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Newcastle United are reportedly keeping tabs on Eintracht Frankfurt star Djibril Sow as sporting director Dan Ashworth seeks to bolster the Magpies’ midfield ranks.

What’s the word?

According to Sport Bild, the Tynesiders – as well as fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Nottingham Forest – are interested in signing the 25-year-old ahead of the January transfer window, following the Swiss international’s impressive form for both club and country.

The 35-cap colossus – who is currently representing his nation at the World Cup – was reportedly the subject of a £17m offer from Forest during the summer, while Crystal Palace were also mooted for a move at the time.

As for the St James’ Park outfit, Eddie Howe and co are seemingly on the hunt to strengthen their options in the centre of the park, with journalist Craig Hope previously suggesting that a new midfielder could well be a “priority” for the Champions League hopefuls.

Imagine him and Bruno Guimaraes

Turning to Sow could well be an astute move for Ashworth in the New Year, with the Zurich-born ace having played a vital role in helping to steer Switzerland into the knockout stages in Qatar, after starting all three games in the group phase.

Equally, at club level the “combative” machine – as described by journalist Sam Smith – has also shown his class from his defensive midfield berth, having been integral to the German outfit’s Europa League triumph last term, averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in the competition.

As for the current campaign, the 6 foot menace has scored twice in 15 Bundesliga outings thus far, while the £34k-per-week man also ranks in the top 12% in Europe among those in his position for interceptions made as a marker of his ball-winning prowess.

Should the northeast side be able to bring the former Young Boys titan to England next month it could well allow Howe to form a menacing midfield partnership involving the Frankfurt man and Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazilian already thriving for the club at present.

Like Sow, the former Lyon gem – who was snapped up on a £40m deal in January – is also seemingly adept at winning back possession for his side, as the 25-year-old ranks in the top 3% for tackles made, as per FBref.

While the “world-class” talent, as described by teammate Dan Burn, has thrived in his role in front of the back four of late, bringing in Sow could well allow Guimaraes to take on a more advanced berth, with the player himself having previously suggested he is at his best in a more box-to-box role.

With the latter man already impressing with eight goals and three assists in just 31 games for Newcastle to date, allowing him to take on a more dynamic starting berth could well lead to an even greater impact in an attacking sense, hence the desire to recruit an out-and-out holding midfielder.

As such, should Ashworth be able to snap up Sow it could well have positive repercussions for Howe’s side, with the hope now that the club can win the race for his signature amid the intense rival interest.

Tottenham Hotspur are waiting to find out the availability of one of their top targets…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dean Jones, who gave his view on the rumours linking Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij to north London.

The Dutchman is entering the final six months of his £117k-per-week deal, with reports suggesting that he could leave for as little as €5m (£4m) in January.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones then claimed: “He’s a contender, we’d have to wait and see. Spurs are waiting really. Inter have offered him a new contract and at the same time, they’re being offered players of their own in case the player does leave.”

Romero masterclass

For Tottenham to dip back into Serie A and pull out another sensational defender could draw comparisons with Fabio Paratici’s transfer masterclass to unearth Cristian Romero.

The Argentine signed for Spurs in a £42m move in 2021 and has become a mainstay in the team, with his bravery and defensive work rate arguably unrivalled in the Premier League.

This is exemplified in his 6.94 average performance rating, which is propped up by his 1.4 interceptions, 2.4 tackles and 2.8 clearances per game (via Sofascore).

Italy is renowned for breeding some of football’s best defenders, and adding another could offer the defensive impetus that Conte needs in order to really enforce his title-winning philosophy on this group.

In De Vrij, the Dutchman has enjoyed a similarly impressive season for the Nerazzurri, boasting two interceptions, one tackle and three clearances per game (via Sofascore). He pairs this with an 88% pass accuracy which suggests that he could become the perfect modern-day defender in England.

The 6 foot 3 titan could probably more than cope with the physical demands placed upon him in the Premier League, with former Lazio teammate Mauricio leading the praise for the 31-year-old by saying: “Stefan is a great defender and deserves to be at a big club. He’s very tall, he’s strong and fast, he runs a lot – he’s a monster!

“He also has excellent technique and knows how to play the ball like few others, and that’s the difference between him and other players. He’s a calm defender who never gets agitated.”

Bringing in another top defender from Italy could see Conte and Paratici repeat Spurs’ earlier success with Romero, bolstering a backline which has conceded the most goals of any team in the Premier League’s top eight so far this term.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is believed to be eyeing a reunion with Ajax starlet Mohammed Kudus as the Red Devils seek to strengthen their attacking options.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Andy Mitten, the Dutchman is said to be an admirer of the Ghana international due to the youngster’s ‘skill and dynamism’, having previously coached the 22-year-old during his time in Amsterdam.

The article also states that a new forward recruit is a ‘priority’ for the Old Trafford club ahead of the January transfer window, with the Red Devils’ attacking ranks having been somewhat depleted following Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit last month.

Any deal for the former Nordsjaelland man – who was the subject of a £15m offer from Everton over the summer – will likely not come cheap, though, with reports earlier this month suggesting that the Eredivisie giants could demand a fee of around £40m for Kudus.

Repeat of Martinez masterclass

Ten Hag has already raided his former employers during his United tenure so far, with the 52-year-old having snapped up South American duo Lisandro Martinez and Antony during the summer transfer window.

The addition of Martinez in particular has proven particularly fruitful in the early months of the campaign, with the aggressive centre-back having been lauded as the club’s “player of the season” so far by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

Despite initial doubts over the Argentine’s suitability for the Premier League – with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher suggesting that the 24-year-old “can’t work” in the centre of defence – the 5 foot 9 ace has gone on to be a relative ever-present this term, starting all 14 of United’s top-flight games.

The World Cup winner – who has been described as an “animal” by compatriot Emi Martinez – has notably averaged 1.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the Premier League this term, having added real “quality” to United’s backline, according to Ian Wright.

The hope will be that adding Kudus into the fold could mirror that Martinez masterclass. The fleet-footed forward has sparkled in Netherlands in recent times, scoring ten goals and registering two assists in just 21 games in all competitions this term, including six goal involvements in just six Champions League games.

The highly-rated “star boy” – as described by one source – also caught the eye as a result of his displays for his country in Qatar in recent weeks, notably netting twice in the thrilling 3-2 victory over South Korea in the group stage.

Lauded as a player of “incredible potential” by Ten Hag in the past, the 21-cap gem is truly starting to illustrate that ‘potential’ at the elite level, showcased by his ranking in the top 1% for dribbles completed and the top 1% for pass completion among those in his position in Europe’s major leagues, as per FBref.

That fluid quality in possession would no doubt be an attractive prospect for the Red Devils, with the hope now being that the United boss can repeat his Martinez masterstroke and bring Kudus to the Theatre of Dreams.

Chelsea are ‘confident’ they can win the transfer race for Croatia star Josko Gvardiol as a report shares their ‘dream’ double transfer plan.

The Lowdown: Blues eye Gvardiol move…

The Premier League giants, spearheaded by owner Todd Boehly, have been eyeing a move for RB Leipzig’s sensation in recent weeks, according to claims.

There have been suggestions that Graham Potter’s side are one of the favourites to sign Gvardiol after his stellar 2022 World Cup campaign.

This comes after the Stamford Bridge side spent nearly £241 million in the summer window in an attempt to back former boss Thomas Tuchel, and it appears the German’s successor could be set to receive similar financial backing in January.

The Latest: Chelsea ‘confident’ of signing Gvardiol…

According to a new report, Chelsea believe they can seal the signing of Gvardiol despite ‘rival interest’ – being ‘confident they can win the race’.

90min go on to state that the Blues are looking to strike an agreement for the 20-year-old ‘as soon as possible’ and their negotiations are more ‘advanced’ than competitors.

It’s added that Chelsea and Boehly have a ‘dream plan’ to announce the double signing of Gvardiol and Christopher Nkunku next month, with the latter already ‘secured’.

The Verdict: Perfect player?

The defensive starlet, having been called a ‘sensational’ player and ‘Rolls-Royce’ for his performances in Qatar, could be perfect to shore up Potter’s defence.

If a deal can be done in the winter, Chelsea would get their hands on an already-established centre-half with proven quality and many years still ahead of him.

Everton have yet again found themselves struggling in the Premier League and Frank Lampard will be desperate to improve the performances over the second half of the season.

The Toffees are currently 17th in the league table and are just one point clear of the relegation zone ahead of their clash with Manchester City at the Etihad this weekend.

Luckily, the Everton boss will have the opportunity to strengthen his squad when the January transfer window opens on New Year’s Day and investing in the forward line should be the top priority after scoring just 12 Premier League goals so far this season – which is the third worst record in the entire top flight.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Manchester United wide-forward Anthony Elanga, a player who could be Lampard’s next young prodigy.

The former Chelsea boss is renowned for his keen eye for young talent and developing them into some of the best prospects in the Premier League with Reece James, Mason Mount, Billy Gilmour, Armando Broja and Tariq Lamptey just a few of the players Lampard gave top flight debuts to during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Now Lampard could use his experience in youth development by giving Elanga his opportunity to thrive on Merseyside if the club can secure his signature in the new year.

The 20-year-old forward has scored 30 goals and delivered 19 assists whilst rising through the ranks of the Manchester United academy with a goal contribution every 153 minutes so far and has recently become a regular feature in the first team.

Despite only averaging 35 minutes per outing, the Swedish starlet – who was hailed a “phenomenal talent” by journalist Alex Turk – has registered one assist and created two big chances over 11 Premier League appearances so far.

The young winger has already been the recipient of high praise from former Man United striker and fellow Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who hailed Elanga following his first call-up to the international squad.

“A great talent, we are proud and happy that he comes from Sweden. That he can represent Sweden now makes it even bigger,” he said.

“He [Elanga] has all the future ahead of him, and if he continues just as he has done, it looks positive. It’s just fighting, never being content, striving for more. How much he can develop depends on him.”With that being said, if Lampard can get the very best from Elanga by capitalising on the glimpses of talent the player has already displayed, it would be a great piece of business for Everton and could help them improve performances over the second half of the season.

Chelsea are languishing down in tenth place in the Premier League after wayward form and detrimental injuries have hampered their season, and reinforcements are needed…

What’s the word?

Arsenal have been the favourites to sign Shakhtar Donetsk flanker Mykhaylo Mudryk this season, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently confirming news that the Ukrainian giants’ director Darijo Srna was in England to discuss avenues with both the Gunners and Chelsea.

And now, according to The Guardian, Blues boss Graham Potter is ‘hopeful’ that a deal can be forged in the coming weeks, with Stamford Bridge in dire need of a saving grace to steer them away from mid-table obscurity and back towards the peak of the Premier League mountain. 

Mudryk is one of the hottest talents on the pitch right now, but with Shakhtar rejecting Arsenal’s first two transfer bids for their phenom’s services, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that a mammoth move is needed to pull him away from his outfit this January.

He’s a “special talent”

Since emerging into prominence last season, the 22-year-old Mudryk has since been burgeoning into his own, now a wily winger capable of devastating any defence erected in front of him.

His ten goals and eight assists from just 18 appearances this season certainly take the highlight reel, but his marvellous blend of breezing runs and direct take-ons against his opponents have raised eyebrows in adulation, with his style deemed perfect to flourish on English soil with a title-challenging club. 

And with five direct contributions in this year’s Champions League edition – including two strikes against Celtic – his influence is expanding by the match. 

Complementing his dazzling goal record, FBref ranks the “baller”, as lauded by Sacha Pisani, within the top 3% for attacking midfielders and wingers for dribbles completed, the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 8% for progressive passes received. 

This indicates that his prolific displays are no fluke; with onus on laughing up the pitch and getting into dangerous positions with regularity, Mudryk is a consistent threat in and around the box, a thorn piercing his enemy’s sides with his multi-faceted blend of striking and creativity. 

His blossoming abilities on the pitch would be bolstered further if the Blues’ technical director Christopher Vivell succeeds in the pursuit of fellow January target Enzo Fernandez, who has been at the centre of intense transfer speculation regarding a move to west London.

Crowned the Best Young Player at the 2022 World Cup, Fernandez recorded an average Sofascore rating of 7.10 in Qatar, completing 89% of his passes and making 0.9 key chances per match as he clinched world glory with Argentina.

His assurance as the engine in the middle, and eye for instigating a promising forward transition, would serve Mudryk well indeed, and with both players tending to occupy the left side of the pitch, the partnership could thread together without seam.

While Donetsk are reportedly holding out for £85m, persistence in negotiations might persuade the club to cash in on their player for a lucrative fee, and Chelsea boast the affluence to complete such a deal. 

 Last year, presenter Joe Flemons hailed the ace as a “very special talent”, and it’s abundantly clear that he is indeed a prodigy capable of ascending to the very top of the game, and Chelsea would be an excellent stomping ground to nurture his skill-set.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic not lighting up the World Cup could work in Arsenal’s ‘favour’ in terms of a potential move.

The Lowdown: Arsenal in pole

It has recently been reported that Arsenal are in pole position to sign Milinkovic-Savic, either in January or in the summer.

The Lazio central midfielder seems to be convinced by Mikel Arteta’s project, and so a move to the Emirates Stadium is now possible.

The Latest: Advantage Gunners?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that Milinkovic-Savic not having the best World Cup with Serbia could work in the Gunners’ ‘favour’, adding that they would have a ‘reasonably clear run’ should they decide to sign him in this window:

“The one thing in Arsenal’s favour here is that Milinkovic-Savic didn’t quite light up the World Cup in a way that he could have done.

“If Arsenal do want him, this would probably be the time to make their move, because they’d have a reasonably clear run at him.”

The Verdict: Sign him and Mudryk?

The North London club are already strongly linked with a big-money move for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, and with the injury to Gabriel Jesus, they should be prioritising attacking reinforcements in this window.

Milinkovic-Savic would also be a real statement of a signing though, given that he is one of the best in the world in his position.

The midfielder ranked in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022 for non-penalty goals, non-penalty xG, shots, assists, xAG, npxG + xAG, touches, progressive passes received and aerial duels won per match at club level (FBRef), but was unfortunately knocked out with Serbia in the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar.

Hailed as ‘magic’ and on the ‘same level of Kevin De Bruyne’ by his Lazio team-mate Ciro Immobile, Milinkovic-Savic is still rated very highly in Italy, and Arsenal would do very well to sign him on top of Mudryk in January.

Club Brugge goalkeeper Senne Lammens seems to be ‘on his way to Leeds United’, according to journalist Tomas Taecke.

The Lowdown: Rutter to arrive at Leeds?

The Whites have acted swiftly in the transfer market this month by securing the services of versatile defender Max Wober last week.

Hoffenheim forward Georginio Rutter also seems to be bound for Elland Road, with reports suggesting that a deal worth between €30m and €40m (£26.4m-£35.2m) is set to be completed.

Aside from those deals, Victor Orta appears to be working on another move for the Whites in pursuing young shot-stopper Lammens.

The Latest: Lammens ‘on his way’ to Leeds

Taecke took to Twitter on Sunday morning, claiming that Lammens appears to be ‘on his way’ to Yorkshire. The journalist added that it is unclear whether the player will move to Leeds this month or in the summer, although the Belgian champions should receive a transfer fee.

Lammens is out of contract at the end of the season and has made four senior appearances for Club Brugge, featuring on the bench in all six of their Champions League group stage matches.

The Verdict: Orta in overdrive

There is no stopping Orta this month, who could well follow up two important first-team signings (assuming the Rutter deal goes though) with a move for Lammens.

Lammens is actually his agency’s most valuable client according to Transfermarkt, and you’d expect that he will rival Kristoffer Klaesson in the club’s under-21 ranks at first before potentially challenging for a first-team berth.

He stands at 6 foot 4 and is still just 20 years of age, so Elland Road chiefs appear to see some real potential in the goalkeeper, with this another deal to keep a close eye upon throughout the month.

A claim has emerged on Aston Villa and their pursuit of Villarreal attacker Arnaut Danjuma during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Villans are one of the clubs who have ‘discussed’ a potential deal to sign the Netherlands international before the end of the month.

The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, and Nottingham Forest, all teams Fun88 have had major sponsorship deals with, are also interested in signing the La Liga dynamo.

It is stated that the player has already made his way to England in preparation to hold talks with potential suitors after Villarreal decided that they are willing to loan him out for the second half of the campaign.

Jack Grealish replacement

Johan Lange could finally find Villa’s replacement for Jack Grealish by beating off competition from their Premier League rivals to sign Danjuma this month.

The England international, who joined Manchester City in 2021, produced an impressive six goals and 10 assists from out wide in the 2020/21 top-flight campaign before leaving the club.

Last season, no Villa midfielder or wide player managed more than Emi Buendia’s 10 direct goal contributions, which suggests that the club are yet to find another forward who can impact games as Grealish did for Dean Smith.

Danjuma could be that player as his form for Villarreal last season showcased his ability to make a huge difference in the final third. In the 2021/22 campaign, the Dutch international delivered 10 goals and three assists in 23 La Liga outings, whilst also scoring six and assisting one in 11 Champions League matches.

The winger, who the Spanish side signed for £22m at the start of last season, was previously lauded for his ability in attack by former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips, as the ex-forward said: “On his day he is a nightmare for defenders. He can create and score goals. He can hurt any defence with his pace and directness.

“He is a player who can hurt any defence on his day. He’s shown that countless times. Players like him are a rarity in this day and age.”

His aforementioned statistics for Villarreal back up these comments and journalist Dean Jones summed it up best by once claiming that Danjuma could be a “game-changer” for Villa.

Grealish was a ‘game-changer’ for the Villans on a regular basis and the ex-Bournemouth man has proven, under Emery’s management last term, that he can have a similar impact with his ability to produce goals and assists week-in-week-out at the top level.

The 25-year-old’s pre-existing relationship with the Villa boss could also allow him to hit the ground running and have an immediate impact in the second half of the campaign, which potentially gives him an edge over other targets who may not have worked with the manager before.

Photo by Unsplash

Manchester United have finally welcomed back Jadon Sancho to first-team training at Carrington after months of the winger being out of the squad – and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Erik ten Hag is looking to reinstall him to the forefront of his plans.

What’s the latest?

It has not been an easy stretch for Sancho’s career since moving back to Manchester and perhaps the last couple of months have been the most difficult.

But he has since made a return to Carrington and has joined up with his teammates following his training camp over in the Netherlands.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has suggested the 22-year-old will not be rushed back into the starting XI by Ten Hag.

However, the Italian journalist did suggest the winger remains a player who is important to Ten Hag’s plans for the future at Old Trafford:

“At the moment, it could take some more time [to return to the starting XI], but he’s back to training. He’s restarting to be in good condition. And so this is very good news for Man United but there will be careful on how to manage Jadon Sancho.

“For sure, the idea of the manager is to make Sancho a key player for Man United in the future, to protect the player, to have the best out of Jadon Sancho. So this is the mission as he did with Marcus Rashford this season.”

Rashford 2.0?

In recent months, we have seen Marcus Rashford return to his best form under Ten Hag following a difficult spell in his career at United,

Last season, Rashford was only able to provide United with a return of four goals and two assists in the Premier League across his 25 appearances.

Whereas, this season, under Ten Hag, the 25-year-old has already provided eight league goals and three assists as well as a further eight goals and three assists in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

And this is exactly what Ten Hag will be hoping he can achieve with Sancho.

The Dutch manager has made a seriously impressive start to life in the Premier League considering the early setbacks he faced in their opening games.

United sit comfortably inside the top four and only eight points off the top with a clash against the league leaders, Arsenal, to come on the weekend.

So it does seem as if Ten Hag could be the man to guide Sancho back to the form which earned him a move to Old Trafford back in 2021.

In the season leading up to his move back to England, Sancho racked up 16 goals and 20 assists in a Borussia Dortmund shirt.

However, since making the move to United, Sancho has only been able to provide eight goals and four assists across his 52 appearances in all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

It seems there is a long way to go if he is to rediscover his Dortmund form, however, Ten hag has shown he is capable of getting the best out of Rashford already, so why not Sancho too?