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A second-place finish last season was the closest Arsenal had come to achieving Premier League glory in almost two decades, having been top of the division for 248 days before losing the lead to treble-winners Manchester City.

A back injury to star defender William Saliba in February was arguably the primary catalyst behind the Gunners' demise – as hinted at by teammate, Gabriel Jesus – but head coach Mikel Arteta is keen to add depth to his defensive department to ensure the same doesn't happen this time around.

The Spaniard has identified one player in particular who could have a massive impact at the Emirates Stadium for years to come.

Arsenal transfer targets – Yarek Gasiorowski

According to Spanish outlet Diario AS, the north London club are keen to secure the services of Valencia defender Yarek Gasiorowski and have been keeping tabs on his progress for a number of years with Los Ches. The report also states that Arsenal couldn't make a move for the youngster until his 18th birthday due to Brexit regulations, prohibiting English clubs from signing foreign players aged 17 and under.

Gasiorowski, who is eligible to play for both the Spain and Poland national teams, made his debut for Valencia this season in a 1-1 draw with Mallorca back in October and has gone on to feature three times in La Liga, including a 35-minute cameo against European giants Real Madrid.

The player was pursued by Austrian champions RB Salzburg during the summer, with Valencia even turning down a £4.3m offer for the player who was described as a "rare" talent by journalist Antonio Mango, after scoring a hattrick as a central defender on Wednesday for Spain's U19s in a 5-0 win over Moldova.

Yarek Gasiorowski's stats this season

Gasiorowski is a versatile youngster, having played as a left centre-back, a left-back and a right centre-back this season for Valencia in all competitions. Despite being left-footed, the 18-year-old has also featured twice at right-back since the beginning of the 2022/23 season and possesses a wonderful passing range, capable of breaking lines of opposition pressing with ease.

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes is a lot less versatile than this, having played solely in the heart of defence under Arteta this term. The Brazilian has had experience at left-back and even in midfield as a single-pivot but has been utilised in these positions just once throughout his entire playing career, according to Transfermarkt.

Gabriel is a solid defender but has certain defensive weaknesses which could force Arteta to look for a stronger candidate to partner with Saliba at the back in the near future. The Brazilian is in the top 4% for challenges lost per 90 this season compared to all centre-backs in Europe's top-five leagues. Furthermore, the former Lille man is in the top 19% for errors per 90 and has won merely 58.4% of his aerial duels per 90, according to FBref. Gasiorowski, on the other hand, has yet to lose a single header since being called up to the first team.

Arteta notoriously enjoys players who are versatile. Thomas Partey has played as both a defensive midfielder and at right-back, Oleksandr Zinchenko can play at left-back and in the middle of the park, while Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu can feature all across the backline. Gasiorowksi is far more flexible with his positioning than Gabriel and could be the perfect player for the Spanish coach's fluid style.

As such, the young left-footer could usurp the Gunners man in the years to come to form a long-term partnership with Saliba in the heart of the backline, with that potentially set to be a truly mouthwatering duo, indeed.

Aston Villa's rise to prominence in recent seasons has been astonishing, from hanging onto their Premier League status on the final day in 2020 to finishing seventh by the end of the 2022/23 campaign and earning a spot in this season's Europa Conference League group stage.

However, player recruitment has arguably been the most impressive component of Villa's success. It took a couple of years to get right but Villa are now seeing their intelligent acquisitions in the transfer market bearing fruit.

The likes of Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara were signed for relatively cheap and have become mainstays in the first-team.

Nevertheless, the club have also invested in talent for the future and one player in particular is knocking on Unai Emery's door looking for a regular first-team spot.

How much Aston Villa signed Jhon Duran for

The Midlands club managed to win the race for Chicago Fire starlet Jhon Duran last January after the teenage sensation found the net eight times in 27 MLS appearances. Additionally, Duran had registered 14 goal contributions in 28 games in all competitions with the Fire, which is quite an impressive feat for such a young player, and even earned himself three caps for Colombia.

Duran had been tipped for stardom for a number of years before the striker made his way to Villa Park, having been named on The Guardian's list of the top 60 best youngsters in the world in 2020 during his time with Envigado back home.

English giants Liverpool were even linked with Duran at one point but it was Emery's emerging army that won the race in the end, completing his move to Aston Villa for a fee worth up to £17.5m.

The youngster featured just 12 times in his debut half-season in English football and failed to bag a single goal. However, the Colombian still earned himself huge plaudits from the likes of TV pundit Clinton Morrison, who admitted that Duran looks "outstanding".

Jhon Duran's stats this season

Already this season, Duran has outperformed his tally from the previous term. The 19-year-old has converted four times in 11 appearances under Emery this season, including twice in the Premier League, although Duran has yet to start a single game for Villa in the top flight in the current campaign. All six of his appearances in the league have been as a substitute.

Recently, Duran came off the bench during a home game against Crystal Palace with the game locked at 1-0 to the visitors. The starlet scored a sensational half-volley which sparked a 3-1 comeback for the hosts.

The rest of his goals have come in the Europa League, but it's now time for Emery to start trusting the expensive, young attacker to start games in the league and the Spanish coach could push Duran up the pecking order surprisingly above summer signing Moussa Diaby.

Emery has often opted to deploy a 4-4-2 this season, with Diaby or Leon Bailey being utilised in a front two alongside Ollie Watkins. However, despite Diaby receiving three times more minutes than Duran this season, the latter has scored more goals and has statistically performed better for Villa when it comes to overall threat inside the penalty box.

Goals

1.2

0.24

Expected Goals

0.66

0.25

Assists

0

0.24

Expected Assists

0

0.20

Shots

4.8

2.28

Shots On Target

2

1.1

Key Passes

1

2.05

Touches In Penalty Area

6.5

5.73

Carries In The Final 1/3

1.5

1.2

Stats via FBref.

Duran is more of a goalscorer as opposed to a creator but has been much deadlier in the final third than Diaby this season despite the Frenchman being signed during the summer for £51.9m. Starting Duran would also ease the burden off Watkins to score Villa's goals and could make the Midlands even more potent up top than they already are.

Arsenal have reportedly made an approach to sign a club's striker likened to Gabriel Jesus, during talks for another one of their "monster" players.

Arteta's transfer plans for 2024

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu are apparently planning to shore up two main areas of the squad next year – centre-midfield and the striker area.

Thomas Partey's injury woes this season, coupled with rumours the Ghanaian could even leave in January, have apparently motivated Arsenal to look at alternative options for 2024.

Aston Villa star Dougla Luiz is attracting interest from Arteta yet again, while Brazilian midfielder Andre is also admired by Arsenal in their search for more midfield options.

"The Partey situation, in terms of having to replace him, has been in the background at Arsenal for a year now," said reporter Dean Jones to GiveMeSport recently.

"So the club definitely have targets identified at varying levels of cost that they can turn to. Andre is an interesting one here because there definitely has been attention dedicated to his situation and if he is going to make a move, it makes sense that it will be in January because of the way the calendar works in Brazilian football.

"There is the obvious link of Edu that connects Arsenal and the Brazilian, so that could prove helpful and he certainly seems more attainable than the likes of Martin Zubimendi and Douglas Luiz in the January window."

Amid Arsenal's hunt for a new midfield man, reports also suggest a new striker joining is very possible in 2024.

Brentford star Ivan Toney is repeatedly linked with a move to north London as one example, coming as Arteta has just Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to turn to as natural options right now.

Summer signing Kai Havertz was brought in as a makeshift option, but the German has come under criticism at times for not exactly firing on all cylinders.

Arsenal make approach for Matheus Reis

The north Londoners, according to a report by Calciomercato.it, are broadening their search for a new target man to outside of Europe. Indeed, it is believed Arsenal have made an approach for Matheus Reis of Fluminese, during talks over signing Andre.

The young forward, who Calciomercato.it likened to Jesus and Marcos Leonardo, has a £44 million release clause in his contract with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City all asking for information on Reis.

The £44m figure in his exit clause is one that doesn't scare the quartet of English sides, according to this report, with the suggestion being they're all willing to pay this fee. Either way, Arsenal have been urged to sign a striker, with former defender Mikael Silvestre saying it would provide a much-needed balance. The ex-Gunner told GGRecon (via The Express):

"Right now you have Eddie Nketiah at the club alongside Gabriel Jesus, but signing a third striker could present them with a luxury that could be useful at this level, especially when you consider the amount of games that Arsenal could potentially play this season."

One Tottenham star is now hoping to make his injury comeback in December, which could ease another imminent blow for manager Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs absentee list growing

Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, in what was a hammer setback for the Uruguayan, sustained ankle ligament damage in Spurs' 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend. Bentancur is now expected to be sidelined till February, just weeks after he returned to the field from a lengthy nine-month lay-off.

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The 26-year-old joins a long list of currently unavailable Spurs players, including the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Ivan Perisic, Manor Solomon, Ryan Sessegnon and Richarlison.

Spurs are also facing the imminent absences of Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Son Heung-min – who are all away on international duties at the very start of January.

They travel to represent their nations at AFCON and the Asia Cup respectively, a scenario which seems nightmarish for Postecoglou given the Spurs manager's real lack of options.

Tottenham have a tough festival schedule to contend with in the mean time, with league champions Man City, rivals West Ham and high-flying Newcastle awaiting them soon.

Richarlison hoping for December comeback

According to The Evening Standard and journalist Dan Kilpatrick, though, one injured Spurs star in Richarlison is hoping to ease the pressure on Postecoglou with a December return.

Indeed, Richarlison is aiming for an injury comeback before 2024 after undergoing surgery on his pubic bone, which would "ease the blow" of Son going away mid-season. The Brazilian, who's racked up a goal and three assists in 10 Premier League appearances this season, hasn't featured since Spurs' 2-1 win away to Palace in October.

He was on the bench for their first defeat of the season against Chelsea at the start of this month, but has since been sidelined following his treatment. While Richarlison has suffered his fair share of criticism since joining Spurs from Everton in 2022, the forward provides a different option for Tottenham.

Able to play both as a central striker and on the wings, having him back for what is a tough Christmas schedule will be a breath of fresh air for the Lilywhites with so many out right now.

Gets fouled often

Likes to cut inside

Indirect set-piece threat

Likes to tackle

Speaking after Richarlison's heroics during a 2-1 win over Sheffield United earlier this season, Postecoglou praised the "fantastic footballer".

“We’ve got to maintain a balance in life and even for him," said Postecoglou, via TEAMtalk. "He needs to understand his football is still good, he’s a fantastic footballer, he’s got so much to give and that can help ease the burden he’s feeling in other parts of his life, like so many of us.

“I’m really pleased for him – I thought he did really well. We were obviously chasing a goal and getting some balls in the box and he’s always a threat in the air.”

It has been an interesting season for Arsenal so far this year as despite looking far from their best for large parts of it, they are currently just a single point behind Liverpool in first place, and were it not for a challenging game away to Aston Villa over the weekend, they would be top of the Premier League – as they were for most of last year.

Mikel Arteta's men have been far more mature in their approach to games, and where their success was built upon frenetic attacks designed to overwhelm opponents last year, they boast the joint-best defence in the league this season.

The team's attacking threat, while not bad, has been somewhat stunted this campaign, and what has made this problem even more pronounced is the lack of a clinical finisher in the side.

Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus have notched up goals in the league, but neither one is prolific, so news that the club are interested in the far more lethal Viktor Gyokeres should excite fans.

Arsenal transfer news – Viktor Gyokeres

According to reports from Portugal (via Sports Witness), Arsenal are one of several top European clubs interested in Sporting Lisbon's new star striker, Viktor Gyokeres, and the Gunners have been scouting the player 'extensively' in recent months.

However, should the north Londoners wish to sign the Swedish striker, they will have to pay his release clause, at least that is what manager Ruben Amorim has said: “I can’t guarantee anything, what I can say is what they tell me and that is any player only leaves through the clause.”

The former Coventry City star joined the Portuguese giants in the summer for a fee in the region of £20m, and his current release clause is said to be €100m, or about £86m, which would represent the second most expensive purchase in Arsenal's history were they to press on.

A move such as this would be a massive sign of intent from the ownership. Still, with the "unplayable" goalscorer, as described by former teammate Maxime Biamou, already netting 11 times in 16 Sporting starts this season, it might well be worth it.

Why Viktor Gyokeres could fire Arsenal to the title

Now, the arrival of an £86m striker would certainly ring alarm bells in the minds of Arsenal's current crop of forwards, but realistically, Jesus has already proven his worth as more than just an out-and-out goalscorer for the Gunners, and so, if a player was going to lose out due to Gyokeres, it's going to be Nketiah.

The former Chelsea youth product has been a useful player for Arteta in recent years and cemented himself as the club's backup striker towards the end of the 2021/22 season.

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However, towards the backend of last season and the first third of this campaign, it has become increasingly apparent that he isn't a good enough finisher to help the Gunners end their two-decade title drought.

When comparing their respective numbers for this season, it becomes evident that Gyokeres would be a significant upgrade on the Gunners' current number 14.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.46

0.42

Progressive Carries

3.61

1.63

Progressive Passes

2.02

1.20

Shots on Target

1.17

0.87

Shot-Creating Actions

3.77

2.61

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.65

Successful Take-Ons

2.44

0.87

The "Premier League ready" forward, as described by Adrian Clarke on talkSPORT, comes out on top in almost every critical attacking metric and produces far superior numbers in areas such as successful take-ons and progressive carries, which could prove vital in helping Arteta's side breakdown frustrating low blocks.

Ultimately, the "one of a kind" striker, as described by his former manager Mark Robins, would make Arsenal a far more potent attacking threat and could genuinely be the difference between a first and second-place finish come May.

Arsenal believe that an Olympic gold medallist would be the ideal signing for manager Mikel Arteta, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Edu making 2024 transfer plans at Arsenal

Both sporting director Edu and Arteta, who famously work in tandem to identify transfer targets, are now in full preparation for the looming January transfer window.

"Keep an eye" – Reporter teases Arsenal move for Aguero-esque £20m striker

He’s been likened to Man City’s all-time top goalscorer.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 21, 2023

Arsenal are in good stead when it comes to their Premier League form, sitting top of the table with 12 wins from their opening 17 league games, but injuries to key players are always a lingering concern.

Arteta has just Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus to choose from as his natural striking options right now, while midfielder Thomas Partey has proved unreliable when it comes to his fitness this term.

As per a recent report from The Independent, Arsenal are looking to sign a new midfielder and striker in January, as they attempt to solve a few of these glaring issues.

Ivan Toney

20/12/2023

Boulaye Dia

16/12/2023

Dusan Vlahovic

30/11/2023

Marcos Leonardo

24/11/2023

Santiago Gimenez

28/10/2023

The Gunners are reported favourites to sign Brentford star Ivan Toney as one option, with the Englishman looking like he'll be front and centre to one of January's most gripping transfer sagas.

Meanwhile, in terms of the midfield, one player who's been very regularly mentioned is Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian has starred under Unai Emery at Villa Park this season, making 16 appearances while scoring five goals and assisting two others. Luiz, according to WhoScored, is one of Villa's best-performing players per 90, with Arsenal taking real note of his exploits.

Recent reports have suggested that Arsenal are set to push for the former Man City ace in 2024, with Edu in particular being a big fan.

Fabrizio Romano shares "information" on Luiz

In his latest Daily Briefing column with CaughtOffside, reliable journalist Romano has added some more detail on the club's interest.

It is claimed that Arsenal are huge admirers of Luiz overall and believe he's simply "perfect" for Arteta, but a move may be very difficult to pull off in January as Villa are not exactly keen to do a deal.

“Fans have been mentioning latest reports on Douglas Luiz and talks over a move to the Emirates Stadium, but my information remains the same," said Romano.

"Arsenal like Douglas, he’s considered the perfect player for their ideas in midfield, but Aston Villa have no plans to sell. No changes so far, despite rumours.”

Luiz, who won an Olympic gold medal with Brazil in 2020, has been a real gamechanger for Emery and it was always a tall order to prise him away during a crucial season for Villa.

There is little doubting he'd reinforce Arteta's midfield to no end, but the Spaniard may have to wait till later in 2024 to strike a move.

The January transfer window has now opened and Tottenham Hotspur are eager to bolster the ranks with several signings that can make a real difference during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

While Spurs finished eighth in the Premier League last season and lost club-record scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in August, Ange Postecoglou has been a revelation in the dugout since joining in the summer and is fighting for success.

The Australian manager has revealed that his side's defence – currently without star figures Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero due to injury – will receive priority, but the club are expected to conduct business across multiple positions.

Currently fifth in the table and just one point away from fourth-placed Arsenal, a positive transfer window could make all the difference going forward, with Spurs performing admirably this term despite numerous injuries and suspensions that have threatened to derail the progress.

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Once the backline has been shored up, focus must turn further up the pitch, with recent reports suggesting that a move for Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White is being lined up.

Spurs transfer targets – Morgan Gibbs-White

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs sent scouts to observe Gibbs-White in action at the City Ground against Manchester United last week, and after such a talismanic effort as the Tricky Trees won, it's hard to imagine the London club would now be dissuaded in their interest.

But with Spurs eager to improve and close the gap on those at the forefront of the English top-flight with permanence, it's one to keep an eye on, with the 23-year-old one of Forest's most impressive players since the start of last season.

Forest signed Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022 in a deal that could rise to £42.5m, so to snatch him from Nuno Espirito Santo's side, a mammoth fee may well be required.

Morgan Gibbs-White's Nottingham Forest career in numbers

Hailed for his "magic tricks" by Nottingham Forest correspondent Jamie Martin, Gibbs-White was crucial in his side's fight for survival last season, scoring five goals and supplying eight assists across 34 starts in the Premier League for Steve Cooper's side.

Creating 1.9 key passes per game, as per Sofascore, Gibbs-White established himself as one of his team's main creative outlets and in what proved to be the perfect move for him after spending years as a prospect at Wolves, showing flashes of quality but failing to cement a prominent role in the Molineux side.

Crossing

Short passing

Key passes

Direct set-pieces

Dribbling

*Sourced via WhoScored

This season, the 18-cap former England U21 international might have only posted two goals and three assists across 20 outings, but he has been far more influential and refined across the different facets of his midfield game, averaging 1.8 key passes, 1.3 tackles and 4.3 ball recoveries per game while winning 52% of his ground duels.

Known to be a risk taker for Forest, always looking to prise open the opposition defence with defence-splitting passes and darting runs to drag defenders out wide, the £80k-per-week ace could be the dynamic midfielder Postecoglou needs to improve his midfield at Tottenham, but such an acquisition could harm Giovani Lo Celso, who has played himself into some fine form recently.

Giovani Lo Celso's season in numbers

Lo Celso signed for Tottenham from Spanish side Real Betis for £55m back in 2019, and while the Argentinian maestro has long been admired for his ball-playing skills, he failed to impress and was even branded a "flop" by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke before spending a season-and-a-half on loan with Villarreal.

Joining back up with the Lilywhites last summer, Lo Celso has made an impression across the past few months, called upon after star playmaker James Maddison picked up an injury and remains on the sidelines to date.

Scoring in successive matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City and recently supplying two assists during Spurs' big victory over Bournemouth, the 27-year-old has been a valuable tool but has only started four times all term, suggesting that Postecoglou is disinclined to hand him a starring role.

Passing

Crossing

Defensive contribution

Dribbling

Ball retention

*Sourced via WhoScored

In fairness, he has completed 91% of his passes in the Premier League, averaging 1.1 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 3.7 recoveries each outing, but whether he will truly live up to the price tag is dubious.

Why Spurs should sign Morgan Gibbs-White

Gibbs-White is versatile and can play well across a range of roles, though his favoured position is No. 10 where he can pull the strings from the centre; the main thing is that his creativity does not fade wherever he is placed.

Highlighting his best attributes, journalist Antonio Mango said in 2023: "Absolute menace inside the final third, extremely forward thinking with the ability to strike fear into opponents with his aggressive and arrogant style."

Spurs boss Postecoglou's decision to send scouts out to observe the player in action obviously confirms the interest, and the audition against Manchester United really must have done him some favours, should he desire a transfer to Tottenham in the future.

Handed an 8.5/10 match rating by Nottinghamshire Live, Gibbs-White now needs to sustain his performances under his old boss for the remainder of the campaign, and in doing so, will edge high-placed suitors closer to further advances for his signature.

Gibbs-White also ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for aerial wins per 90, further showcasing his tenacity and willingness to get stuck in and win battles against opponents.

Lo Celso, in comparison, ranks among the bottom 4% for the same metric, and while this is not a big part of his game, both players are 5 foot 9 and perhaps this hints at the Forest man's superiority in desire and determination.

Lo Celso's improved form under Postecoglou's wing this season has been impressive, there's no doubt about that, but when Maddison returns he might find himself restricted to a peripheral role once again.

While some might assume the same could be said for Gibbs-White, the Nottingham Forest star is more dynamic and combative and could slot right into the system, playing across different roles and leading with expansive performances from the centre.

Altogether, he would be an upgrade, and with age on his side in this particular comparison too, Postecoglou could mould him to his own creation over the coming years.

Leeds United lost valuable depth in the full-back position when they decided to send Djed Spence back to his parent club earlier this month.

The versatile defender had been deployed as a left-back and a right-back in the Championship for the Whites this season and has now returned to Tottenham Hotspur.

This has left Daniel Farke without an abundance of options in the number two and three positions heading into the second half of the campaign.

Journalist Graeme Bailey recently said that he has heard Burnley full-back Charlie Taylor's name mentioned in connection to a possible move back to Leeds this month and stated that he thinks a left-back will arrive at Elland Road.

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It was reported by Foot Mercato in November that Real Betis were interested in a deal for Junior Firpo, who they claimed wanted a move away from Yorkshire.

Farke could now ruthlessly ditch the Spanish defender, if that interest is still there, by securing a deal for Taylor to replace him before the end of the window. Whilst it would not solve the depth issue, it could improve the squad.

Firpo's last 18 months in numbers

The former Barcelona left-back has only made six appearances in the Championship so far this season and has been named in the starting XI once.

He has averaged 1.8 tackles and interceptions combined and 1.2 clearances per game for the Whites, to go along with a duel success rate of 55%.

Last season, Firpo made 19 appearances and started 14 of those games in the Premier League as Leeds were relegated from the top-flight.

The 27-year-old dud was dribbled past 1.2 times per game and only won 50% of his duels as opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him week-in-week-out.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Taylor

Farke could allow Firpo to move on by signing Taylor as the Burnley left-back's form over the last 18 months suggests that he has more to offer than the current Leeds defender.

The £30k-per-week battler played 33 times in the Championship last term as his side romped their way to the title and he started 17 of those matches.

Appearances

16

Goals

One

Assists

One

Duel success rate

53%

Tackles per game

1.6

Vincent Kompany hailed the talented gem's versatility, as Taylor was deployed as a left-back and a centre-back, and described him as being "quick and strong".

This means that Farke would bring in a player who can offer him depth in multiple positions, as the Clarets ace could be used at full-back or as cover on the left side of the defence.

In the Championship last term, Taylor was only dribbled past 0.2 times per game and won an impressive 63% of his duels across the campaign.

This shows that the experienced defender was able to dominate opponents in physical contests and did not allow forwards to go past him with ease.

Firpo has struggled with both of those aspects of defending and that is why the Burnley battler could come in as an upgrade on the Leeds number three.

Therefore, if Leeds could convince Taylor to make the drop back down to the Championship to enjoy a second spell at Elland Road then Farke could ditch Firpo in the process.

Prior to the arrival of Nuno Espirito Santo, Nottingham Forest were struggling to maintain any good form.

However, the Portuguese boss has inspired his side, as they’ve already beat Newcastle United and Manchester United, climbing into 15th in the Premier League.

Yet, with a lack of depth in attack, Forest will look to add a new forward to their ranks this winter.

Nottingham Forest transfers latest – Che Adams

According to reports in Turkey, Forest are interested in signing Che Adams once again after previously targeting the forward in the summer.

The 27-year-old's contract at Southampton is up at the end of the season, and therefore he could leave the club for free in the summer.

This means that Forest could submit a low offer for the striker this month. It is a deal that could be completed quite easily.

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ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024 Che Adams' style of play

When signed in the summer for £15m, the idea would have been to use Chris Wood as a backup option for Taiwo Awoniyi, or as an impact sub. However, due to the Nigerian picking up an injury in November, which will leave him on the sidelines until April, the 32-year-old has stepped up in his absence.

Despite the former Burnley striker being Forest’s top scorer in the league with seven, his goals have come in batches rather than consistently. The New Zealand star’s contract runs out this summer, and therefore Forest could be looking to replace him.

Adams is the striker that could end Wood’s Forest career, as his arrival would seemingly push the ex-Newcastle player further down the pecking order. The Saints forward has been used sparingly this season, but he has still managed to score seven goals and register two assists in 11 starts across all competitions.

Nonetheless, the table below shows Adams’ stats from the last year and how they compare to his positional peers.

Non-penalty goals

0.50

Top 18%

xG

0.43

Top 34%

Passes completion %

77%

Top 7%

Progressive passes

2.67

Top 12%

Passes into final third

1.75

Top 12%

Dribblers tackled

0.42

Top 8%

Firstly, it is clear to see that Adams is a well-rounded centre forward who can play in any game state, which makes him “underrated” as per football analyst Statman Dave. Additionally, the 5 foot 9 striker's xG to non-penalty goal ratio underlines that the former Birmingham City player is clinical in attack, which is a vital attribute for Forest due to their lack of possession and common underdog status.

Furthermore, as shown by his high pass completion percentage, progressive passes and passes into the final third, Adams is a striker who can not only combine with those around him, but can also progress the play without being wasteful. He’s also a hard-working centre forward, who uses his energy to press and regain possession by tracking back to prevent counterattacks.

Overall, considering the cost of Adams will be extremely cheap, it would be a signing with very little risk, and therefore it is one that Nuno must look to secure.

Glasgow Rangers managed to put four goals past fourth-tier side Dumbarton in their Scottish Cup fourth-round clash on the weekend, but it could have been more for Philippe Clement's side.

The Ibrox manager will have been pleased with the professionalism shown by his team, while a few players managed to secure some much-needed minutes following recent injury problems, most notably Ryan Jack and Borna Barisic.

Among those on the scoresheet was Cyriel Dessers, who netted his tenth goal of the season in the 4-1 victory against the Sons.

He has netted a goal roughly once every three games since joining the Ibrox side last summer and on the surface, that is a decent enough statistic, yet he has missed 11 big chances in front of goal and his performances have been poor throughout the campaign.

With the transfer window closing next week, Clement does not have long to add another striker who could be an upgrade on the Nigerian. Here are three forwards who could arrive at the Light Blues this month and replace Dessers in the starting XI.

1 Tommy Conway

First up is the latest name to be linked with a move to the Gers. According to Football Insider, Clement is reportedly monitoring the Bristol City striker ahead of potentially making a move for the youngster during the winter window.

They face competition from Old Firm rivals Celtic along with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest, and Brentford for the City hitman as he has clearly attracted plenty of attention due to his performances.

Having recently scored the winner against West Ham United in their FA Cup replay – being dubbed “clinical” by Statman Dave in the process – Conway has shown he can shine against the elite and this may tempt Clement into a move.

Although he has two goals less than Dessers this season, he has missed only five big chances in the Championship, which is six less than the Gers striker and it proves he is more accurate in front of goal.

The 6 foot 1 machine is only 21 and is eight years younger than the former Feyenoord frontman, which suggests his best years are still to come and this could very well tempt the Belgian into luring him to Scotland sooner rather than later.

He is not the only striker who has been linked with a move to Rangers as a possible Dessers replacement however as the next name on the list is from close to home…

2 Lawrence Shankland

Perhaps the player who has been mentioned the most when it comes to leaving their current club to join the Light Blues, Lawrence Shankland is a hot commodity right now.

According to Football Insider, the Gers could be looking to bring the Scot to Glasgow this month in the hope that he can continue his stunning goalscoring form that has seen him shine at Hearts since the start of last season.

He could cost around £3m potentially and while this does not appear much on the surface, Shankland will be 29 this year and paying that sort of money for a player with little to no resale value could be a mistake.

In the short term, however, he would be an upgrade on Dessers. Indeed, this season, Shankland has netted more goals (18 vs ten), along with registering more shots per game (3.6 vs 2.9), more successful dribbles per game (0.9 vs 0.4) and a better scoring frequency (a goal every 145 minutes vs a goal every 187 minutes) and these statistics show that the 28-year-old could score more regularly in Scotland than Dessers.

Former Rangers icon Barry Ferguson even claimed that the Hearts striker would be a good fit for the club, saying: “Let’s start with Lawrence Shankland who catches my eye every time I see him play for Hearts.

“This guy has improved his game to such an extent over the last couple of years that I’m surprised he’s not been snapped up already but, watching him on Wednesday, I saw a ready-made Rangers centre forward.”

Clement could supercharge Cantwell in Rangers move for £3m gem

Rangers could be eyeing a move to sign a Scottish striker this month

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 13, 2024

A move to Rangers could see the former Dundee United gem play in Europe and challenge for trophies. If a move was to be made, he may find it very hard to turn down, that’s for sure.

3 Emmanuel Dennis

The final name on the list is one that Clement knows very well during his spell with Club Brugge, as Emmanuel Dennis has been linked with a move during the current transfer window.

Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri confirmed earlier this month that the Gers had been offered the player, saying: “Emmanuel Dennis has been proposed to the club but there hasn’t been an official approach as of now. I can confirm the player’s interest for Rangers though.”

The Nigerian scored ten goals in 46 games under Clement at Club Brugge, netting against the likes of Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Europa League during his stint in Belgium.

This clearly proves he has what it takes to score against the very elite and while his form this term is hardly prolific, his ability to play across a few positions could appeal to Clement.

Indeed, the 26-year-old can operate on either the left or right wing as well as through the middle and he has even been known to play just off the main striker during his career.

A move to the Light Blues could see him reunite with the 49-year-old and this may be what Dennis requires in order to start performing at his best again.

These three players would all offer something different for Clement as he aims to strengthen his squad, but it remains to be seen whether the club manage to bring any of them to Scotland in the coming days.

If the former AS Monaco coach wishes to add more trophies to the League Cup that was secured last month, at least one other centre-forward will need to be signed and this could well be the main focus before the transfer window slams shut next week.