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According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool will battle Chelsea for the signature of Monaco teenager Khephren Thuram in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Khephren is the son of France legend Lilian Thuram, who played for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona during a wonderful career.

The 47-year-old is actually the most capped player in the history of the France national team, having made 142 appearances for his country.

The former defender has two sons, the second of which – Khephren – currently turns out for principality side Monaco.

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are chasing the 17-year-old, but the Reds will face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

It is certainly an interesting situation to monitor, particularly when considering that Juventus have also ‘watched’ the teenager during the 2018-19 campaign.

What do we know about him?

Khephren has not yet signed professional terms with Monaco, despite the fact that he has already made three first-team appearances for the club.

The midfielder actually appeared twice for Monaco in the Champions League earlier this season, whilst he has made the bench for five Ligue 1 fixtures this term.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Born in Italy, the teenager has turned out for France at Under-18 level and according to transfermarkt, mainly operates as a defensive midfielder.

It would be fair to say that the youngster is quite an unknown quantity when it comes to assessing whether he could thrive at a club of Liverpool’s size.

Living up to his father’s reputation is going to be incredibly difficult, but the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Juventus do not monitor a player unless he has a lot of talent.

Sunderland have been handed a huge transfer boost over young midfielder Daniel Neil…

What’s the talk?

According to Football League World, the Black Cats will be able to keep hold of the Stadium of Light academy graduate if they win promotion this term.

The report claimed that Premier League quartet Leeds, Aston Villa, Wolves and Brighton are all keen on the 20-year-old and that he is likely to leave if the Wearside club remain in League One for another campaign.

Delight

This news will surely delight Sunderland supporters, as it gives hope that Neil may still be in their defence for 2022/23.

It suggests that the Black Cats faithful will not be fearing the worst if the club can to secure promotion this season. They would not need to worry about Neil departing in the summer ahead of a Championship campaign, leaving the club in the difficult position of needing to replace a key player whilst also trying to strengthen their squad.

This report will also leave fans buzzing, as it suggests that Neil is keen to have a crack with Sunderland in the Championship. The bright lights of the Premier League may prove too much for some to resist, and the midfielder turning down a top-flight move would show amazing loyalty to the club, and that should be respected in the modern game.

Former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson dubbed Neil a “young Paul Gascoigne” and his form in League One this season has been impressive. The 20-year-old has produced three goals and seven assists in 31 starts for the club, whilst creating 1.2 chances and making 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

He has caught the eye in a box-to-box midfield role, showcasing his ability to win the ball back whilst also having an impact on the game when in possession. Neil has the quality to change a game with his passing and shooting in the final third, and he still has plenty of time to develop and hone his skills even further over the next few years.

This is why Sunderland supporters will surely be delighted to learn that he is set to stay if Alex Neil’s team can secure promotion, as it would be a huge boost to the club based on his form this season and his long-term potential. The Black Cats are currently sixth in the table and could make their way up to the second tier by winning the play-offs, keeping their gem of a midfielder in the process.

AND in other news – Left for £0, value soared 14,900%: Sunderland fumbled gem with a “wand of a left foot”… 

Wolves are still likely to sign Hwang Hee-chan permanently during the summer transfer window, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Hwang’s hit-and-miss spell

The South Korean joined Wanderers on loan from RB Leipzig last summer and hit the ground running, scoring three goals in his first five appearances.

Since then, Hwang has had a more muted spell at Molineux, however, netting only once and finding himself sidelined for an extended period during the winter.

Wolves have the option to sign the 26-year-old for £12million at the end of the season and an update has now emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Spiers talks up permanent move

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Spiers claimed a permanent move still looks likely, although his injury and a dip in form have clouded the situation slightly:

“Was going to be this month but then he pulled his hamstring. I’d imagine they were also slightly concerned about his drop in form just before then. Lage is a big fan so if he gets back fit and in form before the end of the season he’s a bargain at £12m.”

The Verdict: Still worth it

In the early weeks of Hwang’s time at Wolves, signing him permanently looked like a no-brainer, with the Leipzig man excelling out on the left-hand side in games like the 2-1 win against Newcastle, when he earned Whoscored’s Man of the Match award.

While his impact has diminished of late, some of that is through no fault of his own – any player can be hit with muscle injuries – and he still looks a strong option to bring in during the summer window.

At 26, he should be approaching his peak years, and his versatility means he could also be a long-term replacement for Raul Jimenez in a central role, having been used there once to date this season.

In other news, Spiers has also made another key Wolves transfer claim.

Newcastle United are ‘likely’ to sign two players this week, according to The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards. 

The lowdown

Last weekend, Newcastle played host to relegation rivals Watford, who sit just above the bottom three. The Magpies took the lead through Allan Saint-Maximin, only for Joao Pedro to snatch a point for the Hornets three minutes from time.

The draw leaves Eddie Howe’s men 19th in the table with just one win and 12 points from their first 20 matches.

Their next match sees them travel to 15th-placed Leeds United on Saturday, with the Whites putting daylight between themselves and the danger zone with back-to-back wins in the league, so it’s fair to say that the pressure is on for the Magpies.

The latest

Edwards took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to write that Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos is ‘edging closer’ to joining, and while his arrival is yet to be confirmed, senior club officials have been hard at  work trying to bolster the squad before the weekend trip to Elland Road.

The journalist is currently unsure about the identity of the second player who’s likely to join, as he tweeted: “Diego Carlos is edging closer to a #nufc move but still not confirmed yet. Told senior club officials have been working round the clock to secure targets and boost squad before Leeds. They have encountered resistance at every turn but 2 players (I can’t get other name) are likely”.

The verdict

Carlos’ impending arrival should be a significant boost given the Magpies’ defensive struggles. They have the worst record for expected goals against in the Premier League, but the hope will be that the 2019/20 Europa League winner with Sevilla shores them up at the back.

Who could the mystery second man be? Perhaps it’s Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata, for whom Newcastle have reportedly made an offer, and the Colombian marksman is believed to be open to joining.

If the Magpies agree to meet Atalanta’s €45m (£37.6m) asking price, that may be a deal they can get done in the next five days.

In other news, Newcastle have made an approach for this serial winner

Wolves could still make a last-gasp move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey this month, according to a late transfer rumour which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Ramsey leaving Juve?

The Welshman has struggled to make his mark during his time in Italy, only registering six goals and six assists since arriving from Arsenal in 2019.

Juve are thought to be keen on offloading Ramsey before the January transfer window ends, and Wolves have been linked with a move in the recent past.

Leeds have also been backed to sign him, though, as a return to England for the rest of the season potentially comes to fruition.

The Latest: Wolves tipped to make late move for Ramsey

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Wolves’ move for Ramsey could ‘resolve’ itself at the 11th hour.

It is stated that ‘Jorge Mendes takes care of it’, suggesting that the agent could get a deal over the line for the 31-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 71 caps for Wales.

The Verdict: Strong last-gasp addition

If Wolves sign Ramsey before deadline day ends, it could prove to be a bonus during an already positive month on the pitch at Molineux, following four wins in a row in all competitions.

While the Welsh midfielder arguably isn’t at his peak anymore, he has proven Premier League pedigree – 40 goals and 51 assists – and could complement the deeper-lying pair of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.

With Wolves looking to finish in the European places this season, Ramsey could add a sprinkling of stardust to provide more depth and quality in key matches between now and May.

In other news, some Wolves fans are happy with an update on one player. Find out who it is here.

With the January transfer window set to open in a matter of days, journalist Luke Hatfield has dropped a claim that could leave a lot of Aston Villa fans worried about the future of one of their star players.

What’s the news?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Hatfield had this to say about the possibility of Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez attracting interest from other clubs and potentially leaving the Midlands club.

He said: “Martinez was one which was always kind of a little bit of a worry because of the performances he’s putting in have made him one of the top goalkeepers in world football at the moment.

“But his reaction to the Crystal Palace game when he went over to the fans and [kissed] the badge. I mean, it shows that players are enjoying playing for Villa at the moment and enjoying their time under Gerrard, so fingers crossed they can keep the group together.”

Fans scared

Since joining the Villans back in September last year from fellow Premier League club Arsenal in a deal worth a reported fee of £17m, the Argentine has firmly cemented himself as their number one goalkeeper with 55 appearances and 20 clean sheets under his belt across all competitions.

In addition to this, at the end of his debut season at the club, the shot-stopper managed to win the Supporters’ Player of the Season award, showing how much he is admired by the fans at Villa Park.

As a result, they will surely be scared that his future is potentially in doubt heading into the January transfer window.

This season has seen Martinez earn himself an overall performance rating of 6.94/10, making him Villa’s fourth-highest rated player according to SofaScore, which also shows how good he is on the pitch and why Hatfield thinks he could be attracting interest from other clubs.

Moving forward, even though his current contract at Villa isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2024, it could be worth the club offering the stopper a new deal to keep him out of the clutches of any club that may want to sign the 29-year-old in the future.

With the Daily Star claiming that fellow Premier League club Manchester United reportedly have Martinez on their transfer shortlist, this could spring Johan Lange into action to get the Argentine to sign a new deal.

In other news: Forget Mings: £82k-p/w AVFC dud who lost the ball 17x was Gerrard’s weak link vs Blues – opinion

According to Turkish news outlet Fotospor, as shared and translated by Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur are taking an interest in Fenerbahce defender Kim Min-jae yet again after their links with the player last year.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyed 2020 move…

Over the summer of 2020 during Jose Mourinho’s tenure at the club, Tottenham were linked with a move for the South Korea international.

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Indeed, as explained by sources from the player’s homeland, he was once heavily courted by some of Europe’s top clubs, including the Lilywhites, before he eventually sealed a move to his current club from Beijing Guoan in August.

Korean Sports reporter Jason Lee, sharing a report from SPOTV News, relayed that Kim himself was particularly keen on a move to Spurs back in September 2020.

Indeed, the 25-year-old was apparently ‘waiting for Spurs to make their final offer to Beijing’ and preferred a move to north London over Serie A giants Lazio, who were also interested at the time.

The Latest: Spurs back in…

As per Fotospor, Tottenham are seemingly back in for the towering defender, with the club, and managing director Fabio Paratici by extension, now ‘preparing to make an offer’.

However, Fenerbache don’t intend on making things simple for Spurs as they outline ‘very difficult demands’ – especially considering they plan on keeping him past January.

The Turkish Super Lig giants apparently want €25m (£21.07m) for Kim, whilst also demanding a lofty 25% sell-on clause.

The Verdict: Right move?

The 6 foot 3 colossus comes as an outside option to strengthen Antonio Conte’s defence over a year after Tottenham first registered interest. While Kim doesn’t exactly come as the most blockbuster defensive target when compared to the likes of Stefan de Vrij or Matthijs de Ligt, he could be a shrewd one.

Nicknamed the ‘Monster’ back in South Korea for his large, imposing frame, £21.07m is arguably a small price to pay considering that he is still fairly young. The 37-cap international’s price tag is also far less than that of De Vrij or De Ligt, with the former valued at around £40m and the latter £63m.

After Tottenham announced pre-tax losses of £80.2m, taking their debts to £706m in total (The Guardian), Kim’s signing could be a cheaper alternative to the bigger names.

In other news: ‘Coming from Tottenham’…Journalist makes exciting Spurs transfer claim with offer on the table, find out more here.

Portuguese transfer journalist Bruno Andrade, who contributes for CNN and UOL Esporte, has now shared a big pre-summer update involving Tottenham Hotspur and Everton striker Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes new forward?

The Lilywhites, who arguably lack sufficient back-up for star man Harry Kane, have been tipped to add an alternative striker to their ranks in recent months amid their lack of depth in that position.

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Most recently, the likes of Darwin Nunez (Benfica) and Paulo Dybala (Juventus) have been linked with a move to Tottenham as transfer chief Fabio Paratici aims to back Antonio Conte in the summer market.

Talks have also been held over the likes of Alvaro Morata, according to Football Insider in late January, with news now coming to light on a surprise new target in Toffees star Richarlison.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘already’ make first move…

According to Andrade, Spurs and Paratici ‘above all’ have ‘already taken polls’ to sign the 24-year-old – allegedly making contact with Everton as they make their first move pre-summer.

The reporter adds that Richarlison himself ‘prepares transfer within the Premier League’ as Frank Lampard’s prize asset eyes a Merseyside exit.

The Verdict: Ambitious move

The Goodison Park club, amid a scrap against relegation, are also hampered by financial trouble off the field as they face the biggest losses out of any English team in the past three years (The Times).

This could mean Everton simply have to sell this summer in a bid to balance the books, especially if they drop down to the Championship, and it’s little surprise Tottenham are allegedly thinking to take advantage.

The £110,000-per-week forward has been a key player for Everton over these last few seasons, topping their Premier League charts over 2021/2022 too with the most goals and assists combined (WhoScored).

He also ranks in as the Blues’ best performer this season going by average match rating per 90 (6.87) with the proven top flight attacker coming as a logical Tottenham target.

In other news: In recent weeks: Tottenham step up chase to sign ‘incredible’ player as club brace for their bid! Find out more here.

Wolves winger Adama Traore is reportedly happy to stay put at Molineux until the summer before potentially returning to his former club Barcelona.

The Lowdown: Constant exit rumours

The 25-year-old has been continually linked with a move away from Wolves in the January transfer window, with Bruno Lage seemingly happy to see him leave.

The likes of Liverpool and Tottenham have both been tipped to sign Traore in the near future but nothing concrete has materialised yet.

Another update has now emerged regarding the winger’s future as the saga takes another twist.

The Latest: Summer move instead?

According to Sport, Traore sees returning to Barca as a ‘priority’ and is willing to wait until the end of the season for the move to come to fruition, with the report describing it as a ‘feasible’ transfer.

It is claimed that the Spanish giants see the Wolves winger as a possible replacement for Ousmane Dembele, should the Frenchman move on in the summer.

The Verdict: Matter of time

Traore has had huge praise down the years, with Jurgen Klopp once hailing him as ‘exceptional’, but it seems evident that Lage doesn’t see a long-term future for the Spain international at Wolves.

The speedy winger finally scored his first goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton but it is a damning indictment of his end product that it has taken 22 appearances for that to happen.

A summer exit feels best for all parties, ensuring that Wolves don’t lose a good squad player in the middle of the campaign while allowing them to receive a healthy fee which can go towards new signings for next season.

In other news, Tim Spiers claims Wolves are ‘set to sign’ one player. Find out who it is here.

Joseph Masi has dropped an update on the future of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

What’s the talk?

Speaking recently on the Baggies Broadcast podcast (via This Is Futbol), the Express & Star journalist stated his belief that, while the 28-year-old shot-stopper could leave the club in January if he were to receive an extraordinary offer, the England international will more than likely remain at The Hawthorns until the end of the current campaign.

Regarding the goalkeeper’s future, Masi said: “The situation with Johnstone obviously is that if he becomes a free agent [next summer], he will basically get a massive signing-on fee.

“I think Johnstone could definitely leave in January if something unbelievable emerges, and of course, he’ll take it – but I thoroughly, thoroughly expect him to see out the season with Albion and assess his options in the summer.”

Music to the ears of fans

Considering just how important a part of the West Brom side Johnstone has proven himself to be in recent years, the news that the ‘keeper does indeed look set to remain with the Baggies for the duration of their 2021/22 campaign is sure to come as music to the ears of fans.

Indeed, over his 20 Championship appearances this season, the £7.2m-rated man has kept nine clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.6 saves and 1.9 runs out per game, with these returns seeing the shot-stopper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

However, it was over the 28-year-old’s 37 Premier League outings last season in which he demonstrated his ability at the highest level of the English game, keeping six clean sheets and making an average of 4.5 saves per fixture – the most of any ‘keeper in the top flight.

These metrics saw the £18k-per-week England international earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as West Brom’s second-best performer in the league.

As such, keeping hold of Johnstone beyond the closure of the winter transfer window will undoubtedly provide Valerien Ismael’s chances of securing promotion back to the Premier League with a major boost, while losing the ‘keeper could well prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the Baggies’ hopes of a top-two finish this season.

In other news: Journo delivers exciting update on WBA transfer window plans, fans will be buzzing