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Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly interested in a deal to sign Arsenal’s young defender Tolaji Bola, according to The Star. 

What’s the story?

Darren Moore’s side will be preparing for life in the third tier of English football, after they were relegated from the Championship last term after a disappointing run of results.

The Owls have held an interest in signing former Chelsea defender Renedi Masampu, who is reportedly on trial with the Owls during pre-season.

But whilst their believed to be keeping tabs on Masampu, they’re also said to be interested in a deal to sign Arsenal’s Tolaji Bola ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Star claim that Bola could be tempted by a return to League One on a temporary basis, as he looks to find himself regular minutes in senior football.

It’d be a risk-free signing for the Owls

Bola has been with Arsenal since 2008, and is yet to make a senior appearance for the Gunners, which will be slightly frustrating at the age of 22.

The 22-year-old spent last year’s campaign on loan with League One side Rochdale, and made 12 appearances for them in total, before returning to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Sheffield Wednesday endured a frustrating season last term, as they dropped out of the second tier on the final day of the 2020/21 campaign after a draw with Derby County.

It’s been a summer of change at Hillsborough, with a number of players leaving the club when their contracts reached a conclusion, as they looked to financially adjust to life in the third tier, whilst under the management of Darren Moore.

The Owls certainly need additional strength in depth in defence moving forwards, as additional options at left-back are needed, with Matt Penney recently departing Sheffield Wednesday in favour of a move to Ipswich Town.

Bola would be something of a safe option for Darren Moore’s side as well, with the defender having experience of playing at this level, having played for Rochdale last season, so there shouldn’t be too many concerns as to whether he’d be a good enough option to have in their team.

You aren’t on the books with Arsenal by chance, and you would imagine that the Gunners will be keen to find Bola regular game time in the near future, as his first-team opportunities are likely to be restricted this season with Mikel Arteta’s side.

Reinforcements are needed at Sheffield Wednesday, and Bola will be eager to make a name for himself in senior football, so it’d be a move that would work for all parties involved, especially with the Owls’ finances likely to be restricted this summer.

According to reliable Manchester Evening News correspondent Samuel Luckhurst, there has been a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving international goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

The Lowdown: Lloris contract saga…

Tottenham’s number one, despite being a mainstay under new boss Antonio Conte who apparently ‘loves’ the player, is set to leave on a free at the end of this season as things stand.

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The Frenchman’s current deal expires in 2022, meaning foreign clubs can even approach Lloris over a pre-contract summer move in January in what could be a danger for Spurs.

As a result, Spurs and managing director Fabio Paratici have been linked to signing an eventual successor to the long-serving number one – including England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

However, as per Luckhurst, it appears the Lilywhites have their eye on another Three Lions ace in the form of Henderson amid his lack of game time at Manchester United.

The Latest: Luckhurst makes Henderson claim…

According to the Red Devils correspondent’s information, Tottenham and Conte are eyeing the 24-year-old with ‘a view to a summer transfer’ as Lloris’ deal winds down.

Henderson himself is apparently desperate to get regular playing time and is even ‘prepared to leave permanently’ – but his club and manager Ralf Rangnick have no desire to let him go on loan or indefinitely.

The Verdict: Ideal replacement?

Depending on United’s sale stance in 2022, Spurs could have identified an ideal replacement for Lloris if he does indeed leave in the summer.

Still young and able to add to Tottenham’s homegrown quota, Henderson has also enjoyed great campaigns in the Premier League – most notably whilst on loan at Sheffield United over 2019/2020.

Starting 36 top flight matches for The Blades that year, he earned the applause of their former boss Chris Wilder, who called him an ‘outstanding’ member of their squad.

Meanwhile, Norway international Sander Berge held even loftier praise for Henderson – labelling the £120,000-per-week shot stopper ‘insane’ and ‘exceptional’.

A swoop for the United man isn’t without merit and it will be interesting to see how this one develops over the coming months.

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Statement’…Tottenham pundit thrilled as Paratici eyes ‘big signing’, 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.

James Pearce reckons Liverpool could be willing to sell defender Nathaniel Phillips to Newcastle United in January. 

The lowdown

Phillips played 17 Premier League games for the Reds last season in the midst of an injury crisis, helping them salvage a third-place finish.

But with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez back fit and Ibrahima Konate added to the Liverpool ranks, he’s not made a single top-flight appearance so far this term.

In fact, he’s only played 46 minutes for the senior side in total.

Phillips signed a new £65,000-per-week deal as recently as August, and it runs until June 2025.

Jurgen Klopp has branded him a ‘monster’, while Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher called his 2020/21 efforts ‘unbelievable’.

The latest

In a Q&A for The Athletic, Pearce was asked whether there were any players Liverpool might be interested in selling to Newcastle United.

He replied that Phillips ‘would be the obvious one’, assuming they want a centre-half.

“Looking at Klopp’s squad,” he added. “I’d say CB is probably only the only area where he could afford to lose someone.”

‘LFC had hoped’ to receive offers in the region of £10million-£12million last summer amid ‘lots of interest’, but ‘serious’ bids never really materialised.

The verdict

According to The Telegraph, Phillips is very much a target for the relegation-threatened Magpies.

Will Liverpool’s demands be met this time? Well, they might consider themselves to be in a strong negotiating position after agreeing a new contract.

But, on the other hand, it’s possible that Phillips’ almost total lack of involvement has seen his perceived value depreciate.

Either way, it probably makes sense for the Reds to cash in. They have a potentially lucrative asset sitting in their reserves, and a sale could help funds raise funds for incomings.

In other news, fans flocked to this AFCON development.

Former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips believes Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff could be a good summer signing by the Baggies.

The Lowdown: Longstaff a bit-part player

The 24-year-old has struggled to be a key man for the Magpies this season, making just 11 starts in the Premier League and only playing one full 90 minutes since January.

It could be that Eddie Howe is happy for Longstaff to leave in the summer transfer window when his current deal expires, especially with Newcastle newly rich after their big-money takeover, allowing for high-profile signings to come in.

West Brom have been linked with a move for the defensive midfielder in the recent past, as they look to bounce next season after a hugely disappointing Championship campaign.

The Latest: Phillips wants move to happen

Speaking to West Brom News, Phillips claimed Longstaff could be an ideal summer addition at the Hawthorns, with the Englishman available on a free transfer:

“I think he’s shown that he can play in the Premier League.

“So there will be no doubt he would be able to perform in the Championship, and a side like West Brom could really suit him. If whoever is in charge can get them playing that silky football that has been played there over the years then he is a player who would suit that style.

“For me, I think he needs to go somewhere that suits him where he can go and play week in, week out because there’s no doubt he has the qualities and he has the experience of the Premier League.

“It would be a good move for him and the club.”

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The Verdict: Good summer signing

The biggest stumbling block against Longstaff joining the Baggies is whether or not he is happy to drop down to the Championship, having got 73 Premier League appearances to his name now.

If he is content with dropping down a division, though, he could be a great signing, having once been praised by Pep Guardiola after Newcastle beat Manchester City 2-1 back in 2019.

Longstaff has averaged 2.3 tackles per game in the league this season – no West Brom player has averaged more in the Championship – and his top-flight experience could be invaluable, not to mention already working with Steve Bruce during his time in charge at St James’ Park.

In other news, West Brom are reportedly set for talks over the signing of one player. Find out who it is here.

Rangers may currently sit at the top of the league table but there is no denying that this has been an inconsistent few weeks for Steven Gerrard’s Gers side.

The Glaswegian outfit have only won one of their last three outings and have clearly struggled with Ryan Kent’s absence through injury.

He has been missing since the middle of September and their clash on Thursday evening will still come too soon for the winger.

His extended spell on the sidelines have led to selection dilemmas for Gerrard but he has another big decision to consider in midweek.

On the chalkboard

Rangers face a difficult task this evening as they face Brondby in the Europa League.

The Danish outfit travel to Scotland with the hosts still searching for their first points of the group stage campaign.

They sit at the foot of their group and face an uphill battle in their bid to reach the knock-out stages.

One problem that won’t help is the form of Alfredo Morelos of late. The Colombian has only found the net twice in eight Premiership outings this term and particularly struggled against Hearts last weekend.

Morelos lost possession 17 times and failed to hit the target with any of his seven shots during the encounter. That has taken his tally of attempts at goal to 29 this term with very little reward.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Gerrard took the decision to axe him from the team.

That’s despite backing the forward in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. He commented:

“It’s quite obvious he’s not in his best of form but he’s still getting in the right places and his all round game is still okay. It’s only a matter of time before the goals come for Alfredo. He’s sitting on 99 so I’m sure he’ll be desperate to get to 100…”

However, if they really want to give themselves the best opportunity of picking up three points, they must unleash Kemar Roofe.

The striker has found the net on six occasions in 12 outings this term and is the club’s top scorer this term. Consequently, he could strike fear into the eyes of the Brondby defence and terrify their backline.

It’s not just the £26k-per-week earner’s talent in front of goal that stands out, though. His all-round game is eye-catching and his pace could cause the opposition all sorts of problems on Thursday.

Speaking about him last term, Gerrard said: “He’s doesn’t stop, he’s like a Duracell bunny. He’s hitting numbers that you don’t really expect from a forward player.”

Quotes from Eddie Gray back in 2019 also paint a vivid picture of why he needs to replace Morelos this evening. Speaking to LUTV, he remarked: “He’s lead the line well, but he’s got that little bit of pace. It is something we [Leeds] have not got in abundance. Real pace. I’m talking about.”

Roofe has previous in this competition too, scoring a remarkable goal from the halfway line last term. Coincidentally, that was nearly a year ago to the day as he found the net against Standard Liege on 22nd October 2020 with a simply outrageous strike.

Of course, we’re not expecting another miracle like that, but the same sort of potency and desire will be hugely important for his teammates.

AND in other news, Fresh twist emerges on key Rangers figure that’ll leave fans over the moon…

Everton are one of the clubs who are interested in Sassuolo’s Filip Djuricic, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato. 

The lowdown

Significantly, his contract is up at the end of this season, and unless Sassuolo can reach an agreement with the 29-year-old soon, they may come under pressure to sell in January. That may be their only way to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.

The Serbian has featured in all nine of their Serie A matches so far this season, starting eight (via WhoScored), and he has averaged 1.9 dribbles, 1.8 shots and 1.1 key passes per 90 minutes for Sassuolo this term. For context, no Everton player boasts more than 1.2 dribbles per match up to this point in the season, with only Demarai Gray averaging more than one per game at Goodison Park.

The latest

Calciomercato claimed that there are three Premier League clubs on the trail of Djuricic.

Those are Everton, West Ham United – managed by former Blues boss David Moyes, of course – and struggling Southampton.

The verdict

Djuricic is valued at £8.1m by Transfermarkt, but the interested parties could look to avoid a transfer fee altogether by pursuing a pre-contract agreement.

He would appear better suited to the 4-2-3-1 that West Ham play rather than Rafael Benitez’s 4-4-1-1 given his capacity to play in the three positions behind the striker, but that’s not to say that a move to Merseyside is unrealistic.

His performance metrics certainly suggest that he could add plenty of verve to Everton’s attack, not least in terms of beating opponents one-on-one.

In other news, some Everton fans fumed over these Benitez comments

Patrick Boyland has said that Everton’s recruitment team have ‘liked’ Tanguy Ndombele ‘before’ but is unsure whether a move for the 24-year-old is feasible. 

The lowdown

The Frenchman – who has been hailed as a ‘rare talent’ by football coach and analyst Harry Brooks – has told Tottenham Hotspur that he’s open to leaving before the end of the transfer window (via The Athletic).

The midfielder has effectively been frozen out by new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, sidelined for the entirety of pre-season and all 270 minutes of competitive action so far. If he were to leave the north London outfit, his preference would apparently be a move to ‘one of the biggest clubs in Spain or Germany’.

Everton, for their part, have been assessing potential midfield signings such as Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff.

The latest

In a Q&A for The Athletic, Boyland was asked whether signing Ndombele on loan is a realistic option for the Toffees.

He replied: “Not sure. They’ve liked him before (they being the recruitment side) but he was obviously out of reach then. The reporting from London seems to suggest he’s available but that Spurs would prefer to recoup some/most of the sizeable transfer fee. Everton have looked at midfielders (Longstaff etc) but there’s not much money atm. Maybe a loan or two”.

The verdict

Considering that Ndombele’s ‘sizeable transfer fee’ was £55m and that there seems to be ‘not much money’ available at Goodison Park, Everton may well be priced out of the equation. Also, another potential stumbling block in the way of a permanent deal is the player’s £200,000-per-week wages.

A loan arrangement could perhaps see his salary divided between the clubs, and while that wouldn’t be ideal for Spurs, it would clearly be better than paying the full amount for a player who may barely feature. If no permanent offer is on the table, perhaps they would be receptive to that idea.

This would be a coup for Everton if they pull it off. Ndombele isn’t perfect but his ability to weave through opposition challenges and evade their press is very impressive, and Rafael Benitez would surely welcome those traits within his squad.

In other news, many Everton fans were left fuming over this transfer update.

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

West Ham have opened talks with Liverpool for Divock Origi, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: A new striker needed

David Moyes appears to be in desperate need of a new striker before the window closes, with Michail Antonio the club’s only recognised senior centre-forward on the books.

The Hammers are yet to make a big-money signing this summer and have just over three weeks left to do so.

Origi, who is on £60,000 per week at Anfield, was linked with a move to the London Stadium last month, and it seems as if West Ham have now firmed up their interest.

The Latest: Origi talks

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a recruitment source, West Ham have opened preliminary talks to sign the Belgium international.

A bid of just £15m could be enough to tempt the Reds to sell the 26-year-old, with the Irons thought to be leading the way for him.

Origi, who was described as ‘unreal’ by Liverpool teammate Caoimhin Kelleher back in the 2019/20 season, has just 12 months left on his current Anfield deal.

The Verdict: A gamble?

Origi has started just nine Premier League games across the last two seasons, with only two coming during the most recent campaign. He’s netted just four goals in that time, so bringing him to the London Stadium in a £15m deal could be a bit of a gamble from West Ham.

He does have plenty of experience for club and country, though, and is also capable of playing on the wing, so his versatility could come in handy. Also, he has garnered a reputation for scoring in big games for Liverpool.

It’ll be interesting to see if rumours of a move to London continue to gather pace, but it seems as if the Hammers are testing the water at this moment in time.

In other news: Many West Ham fans flock to official club announcement, find out more