dribblers with the quality to make things happen in the final third and they could get fans off their seats at St. James’ Park.

In the top-flight last term, Saint-Maximin completed 62% of his dribble attempts and created 1.4 chances per match for the Magpies. Matt Ritchie, who only started 14 matches, was the only player with more key passes (1.6) per game for the club, which shows how important the Frenchman was to the attack as he provided creativity on the wing.

Meanwhile, talent scout Jacek Kulig once claimed that Hudson-Odoi has “huge potential” and his career to date suggests that is a fair comment.

The 21-year-old has already racked up 126 appearances for Chelsea and been capped three times by England, winning the Europa League and the Champions League with his club in that time. He has scored 16 goals and registered 22 assists for their first team, including 12 assists in 72 Premier League outings.

In the 2021/22 top-flight campaign, he created 1.7 chances per game and completed 62% of his attempted dribbles – playing 15 times in total. This shows that he has the ability to skip past defenders more often than not and he has the end product to make something happen at the top end of the pitch when he gets into good positions.

These statistics would have made the £120k-per-week gem the most creative player in the Newcastle team last term and he was on par with Saint-Maximin in terms of the efficiency of his dribbling.

Now, imagine both of them running down the wings and committing defenders with their trickery before creating chances for their teammates with their ability on the ball. It is an exciting prospect and one that the club should look to make a reality as they consider swooping for him.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke thinks Aston Villa could reignite their reported interest in Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele this summer.

The Lowdown: Villa enquiry?

Ndombele, described as ‘underrated’ by Martin Keown, left Spurs back in January to join Lyon on loan until the end of the season.

The 25-year-old made 15 appearances for his former side, however, things could have been different in the New Year, with reports emerging recently suggesting that Villa made an enquiry for his services in January.

The central midfielder is now back in north London, and Tottenham are thought to be offering him around looking for a summer exit. O’Rourke thinks that a move to Villa Park could still be a ‘real possibility’.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Asked by The Transfer Tavern if Villa could look to go back in for Ndombele following the news of Carney Chukwuemeka’s move to Chelsea, O’Rourke said:

“Yeah, he’s obviously on the list of Villa if they did enquire about him in January. He’s obviously a player that they think could come in and do a job for Aston Villa. We all know he doesn’t figure in Tottenham plans going forward. He’s one of the players on the fringes that Antonio Conte is willing to move on. So, if there’s a deal to be done there that would suit Aston Villa and Tottenham, there’s a real possibility that Ndombele could end up there.”

The Verdict: One to watch?

Transfer insider Dean Jones stated last month that Villa were looking for a ‘big addition’ in midfield, and Ndombele could well be that man.

A transfer could be a risk, though, given he is on £200,000-a-week – more than any Villa player – and is deemed surplus to requirements under Antonio Conte.

Should he join, Ndombele would provide Steven Gerrard with a versatile option as a holding, central or attacking midfielder, and if he can get back to the form that earned him a £54m move to the Premier League back in 2019, it may well be a shrewd transfer.

Malcolm Ebiowei is already making a huge impression at Crystal Palace following his move from Derby County in the summer and it seems as if he could be a big part of Patrick Vieira’s first-team squad next season.

What’s the word?

The 18-year-old joined on a free transfer from financially-stricken Derby earlier in the summer and has caught the eye with his pre-season performances thus far.

While he has very little experience in senior football it was perhaps expected that he would return to the Championship on loan next season, however, it seems as if he could now play his part in the Premier League, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

On Twitter, the transfer insider said: “Patrick Vieira, happy with Malcolm Ebiowei’s impact at Crystal Palace. No plan to let him leave on loan, as of now – Ebiowei could really have a chance at Palace already this year. Vieira wants to work closely with Ebiowei to become an important player for the future.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Crystal Palace fans will also have been impressed by the glimpses of Ebiowei in pre-season, with this clip of him sitting down Fred in the Eagles’ pre-season defeat to Manchester United no doubt whetting the appetite of supporters.

Although Vieira is already blessed with a lot of young exciting talent out wide, such as Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, it is a long season and Ebiowei will no doubt get opportunities to impress at Selhurst Park.

Given that he was able to impress in a relegation side last season in his first taste of senior football, contributing one goal and two assists in just 16 appearances, earning a solid 6.85 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

If he can live up to his obvious potential and start to impress in Palace’s side next season, then signing him on a free could prove to be a superb piece of business by the Eagles.

AND in other news: Vieira can unearth Palace’s Zaha heir in teenage star with “a little bit of X-factor”

Liverpool have already made three signings this summer in Calvin Ramsey, Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho, but they have not strengthened their senior midfield options despite being linked with a number of players during the transfer window so far.

It was reported that Jurgen Klopp would focus on bolstering the Reds’ midfield after making the club-record signing of Uruguayan striker Nunez earlier this summer, with many of the current midfielders at Anfield approaching the denouement of their careers.

Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and James Milner are all well into their 30s at this point, and injecting some much needed youth into the midfield is a must for Liverpool if they want to build for the future at Anfield.

Jude Bellingham is one midfielder who has been constantly named as a top target for the Reds, although Borussia Dortmund have made it abundantly clear that the wonderkid will not be available until next summer, with Liverpool reportedly willing to wait until then.

In terms of this summer, Klopp could still be tempted to land a great midfield signing to add some more experience and talent into his already high-quality team, with Nicolo Barella named as a potential €90m (£77m) transfer target for the club.

The 25-year-old is no stranger to the Premier League Manager of the Year, as the German was full of praise for the Serie A star when Liverpool came up against Inter Milan in the Champions League earlier this year.

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In his press conference ahead of the first leg of the tie in February, Klopp said to the media about Barella: “He’s a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That’s a top-class player.”

The Liverpool manager could land his very own Luka Modric in Barella, as the Real Madrid star was the eighth-most comparable to the Italian over the last 12 months according to FBRef.

Although Barella is more of a direct attacking threat, there are many similarities which can be drawn between the pair where they compete in different strengths and capabilities.

It comes as no surprise that Modric outperforms the 25-year-old in terms of passing abilities, with an 88.1% completion rate compared to the Inter midfielder’s 83.5%, but the Croatian only just pips his fellow midfielder for the number of passes completed (1,544 to 1,527).

Barella also outperforms the Bernabeu veteran in terms of goal contributions, with one more goal and three more assists over the last 12 months, and he has more shot creating chances with 4.05 per 90 minutes compared to the Real Madrid midfielder’s 3.23, as per FBRef.

If Klopp and FSG are looking for a player who can offer high pressing, creativity and a good passing range, then Barella would be a great choice for Liverpool ahead of next season.

AND in other news – In talks: FSG make move for “exceptional” £17m target, he can be Klopp’s Camavinga

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their bid to sign Chelsea striker Armando Broja…

What’s the word?

As per talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, the Hammers are not set to be joined in the race for the 20-year-old’s signature by fellow Premier League outfit Southampton, despite the Albania international having impressed on loan at St Mary’s last season.

Writing on Twitter about the forward’s future, the transfer insider revealed that the potential financial package has put the Saints off, meaning the Irons are now in pole to secure his signature: “Understand #SaintsFC are not competing with #WHUFC for Armando Broja. They view wages and transfer fee as too high. Don’t think his form in the second half of the season helped either.”

This follows reports that GSB are set to make a £30m offer to the Blues for their academy product, albeit with possible involvement in Thomas Tuchel’s first-team squad next term at Stamford Bridge having also been mooted.

Payet 2.0

David Moyes and co have seemingly identified the highly-rated prospect as the man to solve their centre-forward woes, with the £19.8m-rated ace having caught the eye during that spell on the south coast, netting nine times in all competitions in what was his first full, Premier League campaign.

Prior to that, Broja had spent a year on loan with Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem during the 2020/21 season – netting solitary first-team appearance at his parent club, with that coming under Frank Lampard over two years ago.

That relative lack of experience may be a concern, although his eyecatching form under Ralph Hasenhuttl has illustrated just what a talent he is, with the £8.5k-per-week brute having been dubbed “devastating” by his national team assistant coach, Sergio Porrini.

The powerful, 6 foot 3 “machine” – as described by Simon Peach – proved himself a real handful up against top-flight defences last term, notably netting a stunning solo goal in his side’s 3-1 win over the east London outfit in the FA Cup back in March.

That lethal impact in the final third could see the Slough-born marksman blossom into something of a talisman for the Irons over the coming years, with that role having previously been assumed by French playmaker, Dimitri Payet.

Although it may be somewhat hard to compare the physical, young striker with the 35-year-old, creative genius, the pair are in fact noted as similar players, according to Football Transfers, with such likeness likely to set pulses racing at the London Stadium.

While his time in English football may have been brief, Payet certainly left his mark both on the Hammers fanbase and the league as a whole, serving up multiple moments of jaw-dropping quality, be it that outrageous rabona assist for Michail Antonio, or the gravity-defying, looping free-kick at Upton Park against Crystal Palace in April 2016.

In a class of his own, the 38-cap “magician” – as he has been dubbed by Carl Anka- was a truly joyous player to watch in his pomp, with the only sour note having been the nature of his swift departure in January 2017, just 18 months after joining the club.

The hope will be that young Broja can make a similar, yet longer-lasting impact in a claret and blues jersey, with the Payet case proving that West Ham can be a platform for top-class talent to truly shine.

IN other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

Pundit Frank McAvennie has been reacting to Aston Villa’s reported interest in Rangers defender Calvin Bassey, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Villa closing in?

Steven Gerrard and NSWE have been extremely busy over recent weeks, getting a number of deals in place ahead of the summer transfer window.

Villa have secured permanent deals for Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara and have also reached an agreement for centre-back Diego Carlos.

It looks as if another defender could be on the way, with The Times suggesting that Villa are also closing in on a move for Rangers colossus Bassey, who played under the 42-year-old at Ibrox.

The Latest: McAvennie slams Bassey

Scottish pundit McAvennie was talking to Football Insider regarding a potential reunion between Gerrard and Bassey.

He didn’t seem too impressed, though, believing that the 22-year-old isn’t good enough for the Premier League and would get ‘ripped apart’ by the likes of former Villa star Jack Grealish.

McAvennie said:

“Can he go in and play in the Premier League right now? No.

“I don’t think he is good enough for the Premier League. If Gerrard is buying him, it’s because he has done a job in Scotland.

“England is a whole different game. He’s muscle-bound but if he comes up against someone like Jack Grealish he will get ripped apart.

“I’m sorry to say Bassey but that’s the truth. Another year up with Rangers and maybe he might be ready.

“At this moment in time, the brutal truth is he’s good enough.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Bassey starred in both the Europa League final and Scottish Cup final this month and appears to have outgrown the Scottish Premiership, picking up Rangers’ Young Player of the Season award.

The Nigerian was a regular at Ibrox in the 2021/22 season, lining out as a centre-back and left-back and duly providing Gerrard with cover in two important areas.

His impressive displays over recent months seem to suggest that he is ready for the next step in his career, and that could well be at Villa Park, possibly alongside Carlos.

In other news: Villa may now move for another Rangers star after Bassey; Gerrard loves him – transfer insider. 

ESPN broadcaster Christian Martin has a five-word update for Tottenham Hotspur supporters amid the club’s links to Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.

The Lowdown: Spurs in the mix?

Spurs could take to the free agent market this summer in a bid to back manager Antonio Conte with his desired upgrades for the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

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The Italian is on the cusp of guiding his side to a Champions League qualification place with just one point needed against the already-relegated Norwich this Sunday.

Few would’ve envisaged this stunning turnaround after the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo late last year and it’s safe to say there is plenty of cause to be positive at Hotspur Way.

The upcoming transfer window is set to be a very interesting one given Conte’s alleged major demands behind-the-scenes with a real N17 overhaul on the cards, according to reports.

One man who has been linked with a move to north London is Juve star Dybala who looks set to leave Turin on a Bosman deal, and as per Martin of ESPN, there’s been a development involving Spurs.

The Latest: Lilywhites ‘go’ for Dybala…

According to the broadcaster, the Lilywhites and transfer chief Fabio Paratici by extension are now pushing to sign the Argentine.

Martin, dropping a five-word message on Twitter in the last 24 hours, explained:

“Tottenham go for Paulo Dybala.”

The Verdict: Promising…

The 28-year-old is a proven Serie A star having racked up 98 goals and 51 assists during his time in the Italian top flight (Transfermarkt).

Still in his prime, Dybala has impressed this season under Massimiliano Allegri with 15 goals and six assists in all competitions.

His versatility across the forward line, having experience in a variety of attacking roles both out wide and through the middle, could also back exactly why he appeals to Conte and Paratici.

The fact Spurs could sign him for zero transfer cost is a big incentive to move and we believe this update comes as a promising one.

Pundit Paddy Kenny, speaking to Football Insider recently, called Dybala a would-be ‘statement’ signing and we’re inclined to agree given his real pedigree and experience at the top level.

In other news: ‘Spurs will…’ – Fabrizio Romano shares exciting behind-scenes update with Conte ‘very happy’, find out more here.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has provided some fresh news involving highly sought after Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, name-checking Manchester City as a possible suitor ahead of the meeting tonight. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Signed for a then Championship record £15.8million from FC Porto in 2017 (BBC), the Portuguese ace has been on an upwards trajectory ever since arriving at Molineux.

An integral part of the Wanderers side that earned promotion and subsequently became established in the Premier League, the 25-year-old has been the subject of increased speculation in recent weeks as Manchester United, Arsenal and Barcelona are all indexed to Neves.

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Seemingly increasingly likely to move on this summer, with reports earlier this week even saying he’s ready to quit and force through a move to Catalonia, one reputable journalist has suggested another big hitter could be keen on the playmaker’s services…

The latest: Jones cites Man City

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones has suggested that title-challengers Manchester City could feasibly join the race to land the 26-cap Portugal star.

The journalist said: “He is perfectly capable of playing at any of the top clubs in the European positions. So, it’s just really a case of who’s got an available spot in the team that opens up for him to play. To be honest, it could even be Man City, I wouldn’t rule that out.”

If Pep Guardiola has his eye on a move for the Portugal star, he will certainly be keeping an eye out when the teams meet tonight (Wednesday, May 11).

The verdict: Crucial summer ahead

Whilst Wolves boss Bruno Lage will be desperate to keep Neves at the club, it appears inevitable that the hierarchy will need to fend off major interest over the coming months.

Described as ‘amazing’ by Wanderers’ goalkeeper Jose Sa following a goalscoring display against Brentford, the creative midfield maestro has scored four times and provided two assists in 30 Premier League outings this season and will be crucial if the club are going to progress to the next level.

Under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), the club are in no rush to sell and can therefore hold out for maximum value should the desire from the player to compete in the Champions League prove impossible to ignore.

If there is indeed interest from Guardiola and Manchester City, Neves has the ideal stage in which to showcase his skills when the two sides meet at Molineux.

In other news, Wolves have been backed to sign a Premier League attacker this summer. Find out who it is here.

A look at some of the players franchises might want to let go off before November 14

Gaurav Sundararaman13-Nov-2019Note: the remaining purse is the balance left after the 2019 IPL auction. Each franchise will have an additional INR 3 crore added at the forthcoming auction. Mumbai Indians
Jason Behrendorff (INR 1 crore)
A lower spine injury earlier this year has forced Beherendoff to miss six-plus months of cricket, and he is therefore unlikely to take part in the IPL.Ben Cutting (INR 2.2 crore)
Having acquired the services of Sherfane Rutherford from Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians now possess three overseas medium-pace-bowling allrounders in Kieron Pollard, Rutherford and Cutting. With the possibility of only one of them usually playing in the XI, they could look for an overseas player who has a different skill set.Beuran Hendricks (INR 50 lakh)
The South African was a replacement for West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who clocked the best-ever bowling figures in the IPL in his debut season last IPL, but had to immediately check out of the tournament because of an injury. It is understood that Joseph is likely to be retained, which will mean Hendricks will be released.Chennai Super Kings
Mohit Sharma (INR 5 crore)
Sharma played just one game for Super Kings last season and has not played any form of cricket since then. Like Mumbai, the Super Kings believe in being loyal to their players, but he is an expensive option to retain in case he is not going to be a regular. Importantly, the money can help the franchise look for a younger alternative.David Willey (INR 2 crore)
He missed out on the IPL last season and failed to make the England squad for the World Cup, and Super Kings might well look beyond him. With South Africa fast man Lungi Ngidi back this season, they could look at other overseas bowling allrounders as potential replacements.Scott Kuggeleijn (INR 50 lakh)
He joined as a replacement player for Ngidi last season, but Kuggeleijn played just two matches. He has not played consistently for New Zealand recently, and returned below-par numbers against England during their home T20I series in November.Sam Billings (INR 1 crore)
The Englishman played just one match last season, and found it hard to get a game despite offering a wicketkeeping alternative, given that MS Dhoni was around.Marcus Stoinis spills a chance from Nicholas Pooran•BCCIRoyal Challengers Bangalore
Marcus Stoinis (INR 6.2 crore)
They have overhauled the coaching set-up, and Royal Challengers desperately need to free up the bench to have a good purse at the auction. Stoinis was traded from Kings XI Punjab before last season, but the Australian allrounder didn’t make much of an impact.Colin De Grandhomme (INR 2.2 crore)
Another allrounder who has been less effective in the IPL. The New Zealander played just four games last season. In the IPL, de Grandhomme averages just 19 with the bat, though he has a strike rate 134.66. But that is still a long way below his career strike rate of 162.Shimron Hetmyer (INR 4.2 crore)
The Guyana left-hander has had a pretty disappointing 2019 in white-ball cricket. He made his IPL debut last season, but a combination of poor returns and limited opportunities meant he couldn’t create too many ripples. There is a possibility that Royal Challengers will release Hetmyer and think of buying him back at a lower price.Heinrich Klaasen (INR 50 lakh)
Klaasen failed to impress in the limited chances he has got, but despite a low price, the franchise might want to cut out excess baggage.Tim Southee (INR 1 crore)
Despite being one of the most experienced players around, Southee has just nine wickets from 14 matches at an economy rate of 9.89 and an average of 52.77 in the last three seasons. With Dale Steyn and Nathan Coulter-Nile likely to be retained, Royal Challengers might not need Southee.Sunrisers Hyderabad
Martin Guptill (INR 1 crore)
With David Warner and Jonny Bairstow available for the full season, the chances of Guptill getting a game are bleak. Also, his form in India has never been as dominant as elsewhere, which means new head coach Trevor Bayliss might want to look at younger and cheaper options.Shakib Al Hasan (INR 2 crore)
Shakib will not take part in this year’s competition after being banned from all cricket.Yusuf Pathan (INR 1.9 crore)
At 36 years of age, Yusuf might find it hard to prove his worth. Over the last couple of years, his hitting ability has gone down drastically, and he is not the swiftest of fielders either. He is another player who could find himself on the sidelines, with the franchise going for younger players.Robin Uthappa looks on as Lasith Malinga celebrates with his team-mates•BCCIKolkata Knight RidersRobin Uthappa (INR 6.4 crore)
The 2014 Orange Cap winner has been in poor form in the ongoing domestic season. Uthappa has scored only 140 runs from ten white-ball matches this season across formats, and he also struggled for Knight Riders last season, failing to get anywhere close to his usual standards.Kamlesh Nagarkoti (INR 3.2 crore)
Nagarkoti was picked at the 2018 auction after his potential to bowl raw pace became evident at the Under-19 World Cup. However, injuries have prevented him from playing even a single match over the last two IPLs. He has not played any domestic cricket yet either. Will Knight Riders risk him again, at such a high price too?Carlos Brathwaite (INR 5 crore)
Ever since the 2016 World T20 final, expectations have been high when it comes to Brathwaite. He has, however, blown hot and cold, and was even dropped by West Indies and lost the T20I captaincy.Joe Denly (INR 1 crore)
Injured and now more focused on his Test spot, Denly’s IPL record could well end with being dismissed off the only ball he has ever faced in the competition.Chris Lynn (INR 9.6 crore)
Has he justified his price over the last two seasons? Probably not, but that’s the question Knight Riders will ask, and try to answer, when it comes to the Australian opener. There is always an option of buying him back at a lower price.Delhi Capitals
Amit Mishra (INR 4 crore)
Having traded in R Ashwin from Kings XI, Capitals could well feel Mishra is surplus to their requirements. What will not help is that the 36-year-old’s numbers this domestic season have been underwhelming. Capitals are likely to take a long, hard look before figuring out what to do with the veteran legspinner.Chris Morris (INR 11 crore)
Ever since he was injured two season ago, the South African allrounder has not had the impact he did earlier, with bat or ball. A gun death bowler with incredible finishing abilities, Morris was the second player retained by Capitals ahead of the 2018 auction. However, his performance has tapered off since then, and the team could free up the money to buy more effective death bowlers.Colin Ingram (INR 6.4 crore)
T20 globetrotter Ingram had an average IPL last year, and is not getting any younger. The franchise could look at buying him back for a much lower price, or just release him.Hanuma Vihari (INR 2 crore) and Rahul Tewatia (INR 3 crore)
Both of them will find it hard to be part of the playing XI, and could either be traded or released altogether.Varun Chakravarthy was taken apart by Sunil Narine in his first over•BCCIKings XI PunjabVarun Chakravarthy (INR 8.4 crore)
He picked up an injury and played just one game last year. Moreover, Chakravarthy has not played any competitive cricket since then. His mystery spin continues to remain a mystery, and Kings XI may not want to wait to find out what it is.Simran Singh (INR 4.8 crore)
The 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman from Punjab was bought for a big sum. He has not set the domestic scene on fire though, and his price is way too high for a cricketer who will barely get a game.Andrew Tye (INR 7.2 crore)
Once the go-to bowler, especially at death, for whichever team he played for, Tye lost his mojo and recently suffered an injury that will put him out for a few months.Sam Curran (INR 7.2 crore)
He did shake a leg with Preity Zinta, one of Kings XI’s co-owners, but the Englishman failed to be the game-changer that he was meant to be, although he did have a memorable hat-trick when Kings XI pulled off a heist against Capitals. However, Curran remains a candidate who could be put back on the auction block.Hardus Viljoen (INR 75 lakh) and Moises Henriques (INR 1.5 crore)
Neither proved to be terribly effective in the opportunities given, and that could mean the franchise might want to look at other available options.Rajasthan RoyalsJaydev Unadkat (INR 8.4 crore)
Despite being among the most expensive buys in the last two auctions, Unadkat has struggled to live up to expectations, including his own. The franchise is likely to think of buying him back for a lower price or letting him go altogether.Ish Sodhi (INR 50 lakh)
To play an overseas wristspinner in the XI is extremely tough, especially when you have Steven Smith, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and Shreyas Gopal around. Therefore, Royals might be better off buying someone else.Oshane Thomas (INR 1.1 crore)
Out of the West Indies squad because of his inconsistent performances, Thomas might not remain the team’s No. 1 pick when it comes to to picking among the support acts for Archer.