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Tottenham Hotspur are expected to target a new forward during the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered a fresh claim to supporters during a recent Q&A.

When asked if an additional striker would be a priority in the upcoming window, he replied:

“Definitely.

“Dane Scarlett will get minutes here and there until then, and that will help the 17-year-old’s development, but it’s one area of the squad where too much pressure is being put on two players to share the load and in [Harry] Kane and [Heung-min] Son. They’re players who are too key to lose to injuries through overuse.

“Then it’s over to that age-old issue of finding a striker of the required quality in the January window who is willing to come and play back-up to Kane.”

Much needed addition

Indeed, another frontman is exactly what Nuno Santo needs heading into the second half of the season, especially considering the fact that he was reportedly keen to deploy a two-man attack upon arrival in north London.

Either way, it’s the one position Spurs lack serious depth in.

An injury to Kane could seriously curtail their campaign, which is the last thing they’ll want after clinching three straight victories in all competitions, in which the England international has found his scoring boots with four goals.

It’s a situation familiar to the club. In January 2020, he picked up a lengthy injury and Spurs soon crashed out of the FA Cup and the Champions League, and also slipped rapidly down the table.

Last season, former Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho had a suitable and cost-effective backup in Benfica loanee Carlos Vinicius, who has since signed for PSV Eindhoven.

Whilst in previous years, the north Londoners have been stacked in the attacking department. At one point, Spurs had the services of Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Emmanuel Adebayor in the very same squad.

Of course, it’s a more difficult task these days as you have to find someone willing to play second fiddle to Kane but opportunities wouldn’t be limited. Spurs are still in all domestic cup competitions and are among the favourites to secure the UEFA Europa Conference League, so there are plenty of fixtures ahead.

Therefore, this latest development should leave many around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium absolutely buzzing and excited ahead of January.

New sporting director Fabio Paratici has already shown his muscle in the transfer market, signing the likes of Emerson, Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero, so he could well deliver once again with the addition of a new forward.

Whether Spurs manage to secure that man remains to be seen but it’s certainly an encouraging prospect.

AND in other news, Forget Dier: £60m-rated Spurs star who lost possession 14x endured a nightmare at Newcastle…

Incoming Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will most likely bring a centre-back to Old Trafford as his first signing.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag announced

The Red Devils officially confirmed the Dutchman as their new manager on Thursday following weeks of rumours.

Ten Hag will depart Ajax in the summer and has signed a three-year contract with United which includes the option of a further 12 months.

The 52-year-old looks set to lose a number of players over the coming months in what looks to be a major shake-up, with Ralf Rangnick revealing the club need to make as many as 10 additions.

The Latest: Galetti’s post

Journalist Rudy Galetti took to Twitter on Friday morning to provide a transfer update at Old Trafford.

He revealed that the ‘first signing of the Ten Hag era will most likely be a centre-back’, name-checking Ajax’s Jurrien Timber and Villarreal’s Pau Torres as targets and ‘hot names’ on the agenda.

The Verdict: Correct move?

The Red Devils have struggled defensively this season and have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 games in all competitions.

Their woes at the back continued without captain Harry Maguire on Saturday in a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal, so a new centre-back seems to be a right call.

Ten Hag could then move on to a new central midfielder and centre-forward, especially with Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Edinson Cavani set to leave on free transfers.

In other news: Ten Hag holds meeting: Man Utd now want 26-goal attacker who gives defenders ‘sleepless nights’. 

Given Everton’s spotty run of form in the Premier League, winning just one of their 11 previous league games, the upcoming January transfer window could allow the Merseyside club to strengthen and freshen up their squad to put them in a good shape for the second half of the campaign.

However, it seems as though Everton have been mentioned with a potential move for a player that not only would be a very familiar face to a lot of fans in Merseyside but would also be a player that some fans would not want to see wearing their club’s shirt.

What’s the news?

According to Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Everton are in the frame, alongside fellow Premier League club Newcastle United, for a potential swoop for Barcelona and former Liverpool attacker Philippe Coutinho.

The report claims that the Brazilian is not wanted at Barcelona and that his agent is waiting on the likes of Everton and Newcastle to make a formal approach for Coutinho.

During his time with Liverpool, Coutinho managed to rack up 54 goals and 45 assists in 201 appearances across all competitions before making his mega-money move to Barcelona in a deal worth a reported overall total of £142m in 2018.

With 106 appearances under his belt with the La Liga side, Coutinho’s spell at Barcelona has been widely regarded as a disappointing one, which is presumably why the club are looking to get rid of him despite the huge amount of money they paid for him.

Last month, Coutinho, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £380k-per-week according to Salary Sport, answered some of the criticism thrown his way during his time at Barcelona after being called “lazy” by the Spanish media, which apparently surprised him.

It’s hard to see many Toffees fans being excited about potentially seeing the former Liverpool man, who has scored three goals and provided two assists in the nine games he’s played against Everton, join Rafa Benitez’s squad.

Given how Benitez previously criticised former Everton midfielder James Rodriguez for not wanting to work hard for the team and preferring “a comfortable life and money more than the competition,” it seems as though Coutinho could be the next version of the Colombian at Goodison Park given the doubts over his work rate in Spain.

Overall, it would be worth Farhad Moshiri not risking any further fury at Everton from the supporters by stepping away from a potential move for the Brazilian and looking elsewhere for potential reinforcements in January.

In other news: Everton to be offered £31.5m-rated beast who’s “similar to Xavi”, Rafa would love him…

With Newcastle United 19th in the Premier League and deep in a relegation dogfight, Eddie Howe will be desperate to acquire as many signings this window as possible with the backing of PIF.

One particular area of weakness for the Magpies is in midfield, which could do with some major reinforcements. Having recently been linked with a potential loan move for Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek, the Tyneside club should now swoop for the Dutchman.

What’s the latest?

According to the Manchester Evening News, Van de Beek has been offered to Newcastle as well as Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the season.

The 24-year-old is still struggling for game time at Old Trafford under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, having made just 14 appearances all season for the Red Devils. Since joining from Dutch giants Ajax in September 2020, Van de Beek has made just 50 appearances for United, despite glimpses of brilliance and potential runs in the team.

After a Champions League win over Istanbul Basaksehir last season, the midfielder received plenty of plaudits, with former United player Owen Hargreaves stating: “I thought Van de Beek was close to perfect. He is so unselfish, he can just fit in and play the right balls everywhere.”

However, as a result of his lack of club game time, the midfielder has also lost his place in the Netherlands setup. Van de Beek has failed to make the last three Oranje squads and, with the World Cup in November, he will be desperate for regular football to regain his place under Louis van Gaal.

Unfortunately for him, he doesn’t seem likely to get it at Manchester United, so a loan move may be the best solution. If he is to become available, then Eddie Howe must swoop for the 24-year-old’s signature.

Howe must swoop for Van de Beek

To say that Newcastle are currently in a predicament is an understatement. The Tyneside club are deep in a relegation battle and kicked off the New Year with a 1-0 home defeat to League One side Cambridge United in the FA Cup, despite fielding a relatively strong team.

The lack of quality midfield options will certainly be a cause for concern for Howe, but also makes it clear for the Englishman where he needs to add players this window.

The likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock have had underwhelming campaigns thus far, with the trio totalling a combined three goal involvements in 40 Premier League appearances. That sort of output from three midfield players needs to be improved.

Back when Van de Beek was playing regularly at Ajax, he recorded 14 or more goal involvements in three successive Eredivisie seasons, also netting five Champions League goals in that time. Those figures suggest that he would be a major upgrade on the likes of Shelvey, Longstaff and Willock.

Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, a loan move for the Dutch midfielder may be sensible for the short-term. However, should Newcastle survive in the top flight and the Red Devils keep failing to offer him regular game-time, then a permanent move to St James’ Park may prove possible.

AND in other news, Newcastle are also eyeing a move for this player who’s been dubbed the “new Vidic”

A big update has emerged regarding Rangers striker Cedric Itten and his involvement at Ibrox in the forthcoming months…

What’s the latest?

The Gers have announced their squad for the knockout stages of the Europa League and they have decided to leave the Switzerland international off the list.

He has been omitted from the squad to face Borussia Dortmund alongside the likes of Filip Helander, Jack Simpson and Ianis Hagi. They have made this call in order to bring January signings Aaron Ramsey, James Sands and Amad Diallo into the mix, although new right-back Mateusz Zukowski has missed out.

Buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this news, as it means that Itten will be unable to play against the Bundesliga giants later this month. The £12.5k-per-week centre-forward has been a disaster in the Premiership since Giovanni van Bronckhorst opted to recall him from his loan spell with Greuther Furth in Germany.

In two starts against Livingston and Ross County, the attacker left plenty to be desired from his performances. Across the two matches, he lost 10 of his 13 individual duels and had just 51 touches of the ball whilst failing to manage a single goal or assist.

This shows that he has been far from good enough since his return to Ibrox, which is why fans will be buzzing with the fact that he will not be in contention to play in the Europa League this month,

Incidentally, Itten started against Dortmund in a Bundesliga game earlier this season and was dismal. As per SofaScore, he lost three of his four individual battles (75%) and completed just five passes before being substituted at half-time, with his team going on to lose the match 3-0.

This display is in line with what he has been delivering at Rangers since his return and indicates a pattern which suggests he does not deserve to be starting for the club. He is too weak in his duels and does not contribute enough in the final third to make up for the other issues in his game, which is why it is the right decision to exclude him from the squad.

Van Bronckhorst will still be able to call upon him in the Premiership but the attacker will need to show a massive upturn in form to prove that he is worthy of regular game-time in the coming months. As it stands, his performances have been woeful and the supporters will surely be delighted with his omission for the Europa League.

AND in other news, Forget Barisic: Rangers nightmare who lost 70% duels must never start again for Van Bronckhorst…

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West Brom have reportedly named their price for Newcastle to sign Salomon Rondon permanently this summer, and the Magpies have a couple of tricks up their sleeve that will work in their favour.

What’s the story?

According to The Northern Echo, the Baggies have slapped a £16m price tag on Rondon, who has been on loan at Newcastle since last summer.

The powerful Venezuelan international swapped the Hawthorns for St. James’ Park in a deal that saw Dwight Gayle move the other way.

The deal has worked out well for both parties, with Gayle once again proving his worth in the Championship with 16 goals, while Rondon has been a huge hit on Tyneside with both the fans and the manager.

According to the report, the Baggies will look to sell Rondon and are hoping for a bidding war, but the success of both Gayle and Jacob Murphy on loan at the Midlands outfit might just give the Magpies the upper hand.

Is he worth it?

After an injury delayed his campaign somewhat, Rondon has now scored six league goals and added three assists this season, and he is also winning a whopping 4.7 aerial duels per game.

The 29 year-old is by no means the most technically gifted striker in the league, but he has certainly shown he is far more than just a target man.

In fact, you could even argue that the striker is Newcastle’s most important creator as well as goalscorer given how often he initiates attacks by holding up the ball and finding a positive pass, though that may change when Miguel Almiron gets up to speed.

Rafael Benitez is clearly very fond of the striker, and he should definitely pull the trigger if he gets the go-ahead from Mike Ashley.

Another swap deal?

Of course, getting the green light from Ashley is always the major sticking point on Tyneside, but the club does have two aces up their sleeve in Gayle and Murphy.

If West Brom do not get promoted, the pair’s Championship experience and current form should surely tempt them to negotiate a swap deal for Rondon, which would see the Venezuelan’s fee greatly reduced, if not erased completely.

£16m is a lot of money for a player who will turn 30 at the beginning of next season, but the club can play a blinder by using two players who simply aren’t up to the Premier League standard.

Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been no strangers to controversy over the last few months, from team selection to score lines, every detail of the ongoing drama at Old Trafford continues to be the hottest topic in Premier League football.

It seems Ole could be setting up for his next Man United disaster with speculation mounting on the future of young goalkeeper, Dean Henderson.

Henderson hasn’t been getting game time this season, with only one appearance for the Red Devils so far in the EFL Cup, which appears to be unsettling for the youngster who is keen to get first-team football under his belt.

The lack of minutes is quite obviously down to the spectacular return of form from David De Gea, who made his mark on the Manchester United team early in the season, seemingly re-establishing himself as the number one keeper in the side, despite conceding nine goals in three out of his four last games.

The young keeper has been branded ‘insane’ by former teammate, Sander Berge, with the Sheffield United midfielder saying; “He’s insane. I’ve never been with such a good goalkeeper. One thing in matches, he is almost a defence alone at times, and you feel so secure with him.”

With that in mind, surely he should be the stopper to take Man United through their next era?

Sadly, however, the £19.8m-rated gem has been reportedly linked with a move to newly taken over, Newcastle United.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United goalkeeper, Mark Bosnich, had his say about a potential move to the North East for the 24-year-old;

“I think he should go. He’s at the stage of his career where he needs to be playing regular football,” Bosnich told talkSPORT.

“But I think from Dean Henderson’s point of view, he needs to start looking after Dean Henderson.

“Newcastle are a club who are on the go and on the move but they are also in a perilous position right now.

“New manager. It’s important to get your spin right and the goalkeeper is the integral part of that. He should go and should go as soon as he possibly can.”

Norwegian manager, Solskjaer, is already on the ropes at Manchester United with pressure rising to find results after a terrible display so far this season, with just four wins from eleven in the Premier League so far.

Losing young players to other Premier League clubs could be one of the biggest mistakes Ole makes in his tenure, strengthening those around him and surrendering homegrown talent who the squad could be built around in the years to come.

Thus, if the manager is still in charge of the Manchester club come January, it will be important for him to identify the right direction for players desperate for first-team football, with the likes of Henderson, Jesse Lingard and Donny van de Beek all linked with moves away from the club in the winter transfer window.

At the moment, Solskjaer is staring down the barrel of another disaster and yet more unrest. On the weekend a protest against the Glazers took place, none of this is ideal.

In other news: Everton must make a move on Man United misfit in January…

Newcastle United would need a complete disaster to unfold in order to suffer relegation this season, as the appointment of Eddie Howe has turned their season around – with the Magpies currently sitting 15th in the Premier League table.

And, the club could now be set for a further boost over their remaining games.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe took to his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Leicester City to give an important update on both Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson.

Howe confirmed on Trippier: “Kieran, I think, is very slightly ahead of schedule. He’s beginning to run back on the grass with his boots on, so that’s a great sign for us.”

Adding a further promising update on Wilson: “Callum’s the same. He’s gradually building up to where he wants to be which is great to see.

“Personally, they’re OK because they’re both in a good place. They’re both improving in line with probably what we expected.”

Howe will be buzzingBoth players have made a great impact at St James’ Park during their time at the club, so Howe will be buzzing that they will be back in training and likely back on the pitch before the end of the season.Wilson has struggled with his fitness throughout his time in the North East, but has still bagged 18 goals and registered five assists in 43 appearances so far, with a goal contribution every 147 minutes played – an incredibly impressive feat considering he has spent 257 days on the injury table since joining in 2020.Trippier joined in January and was integral in the four Premier League outings he has made so far, with two goals from left-back in the 318 minutes he has played. Indeed, it was a huge disappointment when the influential 31-year-old broke his left metatarsal against Aston Villa back in February.Whilst it’s highly unlikely that the pair will be back imminently, their respective returns to the squad for training at Darsley Park and picking up some minutes in the last few games of the campaign would be a huge boost to see out the season.However, the Magpies will take on Leicester City without the duo on Sunday afternoon – with Howe certainly hoping that his team can pick up some form to further influence their move away from the relegation zone.Indeed, a win would put them on 37 points, something that could see the Magpies finish the weekend as high as 12th – if results go their way.AND in other news: Newcastle could finally axe shocking £55k-p/w liability with £40.5m-rated “tank”

An update has emerged on Rangers and their plans for centre-back Connor Goldson’s future…

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun journalist Derek McGregor, the Gers have decided that keeping the defender until the end of the season and losing him on a free would be more valuable than cash in on him this month.

The report claims that his importance to the squad could be crucial to their success this season, which could earn them £30m if they secure a Champions League spot.

English Championship sides West Brom and Nottingham Forest are both keen on landing him on a free transfer when his contract expires and could seal a pre-contract agreement before the end of the window.

It is also claimed that Hearts defender John Souttar has been earmarked as his successor for the 2022/23 season, as Rangers sealed a move to bring him to Ibrox in the summer earlier this month.

Elation

Gio van Bronckhorst will surely be left feeling elated by this news as it is a shrewd transfer ploy that could work out perfectly for the club. It appears as though Ross Wilson has put all the pieces in place to pull off a masterclass in the summer and the Dutchman will be buzzing by it.

The club were heading into a dangerous situation in January with Goldson out of contract at the end of the season as they may have been forced to cash in on the Englishman. This could have led to van Bronckhorst losing a key player midway through the current campaign, which could have then hampered their chances of winning the Premiership and caused them to miss out on the £30m payday.

Instead, they are set to keep hold of him as they have already managed to secure his replacement come July, with Souttar coming in to take his place.

The Hearts man will then have the entire summer to prepare to hit the ground running, rather than having a player come in and attempt to replace Goldson immediately this month.

In the Premiership this season, the current Gers enforcer has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.15. This shows that he has been consistently delivering quality performances and that is why the head coach will be elated by the prospect of him staying to help the team win the Premiership in the second half of the campaign.

AND in other news, Rangers could finally axe “really poor” lightweight by landing £2.8m-rated playmaker…

Rumoured Leeds United transfer target Nahitan Nandez could be allowed to leave Cagliari for a cut-price fee, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Leeds continually linked with Nandez

The Whites were tipped to sign a host of players during the summer, but one individual whose name cropped up more than most was Nandez.

The 49-cap Uruguay international was endlessly tipped to seal a move to Elland Road but ended up staying put at Serie A side Cagliari.

However, it now appears as though Leeds could potentially reignite their interest in Nandez following a key update on his future.

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The Latest: Whites given fresh boost

According to Calciomercato, the 25-year-old could now be sold for less than the €36m (£30.4m) that Cagliari want for his services, with a January exit mooted.

Nandez’s current deal expires in the summer of 2024, and despite being a key player and starting 11 league matches this season, it appears as though his club are open to the idea of him moving on.

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The Verdict: Ideal January signing

Nandez’s pedigree speaks for itself, considering that he has almost won 50 caps for a Uruguay side featuring the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, not to mention being hailed as a ‘great player’ by his agent Pablo Bentancur.

He could bring undoubted quality to Leeds’ midfield, not only dovetailing with Kalvin Phillips but also possibly acting as a long-term replacement for the in-demand England international.

Nandez has won 2.6 aerial duels per game in Serie A this season, compared to Phillips’ 0.7 in the Premier League, as well as outperforming him on assists (two compared to one) and key passes (1.1 compared to 0.7).

Considering how big a fan favourite the England ace is at Elland Road, that Nandez outranks him for several metrics hints at just how good a player Leeds could be getting if they can bring the Uruguayan to Yorkshire.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly eyeing up a move for an in-form attacking player. Find out who it is here.