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Reliable journalist Alasdair Gold has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur and their pursuit of Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson.

Are Tottenham signing anyone?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou have enjoyed a fine start to the new season overall, flying high in the league with two wins and a draw from their opening three games.

Unfortunately for the north Londoners, though, they crashed out of the Carabao Cup second round on penalties last night with Tete scoring the decisive spot kick and sending Fulham through.

Postecoglou's brand of new-look, attack minded football has been plain for all supporters to see and there have been some very promising signs – but Tottenham's much-changed side on Tuesday perhaps shown that more strength in depth is needed.

The Lilywhites have just two days to strengthen their ranks further and time is quickly running out, with Spurs now also opening discussions over signing Ansu Fati on loan from Barcelona.

Fabrizio Romano, a very reliable transfer source, has claimed in the past 24 hours that talks are also continuing for Johnson amid their chase for Fati.

The Forest winger has been tipped as a top Spurs target over the last few days and it is a move which could apparently go down to the wire.

Johnson played a starring role for Steve Cooper's side last season as they avoided a drop straight back to the Championship, finishing the 2022/2023 campaign with eight goals and three assists in the top flight alone.

Sharing an update, football.london's Spurs correspondent Gold has claimed that the Wales international forward is Postecoglou's personal number one attacking target for the remaining days of this window.

Johnson is viewed by Tottenham's head coach as the "perfect" fit for his system, with talks "now" taking place over a move for the 22-year-old.

However, the is a word of caution, as a deal for him will be "painstaking" and could even go right down to last minute of the summer window.

“Brennan Johnson is Ange Postecoglou’s number one attacking target for the remainder of this transfer window," said Gold on his YouTube channel (transcribed by TBR)

"He apparently feels he is the perfect fit for his system, very fast, tricky kind of player, a young player with a high ceiling. Talks have now taken place.

“It is going to be painstaking, everything I’m hearing is that this could go right to the wire, it could go to the very end.”

How good is Brennan Johnson?

Barring his eleven goal contributions for Forest last term, Johnson has been praised for his performances in recent years by Wales national team boss Rob Page.

“Brennan could potentially have had a move in January,” said Page in 2022.

“But he decided to stay because he’s at a club where he was going to play and enjoy his football.

“That speaks volumes about him. He didn’t go chasing the money. He’s almost the finished article now and Forest have got a wonderful player on their hands.

“I’ve been to watch him a few times and he’s playing with freedom. He’s really enjoying his football."

Still very young and with room to improve further, he could be an astute late signing for Spurs.

Newcastle United are among the leading contenders to sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier, but they are set to face stiff competition for his services from a huge club overseas.

How old is Eric Dier?

Dier is now 29 years of age and is the third longest-serving player in the capital since joining from Sporting CP back in 2014. He’s made a total of 361 appearances for Spurs, but despite his loyal service, he’s fallen majorly down the pecking order following the arrival of Ange Postecoglou in the dugout.

The Lilywhites centre-back is yet to make a single appearance in any competition this season, so with his contract expiring in less than a year, this window is the perfect opportunity for his club to cash in should they not want to risk losing an asset for free.

The Athletic have reported that Burnley have already had a loan offer turned down for the England international, with the Premier League giants not willing to sanction a temporary exit due to the situation surrounding his deal, though it sounds like he has two potential suitors hoping to recruit him on a permanent basis.

Are Newcastle signing Eric Dier?

According to Spanish reports (via Football 365), Newcastle are firmly "in the race" for Dier, but he is also being seriously pursued by Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich.

The St. James' Park side "like" the veteran, and it's claimed that Spurs are "open to negotiating" a late deal, with the player having been put "in the spotlight" by PIF and Eddie Howe in the northeast.

Postecoglou's star "would have the opportunity" to get the regular game time he requires if he was to join, therefore making the club one of the "big favourites" to accquire his services.

How much does Eric Dier earn?

At Spurs, Dier currently pockets £85k-per-week which, as it stands, he isn’t really earning having yet to feature at all this season, but that could all change should he put pen to paper at Newcastle.

Hailed as a “terrific” footballer by journalist Josh Bunting, the 6 foot 2 colossus was a real rock at the heart of his backline last season, averaging 3.3 clearances and 2.4 aerial wins per top-flight game, via WhoScored, displaying the physical presence that he possesses both on and off the ground.

Read The Latest Newcastle Transfer News HERE…

The Cheltenham-born talent, who is sponsored by Nike, is also capable of getting involved with the action in the final third having posted 33 contributions (17 assists and 16 goals) since the start of his career, showing the positive impact he has at each end of the pitch.

When facing the Magpies, Dier has recorded six victories in 12 head to head clashes that he’s been involved in, even scoring once and providing two assists, as per Transfermarkt, so if he can perform that well in the cauldron that is St James' Park as a visitor, one has to think he could thrive as an experienced head in Howe's backline.

Celtic have excelled at being able to snap up talented gems before later cashing in on them for significantly higher fees to clubs across Europe over the years.

Who are Celtic's most expensive sales?

The Hoops have offered promising young talents the opportunity to come to Parkhead to experience winning trophies and being part of a dominant team where they will be able to showcase their ability on a regular basis.

This then provides them with a platform to show other teams what they are capable of and has allowed the Bhoys to profit from it as clubs swoop in to secure their services.

Jota

£25m

Kieran Tierney

£23m

Moussa Dembele

£18.8m

Odsonne Edouard

£14m

Kristoffer Ajer

£13.4m

Top five record Celtic sales (fees via Transfermarkt)

Another player, who is not on the list above, the club played a blinder with was right-back Jeremie Frimpong, who was signed by Neil Lennon in 2019.

How much did Celtic pay for Jeremie Frimpong?

The Hoops reportedly paid a fee of £300k to snap up the talented defender from Premier League giants Manchester City and the young gem put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Parkhead.

He arrived in Scotland after starting his youth career with the Cityzens. During his time at The Etihad, the Dutch dynamo produced two goals and two assists in 21 matches for their U21 side after he had racked up 41 appearances at U18 level.

How good was Jeremie Frimpong at Celtic?

The explosive full-back caught the eye with his attacking displays from a right-back position throughout his 18 months with the Scottish giants.

Frimpong scored two goals and provided three assists in 21 games in all competitions during his debut campaign with the Hoops in the 2019/20 season.

He then managed one goal and five assists in 30 appearances for the Bhoys in all competitions in the first-half of the 2020/21 campaign.

The 22-year-old whiz started 19 Scottish Premiership matches and showcased his creative quality with 1.5 key passes per game and five 'big chances' created for his teammates as a defender, as per Sofascore.

How much did Celtic sell Jeremie Frimpong for?

His form for the Scottish juggernauts led to interest from elsewhere and that resulted in a big-money move away from Paradise in January 2021.

Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen swooped in to sign the Netherlands youth international, who was once dubbed an "enjoyable talent" by presenter Daniel Childs, for a reported fee of £11.5m midway through the 2020/21 season.

This means that his value soared by a staggering 3,733% from the initial £300k that the Hoops paid to snap him up from Manchester City under Lennon's management.

Therefore, the Northern Irish head coach struck gold for Celtic as his signing was a success on the pitch and ended up making the club a mammoth profit when they eventually cashed in on him.

Arsenal are set to make their long-awaited return to Champions League football on Wednesday, bringing up huge questions about who Mikel Arteta might choose to start in this all-important fixture…

Who could start for Arsenal in the Champions League?

Having suffered a stuttering start to their Premier League campaign, despite remaining unbeaten with four victories from their opening five games, the weekend's win over Everton ended a torrid run of form at Goodison Park as the Gunners overcame huge obstacles to surpass their stubborn hosts.

However, the clash was largely marred by Gabriel Martinelli's 24th-minute injury, who pulled up with a hamstring qualm just after seeing his neat finish chalked off for a marginal offside. Arteta would claim: "He felt something in his hamstring and we need to do some further tests to assess if there is any big damage or not but he will be out for tomorrow’s game, that’s for sure."

Such a huge blow throws that left-wing spot completely up for grabs, with a number of stars likely set to have their eye on earning a start in this massive clash.

Emile Smith Rowe will be one vying for the place, whilst there is every chance that Gabriel Jesus could be pushed out wide to allow Eddie Nketiah to retain his striker spot.

However, the far more viable option would be to employ their match-winner from that aforementioned match, where Leandro Trossard made himself the star as he came off the bench to finish off a fine team move.

How good is Leandro Trossard?

When the Belgian was chosen to replace Martinelli after his injury, it immediately showcased where he stood in the pecking order. So, to see him score the winner, that place was arguably solidified.

From a short corner, which the north London outfit had been trying all game on Merseyside, a few intricate passes forged the 28-year-old an inch of space, where he struck a stunning left-footed effort in off the far post.

Such a moment of magic should come as no surprise to anyone though, as despite not quite lacking the dynamism and speed of the man he replaced, he remains the "magician" that writer Hayley McGoldrick branded him.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion wizard would prove that throughout last term too, as he shared his outstanding talents across two Premier League clubs without slowing down.

Moving in January, he would score eight and assist a further 13 in the league alone, with his instant impact at the Emirates nearly upholding their title charge that would ultimately fall short.

The £90k-per-week ace was further showcased as a true talent with his underlying figures, as he recorded a further 1.3 key passes and 1.5 shots per game, via Sofascore.

Given they are likely to come up against another team looking to frustrate them again tonight, such technical prowess could actually prove more impactful than Martinelli might have done.

After all, when compared to other wingers across Europe, the 28-cap creator ranks in the top 1% for assists per 90.

Trossard has more than enough quality to unlock most defences, having come up at key moments already with big goals. The hope will be that he can score arguably the biggest of his career to earn Arsenal an emphatic win on their triumphant Champions League return.

Liverpool will commence their Carabao Cup campaign tonight as Jurgen Klopp looks to reclaim the trophy he won in 2022, but Leicester City will not make things easy for the Anfield side.

The Foxes, who suffered relegation from the Premier League this year, have started the Championship campaign with aplomb, winning seven of their opening eight matches and losing the other.

They will by no means roll over for the Reds, but then neither will Liverpool, who look positively resurgent this season and have clinched 16 points from a possible 18 in the English top-flight.

A fixture that so often produces the goods regarding excitement, Klopp's team could make it seven wins in a row across all competitions on Merseyside, but will most likely do so by issuing heavy rotation.

Indeed, Liverpool's relentless schedule is seeing the games come thick and fast, and with a daunting trip to London to face revived Tottenham Hotspur looming, it certainly makes sense to utilise the squad at its full capacity.

What's the latest Liverpool team news?

Trent Alexander-Arnold has yet to make his return from a hamstring injury, and while he is back in training, the match against City might be one he is rested for.

Likewise, Thiago Alcantara is still to make his seasonal debut, and while his absence is something of an enigma, he will hopefully return soon, if not against Leicester.

Kostas Tsimikas, while underperforming in the Europa League last week, has just signed a new contract with the Reds and will be expected to deputise down the left flank, replacing Andy Robertson.

With Liverpool's preferred midfield axis certain to be rested, it does present an opportunity for players such as Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic to strut their stuff and impress the manager, who must be delighted at his newfound squad strength.

Who Klopp will field across the frontline does feel a more undetermined question; Mohamed Salah will likely be rested, but Darwin Nunez has been in fine form this term – scoring four goals and supplying two assists from just three starts – though with Spurs awaiting on Saturday perhaps he will be rested.

Cody Gakpo could start in his stead, but regardless, such issues are a testament to the offensive firepower currently at Liverpool's disposal.

Will Ryan Gravenberch start today?

One player who will surely receive a starting berth against Enzo Maresca's Leicester is Ryan Gravenberch, with the dynamic Dutchman working his way into the team nicely after completing a £34m transfer from Bayern Munich in August.

Hailed for his "dominant" displays by former youth coach Brian Tevreden, Gravenberch failed to make his mark with the German champions after signing from Ajax for an initial €18.5m (£16m) and started just three times in the Bundesliga, moving to Liverpool after one year in hope of rekindling his prodigious early career.

Against LASK last week, the 21-year-old made his first start for his new club, and while he laboured to the break alongside his substandard peers, a much-improved second half showcased his skills, with it being his looping cross to give Luis Diaz the chance to take the lead after the hour mark.

As per Sofascore, he made four key passes and nine ball recoveries in Austria, demonstrating the kind of robust and multi-functional midfielder Liverpool have on their hands.

His technicality and composure will pay dividends in a Leicester side that will bring the belief that they can cause a major upset, with Maresca's former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola remarking that they "always want to attack, score goals, work hard and dominate matches. Some of their performances have been exceptional.”

Gravenberch will surely find a place on the pitch tonight, but it is his midfield teammate and fellow summer signing Wataru Endo who must really take the chance to impress.

Will Wataru Endo start vs Leicester?

Heralded as a "proper warrior and leader" by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Thatchard, Endo was signed for a shrewd £16m from Stuttgart in August after Liverpool missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.

An unknown commodity to those on English shores, the 30-year-old is a hard-working, energetic holding midfielder and has been pivotal in his former German side's battles against relegation over the past few years.

He's made five appearances for Liverpool so far and has started against Newcastle United in the Premier League and LASK last week, in the Europa League.

Unfortunately, he was among the players to contribute to a first half littered with "sloppiness" – as was said by reporter Neil Jones – and was hooked after 61 minutes after winning just one of his three ground duels and being dribbled past.

Still, he is an important member of this Liverpool side and offers the natural defensive instinct in the centre that perhaps none of his confreres quite boast.

Indeed, as per FBref, the £50k-per-week ace ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90, and it is that level of application that will be crucial to stifling the Foxes' threat.

Klopp will know who his best performers are, and moreover, he will understand the starting XI most apt to secure success at the most pivotal moments – the forthcoming tie against Tottenham being a prime example.

The Carabao Cup, clearly, is not the most distinguished competition at Liverpool's disposal this term, but it is a chance for silverware, and perhaps more importantly, it presents an opportunity for the players outside the first team to impress, be that youth or players of Endo's ilk.

The Japan captain is a tenacious, touch-tackling machine of a midfielder, and not only will he prove to be a valuable asset against a Leicester side capable of hurting Liverpool with their attacking efforts, but he could produce the performance to catch Klopp's eye and warrant further inclusion in big moments down the line.

Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart came under fire after his performance against Feyenoord in the opening match of the Champions League group stage left a lot to be desired.

The former England international failed to keep out a free-kick from Calvin Stengs despite the ball bouncing up in front of him before it found the back of the net.

France and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said, live on CBS, that Hart "should never" have allowed that shot to beat him and stated that the English stopper should have done better to keep it out.

However, despite his error in the Netherlands, the ex-Manchester City star has been a fantastic signing since his arrival in 2021 after the club had a big nightmare with their previous goalkeeper – Vasilis Barkas.

How much did Celtic pay for Vasilis Barkas?

The Hoops reportedly splashed out a significant fee of £4.5m to sign the Greek shot-stopper from AEK in the summer of 2020 and that move turned out to be a howler from then-manager Neil Lennon.

Fraser Forster

£2.2m

Rab Douglas

£1.9m

Magnus Hedman

£1.9m

Artur Boruc

£1.3m

Joe Hart

£1m

As you can see from the table above, Celtic paid a club-record fee for a goalkeeper when they decided to sign Barkas ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

Why did Celtic sign Barkas?

Hoops goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods reportedly regarded the AEK star highly and Lennon trusted his staff member's opinions alongside the evidence of his performances in his home country.

The 29-year-old dud started his career with Atromitos Athens and kept 11 clean sheets in 21 first-team appearances to earn himself a move to AEK in 2016.

Barkas then established himself as a star for the Greek side as he produced an outstanding 61 clean sheets in 111 matches in all competitions.

He immediately hit the ground running after his transfer to AEK as the towering stopper kept 12 shutouts in 20 Super League outings during the 2016/17 campaign.

By the end of his time in Greece, Barkas racked up 51 clean sheets in 83 Super League matches for his two clubs combined. This works out as one every 1.62 matches on average and shows that he was rarely beaten between the sticks.

However, there were some warning signs for Celtic as his displays in the Champions League during the 2018/19 season were less-than-impressive.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.65 across six matches and only saved 68% of the shots on his goal to go along with one error that directly led to a goal.

The AEK giant, who only completed 54% of his attempted passes in the competition that term, did not keep a single clean sheet and Lennon could have used these performances as a reference for how he would handle the step up to life in Scotland with the Bhoys.

How did Barkas perform for Celtic?

He came in for a huge fee, compared to other goalkeepers in the history of the club, and did not live up to the expectation that such a move would bring.

Barkas was not an outstanding performer for Celtic as he failed to produce consistently impressive displays in the Scottish Premiership during his first season in Scotland.

The left-footed flop averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.79 across 15 league outings and had a save percentage of 60% throughout the 2020/21 season under Neil Lennon as the Hoops failed to win the title ahead of their neighbours.

23 of his teammates averaged a higher Sofascore rating in the Premiership that term and this shows that he was far away from being one of the club's top players after his £4.5m switch from AEK.

He also struggled badly in the Europa League as the Greek international played both of the team's matches against Italian giants AC Milan during the group stage.

Barkas, who pundit Frank McAvennie described as "awful", averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 5.6 and saved 30% of the shots against him over the two games.

How much did Celtic receive for Barkas?

The Hoops did not receive any of the initial £4.5m they paid for his services as they opted to release him from his contract, which was due to expire in 2024, earlier this summer.

This meant that Barkas left Celtic for £0, three years on from his big-money move to the club from AEK, and Lennon, therefore, had a nightmare with the signing of the Greek shot-stopper as he struggled on the pitch and cost the side a fortune.

Ange Postecoglou, however, arrived in the summer of 2021 and played a blinder with the signing of Hart from Tottenham Hotspur as the English titan enjoyed a terrific debut campaign with the Scottish giants.

How many clean sheets did Hart keep in the 2021/22 Premiership campaign?

The former Manchester City man kept 19 clean sheets in 35 Premiership appearances throughout his first season with the Bhoys and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95.

Hart also saved an impressive 73% of the shots against his goal and this shows that he was a significant upgrade on Barkas, with his ability to keep the ball out of the net and his average performance level.

The veteran colossus also outperformed the Greek international in Europe with an average Sofascore rating of 6.86 and a save percentage of 61% across five Europa League outings throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

These statistics suggest that Hart offered far more to the Hoops than the £4.5m flop, which meant that Postecoglou did not have to persist with the former AEK star beyond the dud's disappointing debut season with the club.

Where is Barkas now?

The 29-year-old stopper currently plays for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands, after he spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with the Dutch side after he joined them on a free transfer during the summer transfer window.

Barkas has conceded 11 goals and failed to keep a single clean sheet in five Eredivisie matches so far this term and is not showing Celtic that they made a mistake to move him on this year.

The Greek liability endured a rough time in Scotland and his early performances so far this season do not suggest that he is faring much better in a new setting.

Fresh from having suffered back-to-back defeats on home soil over the past week or so, Manchester United return to Old Trafford this afternoon in desperate need of a win over Brentford, with Erik ten Hag's men having already slipped seven points off the top four.

Mired in something of an injury crisis – with the likes of Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all still sidelined – there is little going right for the Red Devils at present, with another grim showing against the Bees only set to plunge the club further into chaos.

What changes will Man United make vs Brentford?

Despite some bright moments against Galatasaray in midweek – with two-goal star Rasmus Hojlund having been "the biggest positive", according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst – United's late collapse has yet again laid bare the need for change in the defensive unit.

90 minutes played

30 touches

2 goals

2 shots on target

1 key pass

3/3 successful attempted dribbles

6/14 total duels won

8.4 match rating

Stats via Sofascore

Unfortunately for Ten Hag, the Dutchman has little option but to persist with those available to him, with the lack of options at left-back a particular problem, as Sergio Reguilon is yet again set to be absent.

A potential reshuffle could, however, allow former skipper Harry Maguire to earn his place back in the starting XI for the first time in the league this season, while a recall could also be on the cards for Brazil international, Antony, who made his return from the bench last time out.

With Bruno Fernandes having been "particularly poor" in that right-wing berth against the Turkish outfit, as per Luckhurst, a change seemingly needs to be made to the forward line this time around, with young Facundo Pellistri failing to fire against Crystal Palace last week after being hooked on the hour mark.

Somewhat by default, that could mean that Antony comes back into the side, although the 23-year-old hadn't exactly impressed prior to his recent leave of absence, with no goals or assists in five games so far this term.

Instead, Ten Hag may wish to consider handing an opportunity to wing wizard, Alejandro Garnacho, with the teenager having the tools to be able to harm Thomas Frank's men today.

Will Alejandro Garnacho play against Brentford?

The former Atletico Madrid youth product was dubbed "not good enough" by his manager after previously starting against the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the season, yet having scored in the recent Carabao Cup triumph over Palace, another chance to impress from the off has no doubt been deserved.

Previously hailed as "unstoppable" by pundit Darren Bent, the 5 foot 11 whiz could help to form a truly exciting attacking unit involving himself, Hojlund and Marcus Rashford, with United's potential speed in transition likely to be a real danger to the visitors this afternoon.

The only quandary would be as to who would line up on the right flank with both Garnacho and Rashford favouring a role on the left, although it was from the right that Rashford teed up Hojlund for his first goal in midweek with a powerful, driven cross.

With the England international shifted to that side, Garnacho could then wreak havoc on the opposite wing, as he looks to add to his haul of six goals and five assists for the club at first-team level to date.

As has been evident by the club's dire run of form of late, United are in desperate need of a new spark to help steer them to three points to close the widening gap on those above them, with the 19-year-old potentially set to offer that fresh injection of pace and energy that Ten Hag is craving.

Aston Villa are prolific when it comes to stealing the best talent from the clutches of Championship sides, using the lure of Premier League football and their status as a big club as the prime pulling points.

In recent times, Emiliano Buendia was prised away from newly-promoted Norwich City for a club record deal in 2021 after recording a sensational 32 goal contributions in 39 appearances for the Canaries in one season.

While the Argentine was the most expensive, the most successful acquisitions Villa have made from the second tier are Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins, who both arrived in the summer of 2020 from Nottingham Forest and Brentford respectively.

Cash and Watkins are two of Unai Emery's most influential players currently, speaking volumes about the level of talent the division has to offer and if recent reports are correct, the Villans could be "monitoring" a move for their next Championship superstar who has made a dash onto the scene this season in dazzling style.

The man drawing interest from several clubs, including Villa, is Norwich winger Jonathan Rowe.

Who is Jonathan Rowe?

Rowe is a graduate of the Norwich youth academy who has recently seen his talents explode into life after being utilised as a squad player in the seasons prior.

Initially grabbing the opportunity to showcase his talents in the first team after impressing for the underage groups, the 20-year-old notched up nine goals and six assists in 17 Premier League 2 appearances in 2021/22.

Rewarding his effort, dedication and talent, the winger made 13 appearances off the bench in that campaign as the Canaries were relegated back to the Championship and although that was a sour ending for the club, it marked the beginning of Rowe's path to stardom.

After an injury-wrecked 2022/23 campaign that saw the youngster make just three first-team cameos, the "real talent" – as lauded by one voice on the Pink Un Podcast – has come back stronger from adversity to wreak havoc on second-tier defenders.

In 11 appearances so far, Rowe has posted six goals and one assist in the Championship to help Norwich lay down a marker on their promotion ambitions.

What would Rowe bring to Aston Villa?

A favourite with Norwich supporters and a well-regarded member of the dressing room due to his infectious personality, Rowe has become the major protagonist for his club's conquests this season.

Demonstrating his direct style by driving at defenders with his lightning pace, the youngster has become the key difference maker for Norwich in the final third, utilising his press resistance and precise dribbling as useful tools to combat a low block, posting goals in victories over defensive-minded sides, Millwall and Huddersfield Town.

Standing tall when comparing his technical attributes to the rest of his positional peers in the Championship this season, Rowe places within the top 4% for non-penalty goals, top 14% for fouls drawn, top 20% for touches in the attacking penalty area and top 25% for progressive carries, as per FBref.

The Canaries academy graduate has also impressed with his versatility, making seven of his 13 starts in all competitions on the left flank, allowing him to cut in on that dangerous right foot while also demonstrating he has the technical qualities to operate centrally or on the right.

He showcased that quality last Friday night as he came off the bench to score in England U21's 8-1 victory over Serbia and although Norwich are happy with his current contract, the number of clubs showing an interest is growing.

Villa are one of those to be monitoring his progress and if they do choose to pursue him further, Nicolo Zaniolo, the winger on loan from Galatasaray, will likely make way after underwhelming so far.

The Italian was expected to become a match-winner in claret and blue but in six Premier League appearances, he's drastically fallen below the standard, accurately placing just 69% of his passes, completing only 35% of his dribbles, recording 0.3 shots on target per game and zero goal contributions, as per Sofascore.

If Zaniolo doesn't improve his performances, Villa will surely decline the chance to make the deal permanent and instead, pursue a deal for the super-talented Rowe, who is reportedly valued at around £20m.

Newcastle United are having to deal with a number of injuries at the moment, and a worrying update has emerged regarding one key hero at St James' Park.

Newcastle injury news

The Magpies drew 2-2 away to Wolves on Saturday evening, and while a point was no disaster, it was disappointing not to win after going ahead twice in the Premier League clash at Molineux. It has been a good start to the season for Newcastle, in many ways, but there has been a slight lack of consistency at times, with their Champions League form highlighting that, having lost 1-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund last week.

Injuries certainly haven't helped Eddie Howe at points, with the manager having to make do without a number of influential figures, whether it be the dominant Sven Botman in defence or Harvey Barnes in attack. There is now also Sandro Tonali's ban that has been added to their woes, with the 23-year-old's season over after receiving a 10-month suspension.

Newcastle host Manchester United in the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, taking on the team who beat them in the final of the competition last season, and a concerning fitness update has dropped in the lead-up to the match.

Botman injury blow

Taking to X, Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie confirmed that Newcastle centre-back Botman has suffered a setback in his injury recovery, relaying Howe's quotes from his pre-United press conference:

"Eddie Howe reveals Sven Botman has had a set-back in his recovery from knee injury: 'There’s an issue there. We are working through various options to try & diagnose the injury properly. Does he fall into the longer-term category? Yeah, perhaps. But we’re awaiting clarity.'"

This is hugely worrying news for anyone of a Newcastle persuasion, considering what a fantastic signing Botman has been ever since arriving from Lille last year. An influential presence at the heart of the defence, Botman's stats in the Premier League so far season speak volumes, with a 92.2% pass completion rate coming his way, not to mention averaging three clearances and 1.2 tackles per game.

Sadly, the Dutchman has only been limited to five starts in the competition, due to his keen injury, and now having him unavailable for a longer period of time could have an adverse effect on the Magpies hopes of thriving across four different competitions. While the current available options are still good, including Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles, Botman has been hailed in terms of his quality, dominance and leadership, with Howe himself lauding him in the past and saying of him:

"We’ve become accustomed to it with Sven. He’s been so consistent, regardless of who the opposition has been, he’s found ways to perform to such a high level."

The hope is that Botman's absence isn't too lengthy, especially as the busy festive period approaches, but if he ends up being out for an extended period of time, Schar and Lascelles will need to be at their absolute to make up for the loss of him,

Chelsea could soon splash out on a new number nine who has been hailed as a "monster", according to an update from transfer expert Dean Jones.

Chelsea transfer news

It's fair to say that life under Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge has gotten off to a disappointing start, having arrived in the summer with plenty of hope that he could turn things around. Both results and performances haven't been good enough in the Premier League, already giving Chelsea lots of work to do in the top-four battle, and the manager may even find himself under pressure if things don't improve significantly in the coming months.

It may be that Pochettino looks to sign players in the January transfer window, in order for his team to go up a gear, and the attack is undoubtedly the area in most need of surgery, unless Christopher Nkunku immediately hits the ground running on return from injury.

Nicolas Jackson is struggling at the moment, not providing enough ammunition in the final third, and a fresh update suggests Chelsea could look close to home to sign a highly thought of player.

Update on Chelsea links to Ivan Toney

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Chelsea could look to sign Brentford striker Ivan Toney, claiming the Blues will see his proven Premier League status as a big draw:

"It's a good value deal [Santiago Gimenez for £40m] and there's no doubt that will have some appeal, but from what I understand, they would look for somebody more established. Whether that's in European standing or in terms of having Premier League credentials, they want one or the other.

"I think it'd be a massive risk to bring in another player that the fans have little understanding of, and little expectation of, because it's just too hard for players to live up to it.

"They've already got in Nicolas Jackson, a player of promise, he's got that. I said from the moment he came in, he's a good signing, but he cannot be trusted to be Chelsea's main source of goals because he won't deliver enough. There's no history of him scoring enough goals at a high enough level to show that he can carry the burden of being Chelsea's main number nine.

"And we're still in that situation right now. I think that Chelsea's temptation will be to go and spend almost double that amount on Ivan Toney, rather than take another punt on somebody actually fixing their problem."

Toney could be a great signing for Chelsea when he is back available again, having impressed so much for Brentford, making a seamless step up from the Premier League to the Championship.

At 27 years of age, he is right in and around the peak of his powers, with Toney's statistics of 68 goals in 124 appearances for the Bees summing up his prolific threat, and those numbers can surely go up a notch playing in a traditional 'big six' side.

He has been described as a "monster" by Brentford writer Billy Grant, and he possesses the finishing ability and physical expertise to slot straight into Chelsea's attack, especially having already got plenty of Premier League experience under his belt.