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Manchester United have not come to an agreement with Aston Villa over a potential deal for the England defender Harry Maguire.

What’s the latest?

There have been some reports to emerge over the weekend suggesting the 29-year-old centre-back was on the verge of leaving Old Trafford for Villa Park.

This comes amid the defender’s predicament under Erik ten Hag which has seen his game time dramatically decrease over recent months following the Dutchman’s arrival.

A lack of first-team action has seen Maguire urged by some pundits to get out of Manchester to reignite his career, with some suggesting Tottenham Hotspur as a potential suitor.

However, speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has shut down any talk of Maguire being exit-bound at Old Trafford with his sources claiming a move to Villa is not currently on the cards:

“What I’m told in the last few minutes is that, at the moment, Manchester United have not agreed any deal with any club for Harry Maguire.

“Also on player’s side, they are denying any agreement. So let’s see how it will follow in the next days if something really happened, but at the moment, I don’t have any confirmation on this story. And also expectation is for Harry Maguire to stay and to be the captain of Manchester United.”

Here to stay

Perhaps the reports of Maguire’s potential move to Villa were ignited after a fan supposedly spotted (via Daily Mail) the central defender in a restaurant not too far away from Villa’s training complex.

Although Romano has suggested a move is not currently an option for Maguire, we feel this is something which the defender probably should be pushing for this month.

Before Ten hag’s arrival, the Englishman had been handed the captain’s armband at Old Trafford and was playing regular football for the Red Devils.

However, he now finds himself not starting and even struggling to earn some minutes in the third round of the FA Cup with just a seven-minute cameo against Everton on Friday night (via Transfermarkt).

And United are progressing well under Ten Hag. They find themselves in the next round of the FA Cup, fourth in the league and have a quarter-final tie to play in the Carabao Cup.

So with the established pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, it is difficult to see where Maguire will be able to pick up an opportunity unless there is an injury to either of these players.

But, unless Ten Hag was to bring in another defender, it is difficult to imagine the Dutchman would be open to allowing Maguire to move this month and potentially leaving his side short of depth at the back.

Although Maguire has not played much football for United this season, three of his seven appearances in the league have come from the bench – including two of their last three league outings (via Transfermarkt).

And he did show he could be a useful player for Ten Hag during the Qatar World Cup with some impressive displays despite a rocky spell leading up to the tournament at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur are sweating over the fitness of Rodrigo Bentancur ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal this afternoon.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via football.london), Antonio Conte revealed that the midfielder, who has missed Spurs’ last three league fixtures due to adductor problems, is touch-and-go for the visit of the Gunners, with the Italian suggesting that he does not want to rush the 25-year-old back and risk aggravating his injury.

Regarding the current condition of the Uruguay international, the 53-year-old said: “Now to accelerate the process to risk to recovery and to lose them for a long period again, is not good, is not positive. For this reason, we’ll see [if he can play against Arsenal]. We have another training session [on Saturday] to monitor the situation well about Rodrigo.”

Big blow for Tottenham

Considering just how important Bentancur has been in the heart of the Tottenham midfield so far this season, should the 25-year-old indeed be deemed not fit enough to feature in the north London derby this afternoon, it would undoubtedly come as a major blow to Conte and his side.

Indeed, over his 14 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, the £62m-rated talent has been in fantastic form going forwards, having already scored four goals and provided two assists, in addition to taking 0.9 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles – at a success rate of 54% – per game.

The £75k-per-week midfielder has also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and winning 5.1 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per fixture, as well as enjoying an average of 64.1 touches, playing 1.6 long balls and completing 42.1 total passes – at a success rate of 86% – per outing.

These returns have seen the 54-cap international average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Conte’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint 16th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole so far this season.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Bentancur’s continued absence for the visit of Tottenham’s fiercest rivals and current table-toppers would indeed be a massive blow to Spurs’ chances of picking up a positive result this afternoon. A loss would not only see Tottenham fall behind in the top four race, but may also allow Arsenal to take one step closer to potentially securing the title.

Tottenham Hotspur target Nicolo Zaniolo has given the green light to join Spurs this month, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs make offer for Zaniolo…

Spurs have renewed their interest in the 23-year-old this month and are joined by the likes of Borussia Dortmund and London rivals West Ham United.

Gianluca Di Marzio was first to break that news of the Lilywhites’ attempts to sign Zaniolo, with Fabio Paratici previously making a proposal to sign the player on loan with an obligation to buy.

It then emerged that Spurs’ bid was rejected as Roma are holding out for a permanent sale, with the attacker valued at around €40m (£35m).

The Latest: Zaniolo ‘says yes’ to Tottenham…

According to a report by SportMediaSet, sharing news on Friday, it is believed that the Italy international has said ‘yes’ to joining Spurs and has given his ‘OK’ to the transfer.

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The north Londoners and Roma remain locked in negotiations, with both sides ‘still talking to each other’ and will continue to do so over the next few days.

This comes as Zaniolo is ‘called out of the match against Spezia’, although there is still no agreement on the deal, fee or formula as things stand.

The Verdict: Right man?

The Sky Sports panel have called Zaniolo a ‘Conte sort of player’ and one who could potentially fill the creative void since Christian Eriksen’s departure in 2020. However, Zaniolo is also going through a dip in form, having scored just one Serie A goal this season.

Despite this, his numbers in recent years suggest that he could do a job for Antonio Conte at Spurs, with the challenge presented as getting the 23-year-old back to his best.

As per WhoScored, Zaniolo topped Roma’s charts last season for successful take-ons and fouls drawn per 90 in Serie A, whilst also ranking in their top three for attempted shots at goal.

Spurs have arguably been yearning for another creator to come in and finally succeed Eriksen, with the Roma attacker coming as a good option. As ever, though, the primary roadblock is in agreeing a deal which is suitable for all parties, and it remains a point of contention that the Lilywhites would be willing to shell out £35m.

Called a ‘prominent’ player by former Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko, Zaniolo possesses plenty of quality, but will Spurs deem his ability worthy of a suitable offer this month?

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Southampton are ‘tracking’ Lecce midfielder Morten Hjulmand this month. 

The Lowdown: Saints face Premier League competition

Journalist Rudy Galetti has reported that other Premier League sides are competing with Nathan Jones’ side for the Danish midfielder’s signature, the clubs in question are Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.

Hjulmand has played 18 Serie A matches for Lecce and has put in from the start on every occasion, he’s clearly someone that manager Marco Baroni trusts as he averages 85 minutes per game.

The 23-year-old tends to operate as a defensive midfielder so in this instance, we’ll compare him to the Saints’ Ibrahima Diallo who naturally plays in that role.

Diallo averages a tackle and 0.4 interceptions per Premier League game, Hjulmand trumps the Frenchman pretty impressively with 2.6 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per league game.

The Latest: Saints tracking Hjulmand

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano claims that the Saints asking Lecce for more information on the player who has been a surprise star in Serie A this season.

He stated, “[He is] probably one of the surprises we have here in Serie A this season. They’re following him, they’re tracking him and they’re asking for information to Lecce about the price tag of Hjulmand.”

The Verdict: Hjulmand could be one to watch

We believe that the 23-year-old could be a player to keep an eye on, as he boasts some impressive stats from the last calendar year.

When compared to other midfielders he ranks in the top 11% for assists, he also has strong defensive capabilities featuring in the top 3% for tackles and the top 6% for inceptions made across Europe’s top leagues and competitions (FBref). The fact that he ranks highly for tackles certainly fits into the Leeds mould as they’ve made the most tackles of any team in the Premier League this season. As well as this, the Whites’ most influential player in terms of assists has been Jack Harrison who sits on four, so getting another creative player into the side can only help things.

Also the midfielder captains the Serie A side, clearly the club and the players must see him as an influential player on and off the pitch to give him such a duty.

So it’s no wonder there are a number of suitors after the Lecce man as well as Jones’ side from the south coast.

Glasgow Rangers are close to completing the signing of Nicolas Raskin, according to reports on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Rangers’ pursuit of Raskin

The Ibrox giants have been linked with a move for the 21-year-old since last summer, with the Premiership club said to be locked in talks with Standard Liege at the end of August. However, no agreement was reached, as the Light Blues wanted the Belgian club to lower their expectations about the size of the bid.

In recent days, it has emerged that Rangers are ‘serious’ about signing the midfielder ‘in the next few days’, and the deal is now believed to be edging towards completion.

The Latest: Deal close…

According to a report from Glasgow Live, Rangers boss Michael Beale is close to bringing in the 21-year-old, who could be available on a cut-price deal, given that his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Light Blues’ manager has been keen to bolster his midfield options this month, with the report also claiming that Todd Cantwell is set to be unveiled as a Rangers player next week after a deal was agreed with Norwich.

The Verdict: Make it happen

Journalist Bob Faesen has hailed Raskin as ‘technically gifted’, while he also praised the 21-year-old’s versatility, stating that he is able to ‘play in every position in the middle of the park’.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Belgian has not featured further forward than central midfield, playing in a more defensive role on five occasions. He has still managed to display his playmaking talents, though, weighing in with four assists in the Jupiler Pro League.

With Steven Davis on the treatment table for the remainder of the season, Rangers could do with another option in the midfield engine room. Raskin would be a viable long-term replacement for the Northern Ireland veteran, capable of offering attacking contributions but also able to chip in defensively when necessary.

He has notably averaged 3.3 tackles per game this season, which far outstrips the averages of every Rangers player in that regard, so Beale needs to try and make this deal happen before the transfer window closes in nine days’ time.

Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said ‘yes’ to a Nottingham Forest after they ‘accelerated’ talks, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Forest links…

The Costa Rica legend hasn’t started a league game all season for PSG as links surround his possible January exit, and Forest have been credited with real interest.

There have been reports of the Premier League side pushing to sign Navas this window as they search for an alternative to Dean Henderson, who is currently sidelined.

Now, French sources have shared a potentially promising update on their pursuit.

The Latest: Navas says ‘yes’ to Forest…

le10sport now claim Navas has said ‘yes’ to joining Steve Cooper’s side after Forest ‘accelerated discussions’ with both PSG and the player’s representatives recently.

The 36-year-old has apparently ‘chosen’ Forest ahead of other competitors from across Europe and in the Middle East.

Of course, this hands the club a real advantage, but it is believed a financial agreement still has to be reached with PSG.

The Verdict: Right man?

Even as a back-up/alternative to Henderson when he returns, Navas comes as an option with proven pedigree at both club and international level.

The veteran has over a century of caps for his country and has featured at three World Cups, playing every game for Costa Rica at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Navas would bring highly valued experience to the Forest dressing room and the former Real Madrid star has been heralded for his exploits in-between the sticks.

He was once a regular for both his current club and Real Madrid with ex-PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino calling him a ‘great goalkeeper’.

It’s unclear how much PSG would demand for their second choice, but if reasonable, Cooper could land a very shrewd acquisition in Navas before January 31.

West Ham manager David Moyes has praised defender Nayef Aguerd for one key reason as he makes an intriguing transfer claim on the Morocco international.

The Lowdown: Aguerd absence…

The centre-back, signed from Rennes in a £30 million deal last summer, has been absent from West Ham’s season for the vast majority of 2021/2022.

In total, Aguerd has missed around 15 Premier League games through injury since putting pen to paper on a transfer to east London – much to the frustration of Moyes and supporters.

The African, however, is now becoming a West Ham mainstay – starting their last three league matches and putting in a brilliant FA Cup display against Derby County.

The Latest: Moyes praises Aguerd…

Speaking after the win over Derby, Moyes heaped praise on Aguerd and drew particular attention to his ‘stylish’ play, also revealing that the Irons had been chasing the player for ages.

The Scotsman explained (via The Evening Standard):

“We really wanted to buy him two years ago.

“He’s a really good player, really good on the ball, stylish. He’s got some really good attributes and I think he will big a plus to us.”

The Verdict: Right to be impressed…

The 26-year-old, despite suffering reoccurring injuries at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar also, managed to contribute to their semi-final run in parts.

As per WhoScored, Aguerd averaged their joint-second highest rate of clearances per 90 at the tournament whilst also making Morocco’s third-most blocks per match as well.

This was perhaps a glimpse into the player’s defensive qualities with Aguerd now seriously coming into his own at West Ham.

Moyes also had praise for the ex-Ligue 1 star after his performance against Everton in a crunch relegation encounter, branding Aguerd’s display as his ‘best’ for West Ham to date.

If the central defensive ace continues in this form injury free, Irons supporters could be about to see a key player emerge.

According to journalist Matt Law of The Telegraph, Chelsea have ‘hired’ a prestigious name to Graham Potter’s backroom in mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka.

The Lowdown: Blues stuttering…

The Premier League giants, buoyed by mega investment since owner Todd Boehly took over the club last year, are attempting to usher in a golden new era.

Graham Potter’s side, however, are having to be patient in their attempts to climb up the league table and compete for domestic honours once again.

Chelsea currently sit ninth in the table with just one league win in their last five – a run which includes two stalemates and even a defeat to west London rivals Fulham.

The Latest: Chelsea make Enoka backroom hire…

In their attempts to go on a winning run and finish in this season strongly, The Telegraph’s Law says Chelsea and owner Boehly by extension have turned to mental skills coach Enoka in a bid to resurrect their dressing room.

The new backroom hire spent six years as a mental skills coach with the New Zealand cricket team but it’s with the All Blacks in Rugby where he made the biggest name for himself.

Enoka is a prestigious name in the world of Rugby Union and is seen as having ‘highly significant influence’ on New Zealand’s recent success.

Among his key responsibilities is helping athletes to deal with suffocating expectation.

The Verdict: Great move…

The off-field appointment is a unique one and could prove to make a difference in the second half of this Premier League season.

Psychology is an ever-important aspect of professional sports in the age of social media and choking criticism from the outside world.

Chelsea players, especially after 12 months of the club’s lavish spending, will feel a real degree of pressure to justify their price tags and guide Potter’s side back to the top.

Figures like Enoka could be pivotal in the dressing room for their expertise and know-how in coping with what can be insurmountable pressure.

It will be interesting to see if Chelsea benefit from Enoka’s presence and spark a consistent winning run.

Leeds United’s poor result at the weekend finally signalled the end for Jesse Marsch, who saw his time at Elland Road cut short just under a year into the job.

The American had struggled to truly find any consistency with the Whites, and despite avoiding the drop last season had failed to progress even with significant investment over the summer and January transfer windows.

His position became untenable as they slipped down to level on points with Everton, who sit in the relegation zone.

With a vacancy now in their dugout, Andrea Radrizzani has a mammoth task of ensuring that his next appointment is a perfect blend of young and progressive enough for a long-term project, but experienced enough to steer them to safety.

The rumours linking them with Steven Gerrard go against many of those principles, given how he had failed so miserably for Aston Villa only recently.

It could even be argued that the 42-year-old would represent a downgrade on Marsch, given his performance for the Midlands outfit and his lack of time in the managerial game.

Having taken over at Villa Park just a few months before the American did at Elland Road, they both were handed significant funds to kickstart their revolutions.

Given their similar timeframes within the job and the money spent, they bear plenty of striking similarities that should be enough to warn Radrizzani away from a potential repeat.

Across his 40 games in charge, Gerrard could only muster 13 wins at a points-per-game average of 1.18. Whilst this might be a minuscule improvement on Marsch’s 1.16 during his 37 games, the gulf in quality between the teams should be enough to stand against the former Liverpool midfielder.

He inherited a side that sat just 16th after 11 games of the season and moved them up to 14th by its conclusion.

Meanwhile, his potential predecessor was handed a defensively-absent outfit that had crumbled under Marcelo Bielsa, weighed down by numerous injuries and a staunch belief in a philosophy that was not working.

Whilst he may have ultimately failed, Marsch did do well initially to get them somewhat back on track to avoid the drop last year.

Gerrard simply failed to progress a stable club despite being handed all the tools necessary. Villa’s recent form under Unai Emery stands as further proof of how quick and easy it was to turn the club around.

Having been lambasted for looking “clueless” in the job and creating a team in that image by broadcaster Rupert Bell, this decision could truly be one that relegates Leeds.

The ex-Rangers boss is hardly an improvement on Marsch, whose side had not won in the league since early November, with his credentials hardly filling the aforementioned criteria.

He may be young but lacked a philosophy to propel Aston Villa forward, and does not boast the experience to offer any assurances about Premier League safety. This would be a ludicrous appointment and a backwards step for the club.

Dan Cook has shared his concerns as Crystal Palace look set to be without Wilfried Zaha ahead of their derby clash at Selhurst Park this weekend.

The Lowdown: Crucial game on the weekend

After a horrid run of form that’s seen Crystal Palace win just once in their last 10 games across all competitions, one of the last teams they will have wanted to face is their in-form bitter rivals, Brighton & Hove Albion.

Palace will welcome the Seagulls to SE25 without their star talisman Zaha, who has been ruled out for several weeks due to a muscular injury that he picked up a few games ago against Newcastle United.

Some may have hoped that given the added importance of the game against Brighton, Zaha could have pushed his body to the limit and made himself available for the game this weekend.

The Latest: Zaha to miss the Brighton clash

Speaking on the HLTCO podcast, Cook believes that the standout ‘headline’ ahead of this weekend’s match is the absence of Zaha, which, although expected, is still a damning blow.

He said: “The main headline, of course, is that Wilfried Zaha won’t be available to us. He has been struggling with a thigh issue. I think he is due back towards the end of February.

“And even though he is an incredibly quick healer and has been throughout his career so far, it will be too early to expect Wilfried Zaha back in that first-team picture for the game against Brighton.

“That in itself is obviously a major blow given how much he cares about the rivalry and his own personal perspective when we do take on Brighton & Hove Albion given the history with the play-offs and everything else.”

The Verdict: Palace must learn to live without Zaha

Palace and Brighton couldn’t be experiencing more contrasting periods, as Palace could well be dragged into a relegation battle very soon and drop down into the Championship for the first time since 2013, while Brighton are on the cusp of qualifying for Europe.

However, when it’s a derby game, the form book tends to go out of the window, and given how raucous the Palace faithful can be at Selhurst Park, it won’t be a pleasant atmosphere for the visitors.

While Patrick Vieira would have loved to have Zaha fit and firing for this weekend, it has been reported that he likely won’t sign a new contract before the end of the season and therefore become a free agent, so Palace must get used to winning and playing without the Ivorian winger on Saturday afternoon is a great opportunity to show a positive glimpse of what life without him in the side will be like.