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Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target defender

In light of Tottenham’s very poor defensive record in the Premier League, with 21 goals conceded, the most of any side in the top eight and more than relegation-threatened West Ham, there have been numerous reports linking them to centre-backs in January.

Inter Live have previously indicated that Antonio Conte was plotting a £43m bid for Alessandro Bastoni, while his Inter teammate De Vrij has also been linked for some time, with his contract due to expire with the Serie A side at the end of the season.

The Latest: De Vrij update

While stating that Conte is a huge admirer of the 6 foot 2 titan, Football Insider now report that Tottenham are in pole position for his signature, with a January deal a possibility.

Atletico Madrid are also in the mix, but Conte is “close” with the player from their time at Inter and has “already spoken” to him about a winter move.

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In the past, a deal for the Dutchman would have set a potential suitor back £40m, but he could be available at a “knockdown price”, given his aforementioned contract situation.

The Verdict: Get it done

The 30-year-old, labelled a “world beater” by Noel Whelan when linked to Spurs last year, would be a fantastic signing who the Spurs boss knows he can trust, having won the league at Inter during their spell there.

It is no secret that the Lilywhites are struggling defensively this season, failing to keep a clean sheet since a 2-0 victory against Everton in mid October, so a new option at the back is definitely required.

Former Lazio defender Mauricio has hailed the enforcer as a ‘monster’, while also describing him as having ‘excellent technique’, which could account for his 89.9% pass completion average per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 90th percentile compared to his positional peers.

This season, the £117k-per-week earner has featured 16 times in all competitions for Inter, who have operated using a back three in every match, meaning he would also take no time at all to adjust to Conte’s chosen style.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter has suffered a challenging start to his tenure at the club, currently riding a three-match losing skid and subsequently spending the World Cup devising a plan to counter the lapse in form. 

Despite the club’s struggles, several rays of light are shining through, with 18-year-old starlet Lewis Hall starting to break into the first-team reckoning after impressing for the development squad.

A versatile left-flanker, enjoying success both as a full-back and within a more offensive-minded position, Hall made his first-team debut for the Blues last season, earning Man of the Match against Chesterfield, in a performance of quality beyond his years. 

Praised for his “mature” nature by Potter, Hall is certainly on the way to earning more opportunities for the Blues, having made two appearances for the Blues in the matches preceding the World Cup in Qatar. 

Enduring a challenging outing against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, recording a match rating of 6.3, Hall returned with a steady performance against Newcastle United in the Premier League, and despite losing the match offered glimpses of prowess that Potter will be confident in developing over the coming months. 

Against the Magpies, Hall completed 81% of his passes, making three interceptions and one tackle, as per Sofascore.

And at just 18 years old, earning two starts for Chelsea is no small feat, with his quality and potential clearly two factors that the hierarchy hold close, believing that with the right tinkering, a star of supreme quality might arise in the coming months. 

It’s worth noting that against City, Hall impressed with bursting runs and deft dribbling patterns, but ultimately succumbed to the supreme quality of the English champions. 

His ability on the ball, almost intrinsic, offers shades of esteemed former Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole, who is regarded as one of the greatest to adopt the position and flourished for years with his darting forward runs, excellent defensive skills and a knack for providing brilliant attacking assistance. 

With Cole making 337 appearances for Chelsea, scoring seven goals and providing 37 assists, winning the Premier League, Champions League and Europa League during his stay, Hall has some way to go before successfully replicating the 41-year-old’s endeavours, but he’s off on the right foot. 

Indeed, if Hall is to continue his development, and continue building the blocks at Chelsea, then the club might just have found the regeneration of their iconic full-back.

With Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella both ahead of the young Englishman in the pecking order, Hall clearly won’t assume the regular starting role for some time yet, but with a diligent, hard-working approach, he can absorb the wisdom of his seniors and make use of the impeccable training facilities that Chelsea boast, possibly rising to the highest level at the club.

Of Steve Bruce’s tumultuous reign at West Bromwich Albion there were few positives to take.

Having led his side to a disappointing tenth-placed finish after joining in February, it was thought that he would have the necessary experience needed to return the Baggies to the Premier League.

However, a miserable start to the season where he had won just one game saw his side in the relegation zone, and his position become untenable.

He was sacked and replaced with Carlos Corberan, who has already proven that positives could be taken from this side despite just €1.35m (£1.18m) investment over the summer. His back-to-back wins already stand as proof.

Of this summer, however, the deal to bring in Brandon Thomas-Asante must be a success, given how he already is just one goal shy of Karlan Grant’s tally of three despite having played less than half the minutes.

Signed for just £300k on the final day of August, it marked a huge coup to bring a man who already had four goals and two assists in six League Two appearances for Salford City that season. Indeed, since then, the club have well and truly hit the jackpot by bringing him to the Midlands.

Indeed, his value has soared since joining the club. Transfermarkt rated him at €400k (£349k) as of September 2022 but in just one month of scoring for his new side, that had already risen by 100% to €800k (£698k).

Although it was not his signing, it seems Corberan will be the man to reap the rewards of his growth in value.

Having been labelled an “instant Hawthorns goal hero” by Albion reporter Lewis Cox, it is clear that his two league goals have established him as a solid addition to West Brom’s roster and one worthy of an upshoot in his rating.

With Daryl Dike now reportedly nearing a return from injury, chances are likely to become much harder to come by for the 23-year-old.

However, it should provide fine competition between three strikers who have all proven they can be lethal when on form. The increase in numbers vying for one spot should hopefully bring out that proficiency in front of goal for the Spaniard who will have ambitions of pushing his side far above where they currently sit.

Aston Villa communications director Tommy Jordan has slammed rumours that have claimed the club have decided to sack Steven Gerrard.

The Lowdown: Gerrard speculation

Football Insider shared news late on Monday evening that Villa have chosen to part ways with Gerrard following the defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.

They were informed by ‘well-placed sources’ that the ‘dismissal of Gerrard could be formalised by the end of the week’.

The report name-checked Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery as potential replacements, however, the club have officially remained silent on the situation.

The Latest: Jordan reacts

Jordan however took to Twitter to react to a tweet from Football Insider that has since been deleted.

He slammed the speculation, saying:

“How many times can you publish complete lies before people unfollow the account? Not sure why anyone actually follows this account. If you do, you shouldn’t.”

The Verdict: Last chance at Fulham?

Jordan has joined Villa chief executive Christian Purslow in speaking out on Gerrard’s future over the last seven days. However, we still feel tomorrow’s fixture against Fulham could be the final chance Gerrard has to save his job which appears to be hanging in the balance.

Anything less than three points in London and a first away victory of the season could result in Gerrard departing the club less than 12 months after arriving from Rangers, which many may say they could see coming due to the club’s struggles in the final third this season.

Celtic star James Forrest may be frustrated by the lack of game time he has received under manager Ange Postecoglou this season, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Lack of minutes

Despite signing a three-year contract extension with the Hoops this summer, the 31-year-old has thus far only featured once in the side’s starting XI during the 2022/23 Premiership campaign.

After failing to impress Postecoglou with just one goal and one assist in 16 league games last season, recent injuries have led to a lack of playing time for the winger.

However, in his first start of the season against Hibernian on Saturday, Forrest bagged a stunning hat-trick, bringing his overall career goals at Celtic above the centurion mark with 101 scored.

The Latest: Joseph reacts

Joseph thinks Forrest may be frustrated by his lack of minutes in a Green and White shirt this season.

When asked about whether the player would be annoyed by or understanding of the situation, the Sky Sports man told GiveMeSport:

“I think a bit of both. I think it is expected that he’s not playing at the moment, he was hampered by injuries in that Covid season, and just hasn’t got back to that flying form that we’re so used to seeing.

“Remember the two seasons prior to that Covid year, in each of those seasons, he contributed to 38 goals.

“He either scored or assisted 38 goals in both of the seasons, which just shows you how important a player he was for Celtic.”

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The Verdict: Huge career at Celtic

Whilst the 31-year-old may have fallen down the pecking order at Parkhead under Postecoglou, Forrest remains a very important player for the Hoops.

With a huge 451 appearances for the club, the attacker has helped contribute to the side winning 21 trophies with 200 goal-involvements.

Having been hailed as ‘outstanding’ by the Hoops boss earlier this year, Forrest’s injury woes have certainly been a significant factor in his transition to a rotation player at Celtic Park.

Therefore, whilst this may seem unfair with what the Scotsman has given the club, it is only right Postecoglou plays his best XI – which doesn’t appear to include Forrest for now.

A worrying claim has emerged on Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin and his current injury situation…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has claimed that the Frenchman is not likely to be in the matchday squad for the clash with Fulham on Saturday.

He tweeted:

“Callum Wilson & Bruno Guimaraes back for Newcastle at Fulham tomorrow, but Alex Isak misses out. Late calls on Allan Saint-Maximin & Chris Wood but it sounds unlikely they’ll be involved #NUFC.”

Magpies manager Eddie Howe refused to be definitive when asked about the winger’s fitness but did admit that the gem is not far away from being fit, saying:

“He’s doing well. He’s had a period away but he’s come back & he’s close. There’s a lot of moving parts with us at the moment. I’m being vague but that’s because there are a few situations that are unclear going into the game – Allan is one of them.”

Big blow for Howe

Saint-Maximin being ‘unlikely’ to feature against the Cottagers at the weekend should leave the Magpies head coach frustrated as his absence would be a big blow for the team.

The winger enjoyed a phenomenal start to the campaign as he caught the eye in the opening four games of the season. He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.53 – higher than any other player in the squad – and chipped in with one goal and two assists from out wide, whilst completing 3.5 dribbles per match.

This comes after he produced five goals and five assists in 31 Premier League starts in 2021/22, along with 4.3 dribbles completed per outing.

Only Kieran Trippier (1.9) has created more chances per game than the former Nice man (1.8) this term and no other wide player in the squad has assisted a single goal.

Miguel Almiron and Ryan Fraser have been deployed on the wings during Saint-Maximin’s spell on the sidelines and have mustered up one goal and zero assists between them, which suggests that there is a significant drop-off in quality between the Frenchman and his teammates in that position.

The aforementioned pair scored three goals and provided three assists combined in the top-flight last season and this shows that their struggles in the final third are not a new issue.

They do not have the quality to regularly contribute at the top end of the pitch and their lack of end product has played a part in the Magpies failing to win any of their last three matches – with the team scoring twice in that time.

Therefore, Saint-Maximin’s continued absence is a big blow for Howe as he will not be able to call upon the wing wizard to be a difference-maker against Fulham.

Newcastle United are reportedly stepping up their interest in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, after agreeing a deal to sign Real Sociedad striker, Alexander Isak.

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards, who wrote on Twitter that a loan move could be in the works: “Told #nufc pushing hard for Gallagher on loan from Chelsea after landing Isak from Real Sociedad.”

Reports earlier this month had suggested that the Magpies were one of a handful of Premier League clubs to have enquired about the England international, following his impressive, breakout campaign on loan at Crystal Palace.

Although the 22-year-old has since been welcomed back into the first-team fold at Stamford Bridge, manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted that there will be no guarantee of minutes for the youngster amid intense competition for places.

Manager’s dream

It looks set to be a hectic end to the window for those at St James’ Park, with the club all-but set to confirm the arrival of Isak on a £60m deal, having previously walked away from negotiations due to the hefty financial package.

That change of heart – potentially influenced by a fresh injury concern regarding first-choice forward Callum Wilson – will see the Tynesiders finally end their search for a new attacking recruit, with manager Eddie Howe having previously admitted his frustration at the inability to bolster his forward line.

The former Bournemouth boss now appears to have set his sights on another promising talent in the form of Gallagher, with the one-time West Bromwich Albion loanee currently on a real upward curve following his meteoric rise over the last 12 months.

Snapped up by those at Selhurst Park last summer, the £22.5m-rated sensation went on to score eight goals and provide three assists in the top-flight alone, while also impressing with his relentless, all-action style in the centre of the park.

Something of an old fashioned “box-to-box midfielder”, in the words of Zach Lowy, the £32k-per-week menace proved himself a real “manager’s dream” during his time with the Eagles – according to manager Patrick Vieira – such is his capability to impact the game in both boxes.

His impressive attacking output is no doubt influenced by his willingness to form part of the forward line when his side are in possession, as he notably ranks in the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

A man to also spark an attack with a surging run from deep – as he ranks in the top 8% for dribbles completed – the Epsom-born playmaker possesses a real desire to get on the front foot and influence the game, with that risk-tasking, aggressive style no doubt to Howe’s liking.

As too will be his strength defensively, as he ranks in the top 7% for pressures made, as per FBref, having previously been lauded as a “pressing machine” by Mark Duffy.

That approach will seemingly mirror the current style that is adopted by the Tynesiders, with the likes of Miguel Almiron (top 8%), Bruno Guimaraes (top 10%) and Joe Willock (top 13%) also ranking highly for the same metric.

It may prove difficult to secure the services of a player who has featured in all three league games for the Blues so far this season, although it is easy to see why Howe and co are so intent on pursuing him, with the four-cap maestro a true ‘manager’s dream’.

West Ham United are reportedly one of the clubs who are interested in Brighton and Hove Albion starlet Moises Caicedo, as manager David Moyes seeks to bolster his midfield ranks.

What’s the word?

According to the Mirror, the Hammers – as well as fellow Premier League side Arsenal – are believed to ‘keeping tabs’ on the 20-year-old, while clubs across Europe are also sniffing about following the Ecuadorian’s impressive start to the new season.

The 23-cap gem – who signed for the Seagulls on a £4.5m deal back in February 2021 – notably starred in the opening day triumph over Manchester United, with the Red Devils now said to also be contemplating a move before the September deadline.

The report does suggest, however, that Graham Potter and co are in no rush to part ways with the youngster, having already sold the likes of Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma so far this summer.

Game changer

Caicedo could well prove to be the answer to West Ham’s prayers, with the club having yet to adequately bolster their midfield ranks in the window thus far, having notably missed out on Amadou Onana to top-flight rivals, Everton.

With long-serving captain Mark Noble out of the door – as well as loan flop Alex Kral – Moyes has seemingly been left with a real dearth of quality and depth in the centre of the park, with it yet to be seen how involved summer arrival Flynn Downes will be this season.

Currently reliant on both Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice, the pair could no doubt benefit from more intense competition, with the Brighton gem seemingly the ideal, Premier League-ready option who can pose a genuine threat to their regular starting berths.

The £3.5k-per-week maestro was lauded for his “sensational” display against Erik ten Hag’s side at Old Trafford last week by journalist Josh Bunting, having completely overrun the home side’s ailing midfield.

That performance was merely a continuation of the form he had shown in the latter stages of last season, having started all of his side’s last ten league games (two this season and eight last season) since making his debut in the competition back in April – losing just once away at Manchester City.

Such a remarkable string of eye-catching displays has seen him labelled an “absolute game-changer” by journalist Charlie Heffenden, with those at the London Stadium no doubt hoping he can make a similar impact were he to make the switch this summer.

While the 5 foot 10 menace views himself as potentially more of an attacking threat, his ball-winning ability has been evident of late, as he notably ranks in the top 16% for tackles made among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

That record is far superior to the aforementioned pairing of Rice (top 44%) and Soucek (top 65%), with Caicedo potentially offering something that West Ham’s current first-choice duo appears to lack.

In that regard, he could well prove something of a game-changing signing for Moyes and co, if they can fend off the competition to get him through the door.

Journalist and transfer insider, Pete O’Rourke has shared a claim regarding Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley and his future at the Parkhead club following recent links with Leicester City.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke had this to say on the matter.

“I’m sure Ange Postecoglou will be determined to keep Matt O’Riley, he was a revelation after they signed him in January from MK Dons, and he played a key part in their success in the second half of last season.

“I think with the offer of Champions League football this year with Celtic going into the group stages, I’m sure that will play a part in maybe persuading O’Riley to stay at least for another season.

“I’m sure Celtic fans will be hoping to see Matt O’Riley stay at the club for the foreseeable future.”

As O’Rourke mentioned, Celtic signed O’Riley from MK Dons back in the previous January transfer window on a four-and-a-half-year deal worth an initial fee of £1.5m.

Since then, the 21-year-old has gone on to make 21 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing three assists along the way, highlighting his useful attacking talent from the middle of the pitch.

Good news for Celtic?

Even though the Hoops have been rather busy in terms of their transfer business throughout this latest summer transfer window, keeping hold of O’Riley could trump it all based on what the player has already begun to deliver for the team and what he could offer them for many years to come given his young age.

His latest performance for the Bhoys highlighted how much of a useful asset he is for the club as not only did he provide the assist for Stephen Welsh’s early opening goal in the 2-0 win over Aberdeen, he also racked up six key passes in total with two shots on target and two tackles made.

This shows just how important he can be in terms of setting up goalscoring opportunities for the Hoops and why he’d be a big miss for them if he were to leave this summer.

After all, he had a huge impact on the side in 2021/22, scoring four and assisting two in 16 appearances.

Given how the Bhoys have said goodbye to Tom Rogic this summer, who showed during his time at Parkhead just how useful he can be when it came to scoring and assisting goals, it seems as though the Hoops already have their ideal replacement for him with O’Riley.

That further highlights his importance in the team and why having him at the club for as long as possible could be vital to their success in the future.

Celtic have had a steady start to their latest summer transfer window in terms of the deals they’ve managed to complete.

With permanent deals secured for Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda, the Hoops have also brought in Alexandro Bernabei and Benjamin Siegrist.

Should Ange Postecoglou look to add a new attacking figure to his ranks before the season starts and the window closes, one rather recognisable name that has been linked with a move to Parkhead recently that would cost the club a penny to sign is Jordan Larsson.

After recently seeing his contract at Spartak Moscow expire, the son of former Celtic legend Henrik Larsson, is now available to sign as a free agent.

In 83 appearances for the Russian club, the striker found the net 27 times and delivered nine assists in the process, highlighting the clear attacking talent the £7.2m-rated 25-year-old has.

Labelled as a “versatile” player by ex-Sweden international Marcus Allback, the player would certainly be a useful addition to Postecoglou’s squad.

In fact, to further expand on the sort of player he is and what sort of figure he could become for the Hoops should he make a move to Parkhead this summer, the Swedish attacker has been compared to former Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, who is included on a list of similar players to Larsson according to Football Transfers.

With 627 club appearances under his belt, the Frenchman, who is still playing at the age of 39, has scored 150 goals and provided 220 assists throughout his illustrious career.

Taking this into account, the prospect of having their own version of Ribery in the shape of Larsson would be a mouth-watering one for the Bhoys, especially if he can go on to have a similar sort of career that the former Bayern star has had.

In terms of a potential move to Celtic Park this summer that would see him follow in his father’s footsteps, it seems as though this move would go down rather well with a significant number of Hoops fans, as 74% of them voted in a recent poll ran by Football FanCast that they would like to see the former Spartak star in Postecoglou’s squad.

Moving forward, with the striker now a free agent, bringing him to Parkhead this summer is a move that could benefit all parties from a financial and a footballing point of view.

AND in other news: Imagine him & Gia: Ange can form “wonderful” Celtic duo by signing “massive” £2m gem