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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.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking at sealing a move for Piero Hincapie…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, who delivered an update on Spurs’ desired dealings this month. He wrote:

“Longer term, they want to bring in a left-sided central defender and will pursue a deal in the summer, with Clement Lenglet’s loan spell from Barcelona up at the end of the season.

“A player Tottenham are looking at is Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie, who is an Ecuador international, but Napoli are also keen on the 20-year-old.”

He’d be Romero 2.0

In Hincapie, sporting director Fabio Paratici could unearth another Cristian Romero-type player for the Lilywhites.

Speaking about the Ecuador international on a recent episode of Sky Sports’ ‘Transfer Talk’ show, Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard said:

“There is a tremendous young player in there but he does make mistakes – he’s given away penalties, he’s been sent off, he’s made bad passes, things like that.

“If you are willing to stick with him and give him game time, let him develop, fine. If you’re going to stick him on a bench, that would be a big worry for me. At Leverkusen, they’re very good at spotting talent, especially in South America.”

Indeed, there are surely plenty of similarities between the two players, both of whom seemingly play each game on the edge – whether that be in terms of aggression and putting themselves at risk of receiving an early bath or on the ball, attempting the sort of passes you’d expect to see from your playmaker rather than centre-back.

FBref also liken Hincapie to Romero based on statistical profile alone, with the Leverkusen defender ranking inside the top 4% for dribbles completed, the top 7% for expected assists and the top 12% for tackles, all per 90, when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five divisions.

The 21-year-old, once dubbed a “prodigy” by journalist Jose de Jesus Ortiez, was thought to be available for around £34m in the summer. so he wouldn’t come cheap considering his age but as Hatchard suggests, he is one for the long-term future, just like Romero, 24.

As such, whilst a likely risk, it could be well worth Paratici swooping for Hincapie to pair him with the Argentinian in Antonio Conte’s back three for the long-term future.

AND in other news, Paratici could land Kulusevski 2.0 as Spurs plot move for £30m “game-changing talent”…

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing a swoop for Coventry City star Viktor Gyokeres and the Swedish striker could be a huge player for Julen Lopetegui in the second half of the season.

What’s the word?

According to Swedish outlet Sportsbladet (via Coventry Live), Wolves have now joined the race to land the player, although he indicates that a summer move could be more likely that a January switch for Gyokeres.

The 24-year-old has also attracted interest from the likes of Everton, West Ham United and Crystal Palace ahead of the winter window, as he continues to catch the eye for the Sky Blues in the Championship, with no player having scored more goals in the second tier so far this season.

While Wolves are undoubtedly in a relegation battle this season, they have already emphasised their transfer pull with the loan addition of Matheus Cunha, so adding another highly sought-after striker could be exactly what Lopetegui needs to improve the Old Gold’s fortunes in front of goal and ensure that they finish above the dotted line.

Huge for Lopetegui

Although Lopetegui was able to secure a vital three points in his first game as Wolves boss on Boxing Day, the Old Gold were less than convincing against a similarly poor Everton side, and attacking reinforcements are no doubt still required if the Midlands club are going to distance themselves completely from relegation this season.

The likes of Raul Jimenez, Diego Costa and Hwang Hee-Chan have all failed to score in the top flight so far this campaign, with midfielder Ruben Neves leading the scoring charts with just four goals.

While Cunha will add quality in attack, the Brazilian had failed to score for Atletico Madrid in the 2022/23 campaign, so Gyokeres could offer a more natural goalscoring option in the final third.

Since joining Coventry, the Sweden international has notched an impressive 33 goals and six assists in 89 appearances, which included 22 goal contributions in the 2021/22 campaign.

Manager Mark Robins is certainly a big fan of the talismanic frontman, as he sang his praises earlier in the season after he scored in their opening-day draw with Sunderland.

He said: “He’s not the finished article by any stretch of the imagination but he has some unbelievable ability – power, technique. He has got everything in his locker and that desire and hunger to score goals.”

Given Wolves’ woes in front of goal in recent seasons, it would be huge for Lopetegui to sign another dangerous young striker alongside Cunha, so the Old Gold should do everything they can to bring Gyokeres to Molineux next month.

Newcastle United have had a phenomenal start to their Premier League campaign, and Eddie Howe could be set to strengthen his squad even further in the January transfer window with a new potential transfer target emerging.

What’s the latest?

According to TEAMtalk, the Magpies are readying an offer to sign Birmingham City youngster Jobe Bellingham.

As per the report, unlike his brother Jude, the attacking midfielder is set to remain in England to continue his development and hone his craft, with a number of clubs including Middlesbrough and Sunderland named as potential suitors alongside Newcastle.

Imagine him & Bruno

There is no doubt that Howe must be delighted with how his current squad at St James’ Park have been performing since he took over from Steve Bruce just over 12 months ago.

In 44 games in charge of the Magpies, Howe has registered 23 wins, 10 draws and only 11 defeats in all competitions, with a points average of 1.8 per game, and this season in the Premier League, the manager has taken the club to heights not seen in many a year on Tyneside.

Not even the most optimistic Newcastle supporter could have predicted in the summer that their team would be third in the table nearly halfway through the campaign with just one defeat over their first 15 league outings.

Indeed, the project at St James’ Park is a long-term venture for the Public Investment Fund, who bought the club from Mike Ashley last year, and the prospective signing of Jobe Bellingham could be a huge prospect for the future.

The talented 17-year-old – who was dubbed an “exciting talent” by Paul Robinson – has only just broken into the Birmingham City first team but is already following in the footsteps of his Borussia Dortmund based brother with a number of elite clubs linked to the player.

In 11 Championship appearances this season, averaging just 16 minutes per game as he has mainly featured off the bench, Bellingham has tallied an 81% pass accuracy and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles.

The England U18 ace has also made 25 appearances within the Birmingham U18 and U21 teams, scoring five goals and registering one assist, with Lee Bowyer already holding the young talent in high regard.

The Birmingham manager was impressed with Bellingham’s performance when giving the teenager his debut senior start in the FA Cup last January, saying: “Young Jobe coming on looked so comfortable.

“He’s earned that, he’s been training with us for two, three, four weeks now, you can just see him growing and improving every day.”

If Newcastle were to sign Bellingham, it could be a great opportunity to build a midfield partnership for the future between the rising English star and Bruno Guimaraes, as the defensive Brazil midfielder could be the perfect influence to work alongside the attack-minded teenager.

With that in mind, the signing of Bellingham would be a great opportunity for Howe to polish another diamond in the heart of his team and could nail down a midfield partnership at St James’ Park for many years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Adama Traore…

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Spurs are still keen to sign the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger, a player they have held an interest in dating back to before Nuno Santo’s arrival in the dugout back in the summer of 2021.

Antonio Conte is believed to be a huge fan of the Spain international and he came close to sealing him last January before he opted for a loan move to his boyhood club, FC Barcelona.

It’s also thought that the Lilywhites are reluctant to pay a fee for him so are willing to chance their arm in the summer, though interested foreign teams such as Napoli, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid could offer him a pre-contract deal on January 1st, whilst Leeds United also retain interest.

Perisic-esque swoop

If sporting director Fabio Paratici finally gets his man in the summer, then Spurs could have another Ivan Perisic-like deal on his hands as he’ll be landing a top-quality option for absolutely nothing in terms of a transfer fee.

Traore is something of an enigma – one of the Premier League’s most feared players but one that doesn’t have the goal contribution returns to back it up.

Indeed, people around the game have consistently waxed lyrical about his threat, ranging from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who once dubbed him “unplayable” to Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, who lauded him as an “animal” and a “beast” physically.

But for a player with 172 top-flight appearances in the Premier League, the former Aston Villa and Middlesbrough ace has only returned nine goals and 16 assists and in LaLiga last term, he managed just two goal contributions from 16 matches, as per Transfermarkt.

However, with a star-studded attack containing Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and usually Dejan Kulusevski, Traore wouldn’t be the man expected to deliver attacking returns consistently and he may even find a home at right wing-back instead – just like Perisic, who Conte converted into the role at Inter Milan.

Landing the £55k-per-week maverick on a free transfer could prove to be very smart business after all, so Paratici and co must try to sign Traore once again in 2023.

AND in other news, Spurs had a howler in failed swoop for £26m World Cup “real weapon” who’s like Beckham…

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is having to cope with a Lucas Moura ‘problem’ ahead of their Premier League clash with Liverpool.

The Lowdown: Spurs injury woes…

Earlier this week, Spurs star winger Son Heung-min had to undergo surgery after suffering a head injury against Marseille in the Champions League – putting his 2022 World Cup involvement in doubt.

That added to the woes of Conte with Cristian Romero and Richarlison already declared unavailable for today’s blockbuster encounter against Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Lilywhites could further cement their status as real top-four favourites with victory against Liverpool in London this afternoon but their lack of options in certain areas could be seen as a concern.

The Latest: Conte dealt Lucas ‘problem’…

Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s match, Conte has shared an update on Lucas with some bad news for him and supporters.

The Italian says his winger is in ‘really bad’ pain with the player himself ‘really worried’ – yet Conte has requested that Lucas try to make himself available for Liverpool.

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He explained (via Alasdair Gold):

“The problem with Lucas Moura is having different faces for his pain. Today it was really bad and they said he was really worried for this. I asked him to try to be available.”

The Verdict: Bad news…

The 30-year-old being in agony before Liverpool certainly comes as some bad news and supporters will be hoping it has subsided since and he has indeed made himself available for this afternoon.

As per WhoScored, Lucas can be a real threat on his day, with no Spurs player averaging more completed dribbles per 90 than the South American last season. He can be a really good option to call upon and Conte will not want to add another name to the injury list.

West Ham United head into Sunday afternoon’s Premier League meeting against Southampton in excellent form, with David Moyes’ side currently on a run of four consecutive wins in all competitions.

However, with Hammers’ still 13th in the top-flight standings after a poor start to the 2022/23 campaign, the 59-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping to make it five victories on the spin against the 18th-placed Saints.

While £35.5m summer signing Gianluca Scamacca is beginning to find form in front of goal, bagging three over his last four outings in all competitions, it is another West Ham striker who Moyes must unleash on Sunday, namely Michail Antonio.

Indeed, while the 32-year-old is reported to have a 75% chance of being fit to feature at St Mary’s after falling ill in the week, the striker’s record against the Saints should be enough to convince the Irons manager to hand him a start on the south coast.

Having faced Southampton 16 times in his career, the £9m-rated forward has proven a constant threat for the Saints’ centre-backs, finding the net on four separate occasions and providing his team-mates with a further two assists.

Furthermore, the £70k-per-week hitman has also been in impressive form over his nine Premier League outings so far this season, scoring two goals, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his team-mates.

The Jamaica international has also taken 1.4 shots, made 0.6 key passes and completed 0.8 dribbles per game, with these returns seeing Antonio average a SofaScore match rating of 6.83, ranking him as Moyes’ joint-eighth best performer in the league.

Scamacca is a very talented striker, but considering Antonio’s history against the Saints, coupled with his impressive returns in the top flight this term, it would seem wise for Moyes to give the 32-year-old the nod ahead of the Italian on Sunday.

Indeed, with Ralph Hasenhutll’s side having already shipped 17 league goals this season, unleashing the player who 90min’s Toby Cudworth dubbed “utterly sublime” will undoubtedly give the Southampton defenders nightmares.

Dean Jones has dropped a claim on the future of Aston Villa-linked manager Mauricio Pochettino.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider claimed that, after reports suggested that the 50-year-old would be interested in a move to Villa Park in the event that Steven Gerrard is relieved of his duties, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager is indeed interested in a move back to a Premier League club.

Regarding Pochettino’s presence at England’s 3-3 draw with Germany on Monday, Jones said: “Pochettino is very keen to be at games at the moment as he wants to be as ready as possible when a job opportunity crops up and so wants to see top players in person. I wouldn’t read too much into him being at the England match beyond the fact he is serious about returning to the Premier League soon.”

Real coup

Considering the fact that Gerrard has survived the two-week international break – typically a time when a club’s owners decide to part with their coaches – it would appear as if the 42-year-old job at Villa Park is safe, for now at least.

Having said that, should NSWE ultimately decide that the former Glasgow Rangers manager is not the man who they want to take Villa forwards, bringing Pochettino to the club would undoubtedly represent a huge coup for a club of Villa’s current standing.

Indeed, having taken over a below-par Southampton side back in 2012, the Argentine had an immediate impact on the Saints’ fortunes, comfortably guiding the club to survival over his 16 fixtures in charge in 2012/13, before leading the South Coast club to a quite extraordinary eighth place finish in his first – and only – full season at St. Mary’s.

As a result of the remarkable results he achieved at Southampton, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy decided to take the 50-year-old to north London in the summer of 2014, with Pochettino leading Spurs to a fifth-place finish in his first campaign with the club, before recording an extraordinary four back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League.

However, it was not only domestically that Tottenham impressed under the Argentine, as the 50-year-old also masterminded the club’s run to the 2018/19 Champions League final – in which they narrowly lost out to Liverpool.

As such, considering his undoubted ability to develop under-performing Premier League clubs into top-half regulars, as well as serious contenders for European trophies, should Villa indeed manage to convince the former PSG coach of a move to Villa Park, it would certainly represent a real coup for a club who were playing Championship football as recently as 2019.

Manchester United have churned out a whole host of top-class talent from their academy set-up over the years, boasting an impressive record for continually discovering gem after gem who have gone on to thrive in the first-team.

That being said, like at any side, not every exciting prospect that has been on the club’s books has gone on to star in the senior ranks, as for every success story, there is a notable tale of woe. For every Paul Scholes, there is a Ravel Morrison…

The latter man is arguably one of the greatest examples of what might have been, with the Wythenshawe-born starlet having sparkled in the Red Devils’ youth ranks, earning rave reviews from all across the game for his obvious talent.

Although he was subsequently unable to fulfil that unique potential – making just three first-team appearances during his time at the Theatre of Dreams – to this day his former teammates and coaches still speak glowingly about his rare gift as a footballer.

Having played a key role in the club’s FA Youth Cup triumph in 2011 – as part of a team that included both Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba – Morrison has since been dubbed as the “best player of that generation” by former United midfielder Quinton Fortune.

The now-retired ace had been asked if the playmaker was better than teammate Pogba, before subsequently stating: “Not even a question. It was effortless. It was a once-in-a-lifetime talent. It was like watching Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar, all those guys put together. We were mesmerised by him.”

Former club scout Phil Brogan has also insisted that Morrison “was better” than the World Cup-winning Frenchman, with the club’s other young stars having been in “awe” of a talent who looked “destined to be the best.”

Club legend Gary Neville notably likened the 5 foot 9 ace to the great Paul Gascoigne due to his quality in possession, while even the great man himself Sir Alex Ferguson had seemingly never encountered a talent such as the then-youngster’s.

Unfortunately for all concerned, the midfielder’s tough upbringing and off-field lifestyle appeared to simply get the better of him – in the view of Ferguson – as he has since struggled to ever truly perform at a string of clubs across the globe.

Now something of a journeyman, the 29-year-old is at the 13th professional club of his career, having departed the Red Devils permanently back in 2012 to join West Ham United, with the aforementioned Pogba also moving on to Juventus in that same summer.

While the 91-cap France international has gone on to win major honours and be recognised as one of the best in his position in the world, it is a somewhat sad state of affairs that Morrison has been unable to enjoy a similar career trajectory.

Having left the east London outfit in 2015, the Jamaica international has endured stints in Italy, Sweden, Holland and Mexico – as well as at other clubs in England – although has rarely ever managed to nail down a consistent run of games.

Arguably his most fruitful spell came following a reunion with former United teammate Wayne Rooney at Derby County last season as he netted five goals and four assists in 38 games in all competitions for the Rams – the most appearances he has ever made at one club – before following the former England captain to MLS side DC United back in July.

The £450k-rated man has since netted once in 12 games for the American outfit, with it yet to be seen if he will buck the recent trend and remain with the club for longer than just a solitary season.

As his former Hammers boss Sam Allardyce stated, he was the “biggest waste of talent I ever worked with”, with that seemingly encapsulating what has been a frustrating decade for both the player and those that have had to witness such an undoubted talent fall by the wayside.

Nottingham Forest have already signed 16 new players this summer but are showing no signs of slowing down, and they could be set for a last-gasp swoop for a new potential target.

What’s the latest?

According to French news outlet Media Foot, the Premier League club are interested in signing Lyon playmaker Lucas Paqueta this summer.

As per the report, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Arsenal are all also interested in the attacking midfielder, but Forest are now set to compete with their fellow top-flight clubs for his signature.

However, a new update from Fabrizio Romano suggests that a spanner could have been put in the works for the Reds, as West Ham have submitted a second offer for the player.

The Italian tweeted: “Lucas Paquetá agents, in London to discuss with West Ham after new bid submitted. There’s still work to do on club’s side – West Ham want to push for Brazilian star.

“Paquetá dreams of Premier League football – but agreement has to be reached with OL president Aulas.”

Marinakis must act fast

With Paqueta’s agents already in London to discuss deals with potential suitors and West Ham pushing for his signature, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis must act fast to secure a deal for the player before another club gets there first.

It comes as no surprise that the Brazilian is the subject of so much attention in England, as he has been a standout performer in an advanced midfield role for Lyon.

Compared to his positional peers in the top five European leagues over the last 12 months, Paqueta ranks in the top 1% for tackles, top 10% for aerial duels won, successful pressures and progressive passes received and top 15% for total shots and clearances.

The 24-year-old – who was dubbed “extraordinary” by his manager Peter Bosz – scored nine goals, delivered six assists and created nine big chances in 2021/22. He made 1.2 key passes and won 7.3 duels per game, while also successfully completing 69% of his dribble attempts, proving that he is a top-quality attacking threat.

Indeed, Forest have already signed Morgan Gibbs-White and Jesse Lingard this summer, both of whom play in a similar role to the Lyon star. However, considering the quality of Paqueta, it would be an ambitious statement set if Forest could seal a deal for the player, who comes with a reported price tag of €50m (£42.1m).

If Marinakis can beat Forest’s Premier League competitors to the signing of the Brazilian, it would be a massive coup and a big statement as to their intent to retain their top-flight status and challenge comfortably at this level.