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Aston Villa are interested in a move to bring Jesse Lingard to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Birmingham Live, who claim that Steven Gerrard could look to make the Manchester United attacking midfielder one of the first signings of his tenure at Villa Park, with the 28-year-old looking set to leave Old Trafford in the winter market.

Indeed, a recent report by The Sun claimed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be willing to part with the England international for as little as £10m in the January transfer window, as Lingard’s current contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

Furthermore, Birmingham Live also reported earlier this month that the midfielder’s exclusion from Gareth Southgate’s recent England squad is yet another reason the former West Ham United loanee will be looking to move onto pastures new this winter, something that would appear to bode well for Villa’s chances of securing a deal for Lingard.

Lange must move

Considering just how impressive Lingard was upon his loan move to East London last season, the argument that Johan Lange should make a move to bring the 28-year-old to Villa Park when January comes around is a rather easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 16 Premier League appearances for the Hammers, the £19.8m-rated man scored nine goals, registered five assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns saw the player who Adrian Durham dubbed “absolutely phenomenal” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.19, with his performances playing a key role in West Ham’s qualification for the Europa League, in addition ranking him as David Moyes’ best player in the top flight of English football.

Indeed, there are clear comparisons between Lingard’s returns last season and that of Gerrard’s former star man at Rangers, Ryan Kent, who scored ten goals, provided 11 assists and created nine big chances over his 37 Scottish Premiership fixtures last term – with these metrics seeing the 25-year-old earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.23.

As such, it would indeed appear highly advisable for Lange to do everything in his power to bring Lingard to Villa Park this winter, and the £80k-per-week midfielder would undoubtedly be an extremely useful option in Gerrard’s favoured three-man attack.

In other news: NSWE must grant Gerrard’s AVFC wish for “amazing” £4.9k-p/w gem, he’d be a big coup

As per Fichajes, there has been a significant update on the future of summer signing Bryan Gil as Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy make their January stance clear.

The Lowdown: Gil wasted?

Lauded as one of the sensations of La Liga last season during his time on loan at Eibar from Sevilla (Planet Football), the dazzling Spaniard hasn’t exactly played a prominent role since moving to Spurs.

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Gil signed for Tottenham in a swap deal over the summer with Erik Lamela moving the other way, a transfer which was praised by certain sections of the media given the youngster’s quality.

Very highly-rated by his national peers, the 20-year-old was called ‘Spain’s best footballer’ at one point last year, with former Barcelona scout ‘Mani’ even comparing him to Neymar (Cadena SER via talkSPORT).

Regardless, his game-time at Spurs has been limited to mainly cup appearances so far, with Gil getting just 57 minutes of Premier League action in total (WhoScored).

The Latest: Levy open to Gil offer…

As per Fichajes, amid his lack of real chances in England’s top flight, La Liga giants Barca ‘want to request’ signing the attacking midfielder on loan in January.

New Blaugrana boss Xavi apparently wants him at the Camp Nou and Levy’s Tottenham ‘would not object’ to the transfer mid-season, with the Lilywhites now open to accepting an offer.

This is dependent on Gil himself requesting to leave, though, with the player’s stance left unclear.

The Verdict: Right call?

Also drawing comparisons with footballing icon Johan Cruyff, the young Spaniard has impressed in flashes when called upon in the Carabao Cup and Europa Conference League. For example, Spurs legend Graham Roberts even called Gil a ‘superstar’ after his assured display in the 3-0 home win over Pacos de Ferreira earlier this season (Twitter).

However, if the Lilywhites potentially want him to develop into an eventual successor for Christian Eriksen, he will need more minutes under his belt, and a loan move could be the solution. Either that, or new boss Antonio Conte should gift the playmaker a chance to impress more often as one of the attacking midfielders in his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

He certainly has the quality, as evident by him completing more dribbles per 90 on average last season (2.4) than any Spurs player did in the Premier League (WhoScored).

Additionally, only Son Heung-min racked up a higher amount of key passes per match in that time, pointing to a player who can more than hold his own when given the opportunity.

In other news: ‘Coming from Tottenham’…Journalist make exciting transfer claim with ‘biggest offer’ tabled, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are considered the front-runners to secure coveted transfer target Stefan de Vrij, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian outlet Calciomercato claim Spurs are interested in a move to sign the Inter Milan centre-back and the Serie A champions could be open to selling him in the future.

His departure could raise finances to subsequently reinvest in a younger alternative, one that will be of more use to Simeone Inzaghi in the long term.

It remains to be seen how much de Vrij would command, though Transfermarkt currently value him at £45m, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2023.

Major coup

The Lilywhites may remain unbeaten in all three matches under Antonio Conte, but their defensive problems are bubbling beneath the surface and sooner or later, this will be a big problem for the 52-year-old.

It is no surprise that he is targeting the addition of two new centre-backs this winter, per Duncan Castles.

Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez played a big part in last season’s turmoil at the back, whilst Japhet Tanganga and Joe Rodon may not be considered ready, and even left-back Ben Davies has been filling in as the only left-footed option.

Their problems have evidently continued into the current campaign as Spurs have the worst goal difference of any team ranked 16th or better right now.

Whilst summer signing Cristian Romero is seemingly acing a pretty length stint on the sidelines with what has been described as a “serious” hamstring injury.

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The Netherlands international is someone Conte knows well from their time together at the San Siro, where last season, he not only contributed to their title triumph but also towards them having the best defensive record in the league.

He will know too well about the Italian’s demands and system, so he would need little time to settle in and that not to mention his obvious qualities as an experienced 54-cap colossus.

In 2020/21, de Vrij averaged an impressive 93.8% passing accuracy across 32 appearances, excelling with the ball at his feet, on top of two aerial duels won and 1.3 interceptions per league outing, via WhoScored.

“Stefan is a great defender and deserves to be at a big club. He’s very tall, he’s strong and fast, he runs a lot – he’s a monster!,” claimed ex-Lazio teammate Mauricio to ESPN (via Football Italia), before later adding: “He’s a calm defender who never gets agitated.”

Also dubbed a “world-beater” by former top-flight striker Noel Whelan to Football Insider, the Inter Milan beast could be exactly what Conte needs to kickstart his era in north London.

Given their issues defensively, he could quite easily become Spurs’ biggest and best signing since Heung-min Son, who has made a big impact over the years.

Lilywhites chief Fabio Paratici must look to seal a move for de Vrij as early as January.

AND in other news, Conte could have a secret weapon at Spurs in rarely-seen £18m-rated “big, big talent”…

Celtic have been dealt a late injury blow ahead of their upcoming Scottish Premiership clash.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report by The Herald, Celtic centre-back Carl Starfelt will be unavailable for selection against Hearts this evening, as the defender does not look to have recovered from a hamstring injury that has seen him miss the Bhoys’ last six fixtures – despite the defender being pictured in training at Lennoxtown on Wednesday.

Postecoglou will be fuming

With the fixture against third-placed Hearts tonight being an extremely important one for Celtic, with a win reducing the gap between the Hoops and the current Premiership leaders to just four points ahead of the busy Christmas schedule, the news that Starfelt will not be available for selection is sure to have left Ange Postecoglou fuming.

Indeed, the Sweden international has highly impressed over his 11 league appearances so far this season, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and winning 6.3 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £2.7m-rated man average a SofaScore match rating of 7.23, ranking him as the Bhoys’ joint fifth-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who still remain in Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

What makes his time on the sidelines even more problematic is that since his time out, the Hoops are yet to keep a clean sheet in Premiership action, conceding to both Dundee FC and Aberdeen.

As such, the continued absence of the centre-back will undoubtedly come as a major blow to the 56-year-old manager and his side, who will be desperate to secure all three points against Hearts in order to keep pace in the Premiership title race.

In other news: Postecoglou axes £14k-p/w “terrible flop” in 2 changes: Predicted Celtic XI v Hearts

Everton reportedly have their eye on signing a player in the upcoming January transfer window who could help them to both strengthen at the back and provide a greater attacking threat.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from 90min, the Toffees are one of the Premier League clubs alongside Newcastle United, Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa interested in signing Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier in January.

Throughout his career, the Englishman has made a total of 426 senior appearances, scoring 10 goals and providing 78 assists with clubs such as Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur, Barnsley and Atletico across all competitions, highlighting his attacking and creative abilities on the pitch.

On the international stage, the 31-year-old – who is currently valued at £18m by Transfermarkt – has made 35 appearances for England.

Last season saw Trippier prove to be a crucial figure for Diego Simeone’s side in their title-winning La Liga campaign by averaging 1.3 key passes, 2.2 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per game, highlighting his ability to create chances going forward and be a tough defensive opponent.

In terms of a potential move to Everton, with suggestions that Lucas Digne could be on his way out of the club in January after a reported falling out with Benitez, Trippier could be a suitable replacement for the Frenchman given that he has played several times for England at left-back and could bring a lot of top-level experience and talent to the team.

Labelled as a player with “outstanding quality” on the pitch by England manager Gareth Southgate, Trippier could help Farhad Moshiri to fix a potentially big issue at Everton if Digne does leave in January as a result of his apparent spat with Benitez and decides that he doesn’t want to continue playing for the Toffees.

In other news – Digne 2.0: Benitez could cause ructions at Everton with move for “brilliant” 32 y/o 

Off the back of two successive agonising defeats – and both for different reasons – Leeds United face the daunting task of games against Arsenal, Liverpool and a resurgent Aston Villa before the end of the year.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were hammered 7-0 by Manchester City in their latest outing, and host Arsenal knowing that they are firmly in that battle to beat the drop.

Injuries have derailed the Whites’ hopes of enjoying another impressive year in the top-flight, but while that is understandably a cause for concern, it can also be a blessing in disguise in other respects: namely, handing an opportunity to some of the club’s brightest young prospects.

Joe Gelhardt has already had his share of first-team football in recent weeks, and now, Cody Drameh should surely be in the frame for a starting spot.

Jamie Shackleton occupied that right-back slot against City before being taken off, and when you consider Bielsa ought to be putting square pegs in square holes, Drameh must figure into the equation for that role going forward.

Indeed, The Athletic’s Phil Hay has even suggested that the 20-year-old could well be the long-term heir to Luke Ayling.

He said: “The point about Drameh was that he could be a natural successor to Ayling, who still has time left but is clearly not in his first flush of youth. Drameh is well thought of and I do feel like he’s got a serious chance here if he’s patient.”

While naturally much of the excitement of Leeds fans will be surrounding Gelhardt, Drameh is another from the U23s group who could really make a name for himself at Elland Road.

At just 20, the versatile ace has got plenty of time to grow and develop, but first-team minutes could be more on offer now that the Whites find themselves in such an injury crisis.

Eredivisie scout Xander Wilkinson was quick to rave about his potential and how good he is already, saying: “Defensively so impressive! His mind works quicker than most right-backs I’ve seen in a naturally defensive mindset. Tactically very aware of what is being asked of him, times his engagements well, needs to add a little more unpredictability going forward.”

Meanwhile, LUTV commentator Tom Hill described the 20-year-old as a “box of tricks” after an impressive performance against Sunderland at U23 level, and that bodes well for his future as a more adventurous full-back.

With the busy festive schedule taking its toll on Leeds’ players, Drameh could finally be unleashed by Bielsa in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing a move for this South American star…

Leeds United are heading into January in dire straits.

They are just five points above the relegation zone, with several teams below them having a game or two in hand, and there’s a mounting injury crisis amongst Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team squad.

As many as 11 players missed the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal at the weekend – their third successive thrashing in the Premier League.

It means Bielsa, director of football Victor Orta and owner Andrea Radrizzani will surely go against their usual mid-season transfer window plans to actually sign someone.

Of course, the Argentinian head coach needs widespread additions across the team but there is one role that he may already have a solution to.

It’s no secret that United have missed a creative influence in the final third, having waved goodbye to Pablo Herandez in the summer. Only five teams have scored fewer goals than Leeds (18), two of which occupy a place in the bottom three, whilst a little over 44% of their goals have come from set pieces alone.

Although Bielsa could well discover a new Hernandez in the form of academy gem Stuart McKinstry, who seems primed to save Radrizzani and co millions in the upcoming window.

The 19-year-old dynamo has already made his senior bow, coming on as a substitute during a Carabao Cup clash with Fulham in September this year, where he scored the winning penalty to see the Whites into the next round.

Meanwhile, for the U23s in the Premier League 2, he has provided three assists from 11 appearances, whilst playing anywhere in midfield.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay once labelled McKinstry as Leeds’ ‘next big thing’.

“He’s a very confident ball carrier, he’s physically strong, good upper body strength, excellent feet, good at beating his man and creative. In his head, he probably feels he can play in other positions up front as well,” he said.

That very much sounds like Hernandez and in his hay day, he too was able to play on the wing, as well as centrally.

Elsewhere, McKinstry’s former academy director at Motherwell, Steven Hammell, lauded him as a “fabulous young player” who “will do wonderful things and become a household name in the next three or four years” to the Lanarkshire Live Sport Podcast.

Even some of his academy teammates have spotted his massive potential, likening him to Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi, so the Elland Road faithful also have plenty to be excited about when it comes to their promising Scottish gem.

As such, Bielsa should turn to the teenage sensation in 2022 because he could well emerge as a solid candidate to replace Hernandez in attacking midfield.

AND in other news, Leeds could sign Bielsa’s next Ben White in swoop for “flawless” £18m-rated colossus…

Celtic have been name-checked with an interest in Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey by Calciomercato.com.

The Lowdown: Hickey in Italy

Hickey, who shares the same agent as Hoops star David Turnbull, has been in Italy for just over a year now. He left Hearts for Bologna in a deal worth just £1.53m and has gone on to make 32 appearances – 20 of which have come this season.

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Capable of playing as a left-back or left-midfielder, the 19-year-old, labelled as a player with ‘quality’ by Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic, has scored five Serie A goals in 2021/22 after being linked with a move to Celtic over the summer.

The Hoops valued Hickey at £4m compared to Bologna’s £8m asking price, but it seems as if they’re still keen on his services heading into 2022.

The Latest: Late-night news

Calciomercato.com shared a story late on Thursday evening regarding Hickey.

They claimed that the defender has ended up in the sights of Burnley, Celtic and Manchester City, with his current deal running until 2024.

The Verdict: Left-back wanted

Ange Postecoglou seemingly has his eyes set on bringing in a new left-back in the New Year, presumably to challenge Greg Taylor.

Barnsley’s Callum Styles and Hibernian’s Josh Doig are just two names that have been mentioned in recent weeks, and it appears as if the Hoops are still keeping tabs on Hickey.

Reo Hatate looks set to move to Parkhead in January, however, he is reportedly viewed as a midfield addition, even though he can play at left-back.

On that basis, you’d expect that the Hoops could launch a move for Styles, Doig or Hickey over the coming weeks, and should one arrive, Celtic could then look to move on outcast Boli Bolingoli, who has hardly featured this season and was linked with an exit over the summer.

In other news: Ange may look to sign 3rd Irishman for Celtic who can play in 3 positions – reliable journalist. 

West Bromwich Albion have been expected to make moves in the transfer window this January, after a disappointing start to their Championship campaign that has seen them struggle to keep up with their competitors for the promotion spots in the first half of the season.

Luckily, the Baggies have already done some business to add a new player in a vital position during the opening day of the transfer window, which will be welcomed by the fans.

What’s the word?

On Saturday evening West Brom confirmed the signing of Orlando SC and former Barnsley striker, Daryl Dike, in a deal that secures the forward for four and half year deal.

The £9m-rated striker who has a “rocket right foot” according to former teammate Jordan Williams, joins the Baggies after an impressive run of performances in the MLS, with 18 goals and four assists this season for his former club, and is no stranger to Valerien Ismael.

Dike was signed for Barnsley in a loan deal this time last year and scored nine goals in the five months he spent under the management of the French manager, with the 21-year-old returning to America in the summer and Ismael making the move to manage the Midlands club.

Time to go

The signing has prompted further fuel to the rumours that Jordan Hugill’s loan deal at the Hawthorns will be cut short and the forward will return to Norwich City this January.

Former Baggies striker, Carlton Palmer, spoke out earlier this week to GIVEMESPORT in favour of the termination:

“Well, he’s scored one goal, so it’s not worked out for either party in terms of goals. His work rate, his endeavour and his effort has been fantastic, but what they need is goals, so for both parties, it frees up money.”

The £36k-per-week flop has failed to make an impact on the Championship side since he was signed on a season-long loan deal in the summer from newly-promoted Premier League side, Norwich.

According to data taken from SofaScore, Hugill has made 20 appearances, with only one goal and zero assists, missing nine big chances and a 0.4 average per game for shots on target.

For a team that is trying to boost their chances of promotion, Albion have the least amount of goals scored in the top six, it is a dismal record.

However, judging by the attacking statistics the 29-year-old Hugill has displayed, he is not helping the cause at all and should be axed from the team in place of a much more prolific goal-scorer like Dike.

In other news: Carlton Palmer weighs in on potential Dwight Gayle signing

Tottenham Hotspur could finally axe Tanguy Ndombele with a move for Frank Kessie this month, and he’s available for a bargain price…

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Sandro Sabatini, AC Milan are willing to part ways with the out-of-contract midfielder for just £10m before deadline day.

Spurs are able to secure the Ivory Coast international on a pre-contract agreement for nothing but that would not see him make the switch to north London until the summer.

“Milan, from what I understand, if they receive a reasonable offer for Kessie’s remaining four months, they will sell it. Ten million? Yes, and Tottenham can buy it for 10 million,” he told Radio Radio (via Calciomercato.it).

Bye-bye Ndombele

After an inconsistent two-and-a-half years at the club, in which four different managers have been appointed in some capacity, it appears that patience is finally wearing thin over Tottenham’s club-record signing.

‘It is hard to see a future for Tanguy Ndombele under [Antonio] Conte,’ wrote the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick recently, whilst Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan suggested:

“I’m pretty sure the player knows the destiny of his career at Tottenham. If it is something that if can be sorted out in January with a loan or a sale, I’m sure it’s happening. If not they’ll still be looking to make that move happen for Ndombele in the summer.”

Kessie, who the Italian head coach will know from his time at their San Siro rivals Inter, would be a much better fit for his system at Spurs.

The 6-foot midfielder, once lauded as an “extraordinary player” with “sublime intelligence” by former Rossoneri boss Vincenzo Montella, continues to be a standout performer in Milan.

Just like last season, he ranks second for total goals scored behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic and is third overall for average rating, having also managed 1.3 tackles, 1.1 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, too.

The £26m-rated beast’s playing style has earned comparisons to Yaya Toure, who was a beast in his prime in the Premier League for Manchester City, and perhaps he is the player that Spurs had hoped Ndombele would be.

“I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent,” claimed Antonio Cassano (via MilanLive). “I’m watching him carefully, with Roma it was devastating. It reminds me of the Yaya Toure of the best times. He is a different player, but in terms of impact. He is holding Milan’s midfield alone.”

On the above evidence, it would make sense to finally shift Ndombele, who was once dubbed “unplayable” by Joe Hart, on and then replace him for just £10m with Kessie. That seems like a massive steal right now.

AND in other news, Forget Sanchez: £74k-p/w disaster who made 9 passes must never play for Spurs again…