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Former Tottenham defender Jason Cundy has claimed that Davinson Sanchez is ‘not interested’ after his display against Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: Spurs suffer FA Cup heartache…

Spurs were knocked out of the FA Cup in midweek after a 1-0 fifth round defeat to Sheffield United, ending the club’s hopes of domestic silverware for yet another season.

The Championship high-flyers sailed through after a brilliant solo goal from Senegal international Iliman Ndiaye, a goal which Sanchez was criticised for in terms of positioning.

Spurs struggled to exert their authority in all areas and squandered any chances they did have to score – with both Richarlison and Harry Kane missing good opportunities in either half.

The Latest: Sanchez slammed…

Speaking live on talkSPORT (via The Boot Room), Cundy has slammed Sanchez in particular and claims he is ‘not interested’.

He said:

“For the goal it’s like he’s moving in quicksand. He’s not interested. He’s terrible.” 

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The Verdict: Flop?

Tthe Colombia international has displayed moments of brilliance when consistently playing, but they have been few and far between.

Sanchez is a curious case, having signed from Ajax in 2017 for a then club-record fee, and chairman Daniel Levy will feel his price tag quite simply hasn’t been justified.

The 26-year-old has now entered the final two years of his deal, which is set to expire in 2024, and all signs point towards an unceremonious exit.

Out-of-favour under Antonio Conte, Sanchez has started just six Premier League games this season and now could be the time to call it a day.

Leeds United’s struggles are in no small part down to the injury absence of Rodrigo, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Injury-hit campaign

The 32-year-old has endured a frustrating 2022/23 campaign to date, finding himself sidelined for a chunk of it because of injury problems.

Rodrigo has been limited to 17 Premier League starts, and while that is still a relatively solid number of appearances, he hasn’t featured since the end of January.

Despite that, the Spaniard is still easily Leeds’ top scorer in the league with ten goals, highlighting his importance.

The Latest: Journalist bemoans absence

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor highlighted the absence of the former Valencia star as a huge issue for Javi Gracia that’s gone ‘under the radar’:

“It’s gone under the radar that Rodrigo hit 10 Premier League goals earlier in the season, he’s been a big miss through injury.”

The Verdict: Need him back ASAP

There is no denying that Rodrigo has been a big loss for Leeds, with his aforementioned scoring statistics showing how dependent they are on his goals.

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The £100,000-a-week attacker is someone who is going to be pivotal in the Whites’ battle to remain in the Premier League this season, given his ability to be a match-winner.

This is a player with eight goals for Spain, outlining his pedigree, while Jesse Marsch described him as a ‘clever’ footballer during his time in charge at Elland Road.

The hope is that Rodrigo is back in the fold as soon as possible and his return could ultimately make or break Leeds’ season, as they desperately battle to avoid relegation.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are ‘likely to trigger’ a contract extension for defender Nelson Semedo, according to journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Portugal international made the switch to the Premier League from Barcelona in 2020 but his current deal is set to expire at the end of the season and he’s already been linked with an exit.

The Old Gold were reportedly considering signing a new right-back in January with the 29-year-old having re-emerged onto the radar of his former club Benfica.

However, Julen Lopetegui has made the player a regular feature since arriving at Molineux and now sounds eager to tie him down.

The Latest: Semedo set to stay?

Taking to Twitter, Keen claimed that Wolves are set to extend Semedo’s stay, with the deadline for them to come to a full conclusion revealed. He wrote:

“Wolves are likely to trigger Nelson Semedo’s two-year contract extension before the end of the season, with his current deal up this summer. Club have until mid-May to make their decision and it’s in their hands.”

The Verdict: Correct decision

Wolves’ manager is clearly an admirer of Semedo and the Midlands outfit would be making completely the right decision by keeping hold of him.

The Nike-sponsored star ranks in the 95th percentile for most tackles per 90 minutes but is also a threat going forward having whipped 28 crosses into the box so far this season (FBRef).

The Lisbon native has featured in all 12 of Lopetegui’s games in charge so is obviously a part of his long-term plans, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Sheffield Wednesday defender Reece James closing in a return to League One action is ‘good news’, according to journalist Joe Crann.

The Lowdown: Positive injury update

The Owls left-back sustained a serious injury during the 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers in January which saw him stretchered off the pitch, and there was concern over the length of time that he could be facing on the sidelines.

However, Darren Moore delivered an update on the 29-year-old’s situation prior to this weekend’s clash against Plymouth Argyle and confirmed that the player is set to stage his comeback “in the next couple of weeks” should his recovery go according to plan.

The Latest: Crann’s reaction

Taking to Twitter before Saturday’s kick-off as he shared a corresponding article for The Star, Crann reacted to the Wednesday manager’s positive news on James and was relieved to learn that the number of players requiring treatment at Hillsborough is starting to reduce.

He wrote: “Akin Famewo is fine and available for selection today, and Reece James is back in a ‘couple of weeks’… Two sets of good news for SWFC, and the physio’s room is clearing out.”

The Verdict: Boost for Moore

James is only on a season-long loan from Championship club Blackpool, but considering the instant impact he has made at Hillsborough, it will be a huge boost for Moore to soon have him back at his disposal.

The 29-year-old was averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.9 clearances per league game before his injury (via WhoScored) and also put 25 crosses into the opposition penalty box, highlighting his ability to affect the game at both ends of the pitch.

James previously admitted that he would like to make a permanent move to Yorkshire, which will be music to Wednesday supporters’ ears, so that will definitely be a situation to watch come the end of the 2022/23 season.

Southampton failing to secure the signing of former striker Danny Ings is a ‘travesty’, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Secret meeting held

Nathan Jones’ side are rock bottom of the Premier League table after winning just four of their 20 matches this season, with an attacking addition seen as a priority this window.

The Saints were just one of several clubs interested in a move for the 30-year-old forward earlier this month having fallen out of favour at Aston Villa, and reports even claimed that key figures from the club secretly met with the veteran to discuss a potential return.

However, he instead ended up making the initial £12m move to West Ham, meaning that the south coast outfit will have to go back to the drawing board to identify new candidates.

The Latest: Taylor’s reaction

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor reacted to Southampton missing out on Ings and suggested that he would have been able to make a significant impact if he would have gone back to St. Mary’s.

“Southampton need that player, like a Danny Ings, someone who literally does what it says on the tin. I think it’s a travesty, really, [that] they didn’t bring him back to St Mary’s. Even signing him for West Ham, to me, that almost guarantees West Ham safety.”

The Verdict: Blow for Jones

Ings has been dubbed a ‘lethal’ finisher by journalist Chris Sutton, and while he picked up an injury in his Hammers debut, Southampton not being able to convince him to return to the club will have been a huge blow to Jones.

The Nike-sponsored attacker has bags of experience and is proven in the top-flight, having made 87 goal contributions in 189 appearances at this level, not to mention he was averaging 1.5 shots per league game under Unai Emery.

The Saints were reportedly in advanced talks to sign Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson, but with him having now agreed a deal to join Bournemouth, the boss will have to continue his search to find the prolific profile of player he’s desperate for.

Craig Hope, North East reporter for The Daily Mail, says that Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda is ‘being watched’ by Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interest

The Mail reported on New Year’s Eve that the St. James’ Park outfit have joined the race to sign Fresneda, with both Arsenal and Juventus also monitoring the teenager.

He could be available for around £10m, and the North East club have officially ‘expressed their interest’ in his signature.

The Latest: ‘Being watched’

Taking to Twitter, Hope has shared that Fresneda is ‘being watched’ by the Tynesiders ahead of a potential move, and he is among a number of other right-backs being ‘tracked’:

“Valladolid right back Ivan Fresneda is being watched by NUFC. Sources confirm interest & say 18-yr-old is among others being tracked. A young right-back is certainly high on list for Jan.”

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has since added that Eddie Howe’s team have scouted Fresneda ‘several times’, including when he played against Real Madrid on Friday.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Despite Valladolid’s 2-0 loss at home to Madrid, the Magpies would have liked what they saw from Fresneda.

The Spaniard won ten duels, by far the most of any player on the pitch, while he also made a joint-high three clearances and an unmatched eight tackles, chipping in with four accurate long balls, one key pass and two interceptions (SofaScore).

Hailed as having the ‘beastly‘ ability to maraud forward and put in crosses from right-back by journalist and La Liga presenter Juan Arroita, only three of his team-mates average more crosses per game than him in La Liga so far this season, while his 1.4 key passes per match is unmatched (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, Fresneda would be the perfect understudy to Kieran Trippier, who has played in every game so far this term and is in need of the occasional rest.

Manchester United are still thought to be interested in signing Barcelona forward Memphis Depay, with his future set to be decided next week.

The Lowdown: Gakpo ‘agreement’

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Red Devils have reached an ‘agreement in principle’ with Cody Gakpo. A further update then claimed that the club are increasingly confident of signing the PSV forward in January instead of waiting until next summer, and are in regular contact with the 23-year-old’s camp.

Gakpo doesn’t appear to be the only Netherlands attacker on the radar at Old Trafford, though, with news now emerging on Depay’s future.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sports Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet Sport regarding Depay on Thursday. They claimed that Depay’s future will be known next week, with the 28-year-old having offers on the table.

The report also adds that United, Tottenham, Juventus and Roma are all interested in a deal.

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The Verdict: Why not…

Gakpo has shone in recent months for club and country, however, he has been plying his trade as a left winger, whereas Depay, who played alongside Gakpo at the World Cup in Qatar, tends to occupy more of a central role.

A replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo appears needed in the New Year, so a swoop for former man Depay, lauded as a ‘different beast‘ now by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, could be a smart idea considering he has scored plenty of goals for Lyon and Barcelona since leaving United.

He could be available on the cheap over the coming weeks and contact has already reportedly been made, so it may prove to be Dutch delight for United in 2023 under Erik ten Hag with Gakpo and Depay in attack.

Aston Villa have not had the best start to their Premier League campaign but Unai Emery will be hoping that the World Cup break has given him time to settle in and players to recover ahead of the second half of the season, with some promising news emerging from Dubai.

What’s the latest?

According to Birmingham Live, Diego Carlos has travelled with the Aston Villa squad to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp ahead of their return to action in the Premier League later this month.

As per the report, Carlos is looking like he will be able to return to action in the new year as he has stepped up his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon injury that has left the player sidelined since the beginning of the season after undergoing surgery.

Emery will be thrilled

There is no doubt that Emery will be thrilled that Carlos is starting to show signs that he could be ready to return in the very near future as the new manager sets out to continue his transformation of Villa when they return to Premier League football after Christmas.

The Villans managed to climb back up to 12th in the league table with Emery taking two consecutive victories against Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion away from his first two league games in charge at the club, showing promising signs to the Villa Park faithful that a change in fate could be sealed over the second half of the season.

Indeed, Carlos’ return from injury will be another welcome boost and will feel like a new signing for Aston Villa as the defender has only made two appearances so far after securing a four-year deal in the summer.

Over his two Premier League appearances, the talented Brazilian tallied up an 85% pass completion rate in his own half and won 50% of his aerial duels, as well as averaging 70 touches, one clearance and 50 accurate passes per game, proving that he is a progressive defender who could be beneficial in linking build-up play with the Villa midfield.

With that being said, Villa supporters have a lot to look forward to when the team get stuck back into their top flight campaign, Carlos’ return combined with a new leader in Emery will surely be the huge boost the club needs to climb the table over the remainder of the season.

Manchester United are still closely monitoring RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko as a potential signing, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Sesko shining for Salzburg

In an era of young, brutish strikers such as Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez and Victor Osimhen, Sesko is another who is making waves currently.

The 19-year-old has scored 17 goals for Salzburg to date, including four in 11 starts in the league this season, also being hailed as ‘incredible’ by journalist Maxi Angelo.

United have been linked with a move for the Slovenian ace recently and a new update suggests that their interest isn’t going away.

The Latest: Move still possible

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that the Red Devils are still weighing up a move for Sesko, seeing him as a great prospect:

“It’s definitely worth keeping an eye on. He’s got a lot of supporters within the United recruitment staff, who feel that he’s the right fit for what they’re looking for.

“I think that, ultimately, is what’s probably going to help him stay on the radar.”

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The Verdict: Massive long-term potential

United may have found some form of late but there is still a feeling that their attack is lacking some genuine magic, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho all flawed for different reasons.

Sesko is someone who could come in as a special long-term addition, possessing similar physical attributes to some of those aforementioned young strikers mentioned above.

Granted, he wouldn’t necessarily be a key man from the off, given his age, but his ceiling means United would be mad not to snap him up if the chance arises. He could move to parent club RB Leipzig for the time being, however, which could scupper the move.

Frank Lampard is already looking ahead to next season in terms of improving his Everton side, with Napoli winger Hirving Lozano linked with a move to the Toffees – according to Spanish publication Marca (via Liverpool Echo).

The 27-year-old’s agent spoke recently about interest in Lozano, saying: “In my opinion, Lozano will leave next June, also because he earns over 4m (£3.5m) at Napoli.

“Even though he is delighted to be here, he has never hidden that he aspires to the top English clubs even if now he is probably realizing that Napoli itself is a top club.

“I think he can join Manchester United or Everton.”

This is encouraging news for Lampard, and he could well land his very own Bukayo Saka by making a move for Lozano, with the two comparable via FBref’s player comparison model.

Saka has been tearing it up recently at Arsenal, scoring five goals and registering four assists in all competitions this season and, despite Lozano being six years older than the Englishman, Everton could benefit from having someone similar on their right-wing providing a goalscoring threat.

Despite Saka scoring more league goals (four to two), Lozano actually averages more shots per match (4.51 to 2.42) while also generating more shot-creating actions per match (4.50 to 4.01).

The £84k-per-week Napoli winger has created more big chances than Saka this season (three to one), however, Saka just edges out Lozano in terms of key passes per match (1.9 to 1.2) – although it proves that the two are extremely attack-minded from wide positions.

Rangers Review journalist Derek Clark dubbed the Mexican as “frightening” before Napoli faced the Gers in the Champions League last night and it’s clear that Lampard needs a greater attacking output from out wide in order to take pressure off Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

If Everton did bring the player to the Premier League, the 44-year-old will be hoping that Lozano can have the same impact that Saka did for Arsenal, terrorising defences and creating an extra attacking dimension.