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Tottenham Hotspur have now set their sights on signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, having been impressed with his performances this season, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

With ENIC keen on bringing in new options in midfield this summer, Tottenham have now joined the race for RCD Mallorca star Kang-in Lee, who could be allowed to leave for less than his €30m (£26.5m) release clause.

Spurs are also "hot on the trail" of Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte, after first taking note of him in their Champions League matches against the Portuguese side earlier this year, while a new striker could also be in order, amid Harry Kane's uncertain future in north London.

To replace the England captain, the Lilywhites could look at signing Lille's Jonathan David, who is expected to leave his current club this summer, although it is not yet a foregone conclusion that Kane leaves the club.

While the rumours surrounding the Tottenham striker are likely to dominate the news in the summer window, the club are also keen on bolstering their options in midfield, and Football Insider reports Gibbs-White is now a target.

The Forest midfielder has been watched by Spurs throughout the 2022/23 season, and scouts have been impressed by the improvements he has made, while they also believe he has the potential to develop even further.

The report also claims that the Englishman is regarded as a classic Tottenham player who would be a great fit in the midfield.

Should Tottenham sign Morgan Gibbs-White?

Hailed as "sensational" by journalist Josh Bunting, the maestro has cemented himself as a vital player for Forest this season, making 33 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he has picked up four goals and six assists.

Only Brennan Johnson has amassed more goal contributions for the Tricky Trees this season, highlighting the £80k-per-week midfielder's attacking threat, while he is also very strong in the air, ranking in the 97th percentile for aerials won per 90 in the past year.

That said, it is debatable whether the 23-year-old would help take Tottenham to the next level, given that Rodrigo Bentancur has averaged more non-penalty goals, assists, and is far better defensively, ranking in the 74th percentile for tackles per 90.

Of course, Bentancur is expected to be out until November, however, when the Uruguayan does return, Gibbs-White would find it very difficult to displace him in the starting XI.

Arsenal's recent poor run of form had seen the Premier League title seemingly slip out of their grasp, as they capped off three straight draws with a crushing loss at Manchester City.

It felt like that had marked the conclusion of their season, yet upon welcoming Chelsea to the Emirates, new faith was restored.

The Gunners raced into a 3-0 lead, and despite a late consolation from Frank Lampard's men, it marked a comprehensive return to form for Mikel Arteta and his magnificent outfit.

Although Pep Guardiola matched them with a win of his own, it did restore some faith as the Sky Blues have one extra game to play, meaning one extra chance to slip up.

Therefore, the pressure will remain should the north London outfit maintain another run of wins. Although unlikely, the slight chance of silverware returning means Arteta simply has to throw everything at it.

Using their latest win as a guideline for their final four matches, Leandro Trossard was one starter who has once again proven the necessity for his inclusion. Since signing in January for £27m, the Belgian has fast made himself imperative to their creativity.

How did Leandro Trossard play vs Chelsea?

The 27-year-old has managed 16 appearances since his switch from Brighton and Hove Albion, and earned widespread praise for his exploits in translating his form onto a bigger stage.

Scoring just once and assisting a further eight, this built upon a remarkable first half of the campaign, where he recorded ten goal contributions with the Seagulls.

Such consistently brilliant showings at the Amex even led SussexLive journalist Richie Mills to dub him their "magic man".

Starting ahead of Gabriel Martinelli on Tuesday, who had admittedly gone missing in their loss against City, Trossard recorded a fine outing that was capped off by his 7.3 rating. Of his teammates, only the match-winner Martin Odegaard received higher.

Indeed, the Brazilian lasted just an hour against the reigning champions, where he failed to assert any attacking threat on the game. He did not register a single successful shot or dribble, and had just 11 touches of the ball – which is once every five-and-a-half minutes. Reiss Nelson, who came off the bench for the final ten minutes, matched this feat, via Sofascore.

Trossard's eye-catching outing in midweek was upheld by a slew of statistics that denote creative excellence, in which he managed two key passes and was 100% successful when dribbling.

The left winger even amassed an expected assist of 0.50, suggesting that the odds were not quite in his favour as his teammates squandered various chances, via Sofascore.

GOAL reporter Charles Watts had demanded his inclusion from the start and was rewarded following a display. He wrote on Twitter beforehand:

"Trossard has to start against Chelsea. For all the talk around the impact of Saliba's injury and Holding's inclusion, Arsenal have not won a game since Trossard dropped out of the starting XI. They are a better team when he is on the pitch."

Tuesday night proved this, and with that tiny possibility that the title could swing back in their favour, Trossard must remain in the starting XI to continue applying the pressure.

Leeds United fell to yet another Premier League defeat last night in embarrassing fashion, as Liverpool cruised to victory at Elland Road.

Having gone into the break 2-0 down, a glimmer of hope returned when Luis Sinisterra halved the deficit after a fast start to the second half. The home crowd whipped up a frenzy as they sensed a comeback, but again the Whites shot themselves in the foot to concede just five minutes later. A subsequent three goals would follow, capping off a torrid night.

Having shipped six goals at home, just one week after conceding five to Crystal Palace, it has truly launched an inquest within the Yorkshire outfit. Javi Gracia was supposed to promise pragmatism and solidity, a change from the unpredictability that Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch had made fans accustomed to. However, the Spaniard has seen his side fall into a downward spiral following a short initial upturn in form.

Now, their chances of survival have dropped sharply, with last night an opportunity missed to drag themselves clear of the relegation zone; especially when welcoming a side that had not won since early March in all competitions.

Whilst next to none of the home team will have left the stadium with any credit remaining, few disappointed like Robin Koch.

How did Robin Koch play vs Liverpool?

Again opted to start ahead of club captain Liam Cooper, the German defender put in one of the most torrid displays of the season in front of furious home support.

His 5.4 Sofascore rating did not even begin to scratch the surface of just how poor the 26-year-old was, who has now been at the heart of a defence that has conceded 11 goals in their last 180 minutes of football.

Of the starters, there were just three others who received worse ratings, but it was the anonymity of the centre-back that was truly frustrating. Throughout the full match, Koch could only muster 28 touches, that which Illan Meslier even managed more (30). He went into hiding when they needed him most.

The French shot-stopper might well have been the true villain of the night in between the sticks, making just one save as six sailed past him, but he was hardly helped out by his defenders.

Koch's four clearances were the one saving grace of a debilitating display, and it perhaps might paper over the cracks of a performance where the £40k-per-week flop was dribbled past twice, lost four of the seven duels competed in and maintained just a 57% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

Journalist Graham Smyth even took to Twitter to lambast his role in Liverpool's fourth goal, as he suggested that the defender was first beaten for pace, making it "far too easy" for another goal to go in.

Anyone who is part of a back four that ships six goals at home deserves scorn, but when Koch was particularly culpable, it merits further highlighting.

West Ham United are monitoring Barcelona defender Sergino Dest ahead of a potential move to the London Stadium, according to reports.

What's the latest on Dest's future?

The Irons currently have Ben Johnson and Vladimir Coufal as their options at right-back, but with the latter out of contract at the end of the campaign, David Moyes will have to enter the market to find a replacement should he not put pen to paper on fresh terms, and it sounds like the 22-year-old has been identified as the ideal candidate to come in and be just that.

The Catalans star still has another two years remaining on his deal at Camp Nou but at present he's out on a season-long loan at AC Milan, who do have the option to buy him later in the summer, and the fact that they aren't fussed about him returning to force his way into the first-team shows exactly how far down the pecking order he is under manager Xavi.

The United States international hasn't been helped by the fair share of spells he's had to spend on the sidelines through injury having sustained five separate problems this season alone, but this inconsistent availability doesn't seem to have stopped Moyes from wanting to try and entice him to the Premier League.

According to 90min, West Ham, Wolves and Crystal Palace are all "keeping tabs" on Dest's situation, with Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Valencia, Sevilla, Lyon and Union Berlin also "keen" to complete a deal for Barcelona's full-back.

The Blaugrana are "looking to sell" their talented prospect and have "high expectations" regarding the fee that they are looking to receive in order to sanction his sale. They hope to "recoup" as much of the €21m (£18m) they initially paid for him as possible, though it's worth noting that he does have a staggering €400m (£351m) buyout clause.

Would Dest be a good signing for West Ham?

Dest has been previously been lauded for "world-class potential" by talent scout Jacek Kulig who also claimed West Ham's target is "extremely fast" and had "superb dribbling skills", and he would certainly be an exciting acquisition for Moyes.

The Netherlands-born talent is extremely attack-minded and loves to use his pace to get down the flank, which has resulted in him registering 20 assists and even scoring 11 goals himself throughout his career, as per Transfermarkt, with this athleticism being exactly what is missing from the current options in the capital.

Dest is also very strong in his link-up play with his fellow teammates, where he ranks in the 93rd percentile for pass completion, and would add plenty of versatility to the side with his ability to operate as a full-back, midfielder and even winger on both flanks, making this a no-brainer of a deal for the hierarchy to complete.

Leeds United picked up a huge three points this weekend, but Luke Ayling was far from a standout performer at Molineux, according to journalist Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Leeds pick up a big three points

Javi Gracia was looking for what would be just his second win as Leeds manager since replacing Jesse Marsch and he certainly got that away to Wolves – although the Whites certainly came close to throwing it away.

The Whites raced into a 3-0 lead at Molineux on Saturday afternoon thanks to goals from Jack Harrison, Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen, with the latter netting for the first time as a Leeds player.

Despite getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season, it was Ayling’s defensive woes that caught the eye of many at the match, including the likes of Cross and The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who noticed Daniel Podence was giving the defender a torrid time of things, while Ayling also struggled for composure on the ball, completing just 39% of his passes (Sofascore).

The Latest: Ayling’s defensive qualities questioned

Prior to Ayling finding the back of the net and doubling Leeds’ lead at Molineux, Cross was far from impressed by what he was seeing from the veteran defender as he and teammate Jack Harrison struggled to cope with Podence.

He said: “Ayling and Harrison being ripped to shreds by Jonny and Podence down United’s right. Hosts are getting through down that side every time. Leeds need far more composure in the rare moments they’re getting the ball too. Roca and McKennie not retaining anything.”

The Verdict: Gracia will be concerned

While seeing a defender score is always a positive and a bit of a novelty, their bread and butter must be at the other end of the pitch, which is something Ayling certainly didn’t do today being part of a side that shipped a couple of goals.

Leeds will be thanking their lucky stars that Wolves weren’t able to capitalise and complete their comeback, which was also largely down to the fact goalscorer Jonny was sent off for serious foul play.

That tackle was on Ayling, so the defender was involved in all sorts of incidents, but it could be time for Leeds to turn away from the ageing full-back, as he’s clearly struggling to cope with younger, more electric wingers such as today against Podence.

Tottenham Hotspur have now reignited their interest in signing Torino defender Perr Schuurs, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eyeing defender

Tottenham were linked with several defenders in the January transfer window, with Antonio Conte’s current options in defence underperforming in the first half of the season.

Eric Dier and Clement Lenglet both received criticism for their displays, leading to the likes of Milan Skriniar and Piero Hincapie being touted for moves, but in the end Spurs chose to hold off on bringing in a new centre-back.

The Latest: Schuurs interest reignited

According to a report from TuttoSport (via Sport Witness), Conte wanted to sign Schuurs from Ajax last summer, but he turned them down in favour of a move to Torino.

However, the north London club are said to have carried out new polls for their old target, who could cost around €50m (£44m) in a deal this summer.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Hailed as a ‘leader’ by former Manchester City goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus (via Tribal Football), there is some indication that the 23-year-old would be an upgrade on the current options in the Tottenham defence.

The Dutchman has averaged more tackles and aerials won per 90 than both Lenglet and Dier over the past year, while he has also shown that he can be a threat in the opposition penalty area, ranking in the 99th percentile for assists compared to other centre-backs in Europe’s top leagues.

Spurs will no doubt be in need of a new centre-back in the summer, given Lenglet’s performances make it unlikely that Conte will have any intention to make his loan stay permanent, and Schuurs, who has been likened to Virgil van Dijk, would be a very good acquisition.

Chelsea have spent a lucrative amount of money since Todd Boehly assumed ownership of the club last year, but could look to the esteemed Cobham Academy in order to replace one first-team star seemingly closer to the exit than ever before at Stamford Bridge.

Despite forking out over £550m on new additions, Chelsea might be set to unleash their next big midfielder from the ranks at the Cobham Academy, with dynamic midfielder Harvey Vale impressing of late.

With Vale looking to secure minutes for the first-team with greater regularity now that he approaches his 20th birthday, his ascension could coincide favourably with the prospective departure of a cemented figure at Stamford Bridge.

A recent report from the Daily Mail claims that Chelsea have now halted contract talks with Mason Mount, who is apparently looking to triple his current £80k-per-week wages.

A breakthrough in negotiations does not appear to be forthcoming at present, with the 24-year-old having already rejected a proposal, and should an agreement fail to materialise, separate reports from the likes of transfer guru Fabrizio Romano state that Liverpool might be poised to pounce on the player if an apt opportunity arises.

And Vale could certainly adopt the role in the Blues’ burgeoning squad, capable on the offensive left flank and in a more central midfield role, much like Mount, the 19-year-old has impressed thus far across the maiden period of his career, and could soon earn regular shots for action under Graham Potter, who has been known to lay trust in the younger members of his teams before.

A player who has been “impressing” – as lauded by Henry Winter – for some time now, Vale has scored three goals and served two assists from just four appearances in the Premier League 2 this term, having scored five times and registered three assists from 22 appearances in the competition last year.

Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek was impressed with the 19-year-old after his substitute appearance for the senior squad during last season’s 3-2 FA Cup victory over EFL Championship outfit Luton Town, with the young ace coming on and looking threatening with his pace and ball-playing prowess.

Loftus-Cheek said: “He did really well, he held his own against some physical and strong players.

“He didn’t look out of place at all. Well done Harvey, I’m sure it felt natural to him. It looked very natural. Hopefully he can kick on now.”

The Athletic’s Liam Twomey remarked over Vale’s apparent ease in gelling together with Potter’s squad, saying “Harvey Valelooks at home at this level and that’s not nothing” after he made a cameo against Brentford last season. 

And with the maestro penning a new three-year deal with the west London club in September, he is evidently entrusted with the confidence in his skill set and blossoming into a player of Premier League-level capabilities.

While the majority of Chelsea’s young stars fail to earn sustained prominence within the first-team fold, Vale is certainly of the mould to nurture his ability into one of the side’s most dynamic members, and if given the opportunity to flourish, he might just take it.

From a young kid who had “begged” his mother to change his name to Ronaldo, he is now beginning to make his own name in the game. Such is the funny nature of football, perhaps it won’t be too long before Chelsea supporters are wishing they were called Vale.

Aston Villa are creeping towards a stature that head coach Unai Emery will be satisfied with following his arrival in October, and could complete the jigsaw with a successful January bid for Olympique Marseille’s Matteo Guendouzi…

What’s the latest?

According to a report from 90min earlier this month, the Villans had registered an interest in the former Arsenal star, but the Midlands outfit would be expected to part with a sum in the region of €50m (£44m) to secure his signature.

More recently, according to journalist Dan Bardell, Villa are expected to make an official transfer bid for the player, with Guendouzi deemed to be the perfect star to shape the club’s fortunes and dictate from the centre as Villa seek a top-half Premier League finish.

Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “From my understanding, it sounds like Marseille have a suspicion that a bid is coming.

“So hopefully over the next few days – because I know Villa fans are keen for this one – there’ll be that concrete offer from Villa, because he’s a player that’s worked with Emery before. You get the sense now that Emery’s very much in charge of everything at Villa now, he has the final say on everything, he’s in control, and Guendouzi’s someone who would fit in very nicely into that hybrid wide/central midfielder role.”

Huge Nakamba upgrade

While Emery has found much success on the transfer front this month, clinching deals for Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran and reportedly looking to complete the signing of Gerard Deulofeu, the addition of a central midfielder of first-rate quality would go a long way towards continuing the fantastic form that has seen Aston Villa clinch victory across five of the seven league matches with the Spaniard at the wheel.

And with Guendouzi indeed flourishing out in France, the dynamism and intensity that he would instil from the centre of the Villa Park midfield would go a long way toward riding a vein of form that could be maintained, among the prominent outfits of the English top-flight.

Emery once hailed the seven-cap France international as “unique”, and it is this distinctive set of skills that will serve him well in the pursuit of prominence.

This season in Ligue 1, the 23-year-old has averaged 1.2 tackles and 0.9 intersections per outing, also completing 0.8 key passes per match in a bid to serve from multiple areas of expertise, consequently chalking up an average rating of 6.93, as per Sofascore.

As per FBref, Guendouzi ranks among the top 20% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for rate of assists, the top 12% for progressive passes received and the top 13% for touches in the attacking penalty area, which would provide a layer of creativity on top of his defence and deep-lying presence.

With this in mind, it appears a no-brainer that Villa technical director Johan Lange ensures a massive upgrade on Marvelous Nakamba is completed, with the 29-year-old yet to make an appearance for the Claret & Blue this season despite sitting on the bench on multiple occasions.

And with the Zimbabwean midfielder failing to record an average rating of over 6.63 across any completion while in Villa colours, his departure would continue the upswing that Emery is looking to surge the club into riding.

Indeed, compared to the French midfielder in question, Nakamba ranked in the worst 10% of players in just the Premier League last term for assists, the worst 11% for progressive passes and the very worst percentage for touches.

Bearing this in mind, the “warrior” that is Guendouzi – as dubbed by Robert Pires – is undoubtedly the better fit to ensure that the recent purple patch does not fade away, and Villa’s newfound confidence and swagger can be maintained over the coming campaigns, perhaps returning the club to a position in-and-around European contention.

Leeds United are back in action on Wednesday evening as they welcome Cardiff City to Elland Road, where a place in the FA Cup fourth round is up for grabs.

The two teams drew nearly two weeks again, with manager Jesse Marsch needing a stunning comeback from his side after they were two goals down by half-time.

A favourable clash with either League One outfit Accrington Stanley or non-league minnows Boreham Wood awaits, so it’s in the American’s best interests to end the Whites’ third-round hoodoo tonight.

It was his second-half substitutions that inspired the Premier League giants to earn a replay against the Championship side and with a full squad available – bar new signing Georginio Rutter – he has the freedom to deploy his strongest XI.

There may well be bigger fish to fry than a run in the FA Cup, given Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa put them just two points above the relegation zone, but the former RB Leipzig boss will be under even more intense pressure if he were to lose to lower-league opposition.

If Marsch is not only wanting to win this encounter but also keep his role in the Elland Road dugout, then his blind and unrelenting faith in £25m summer signing Brenden Aaronson would be a good place to start.

His fellow countryman has struggled to replicate his early season form and as such, hardly warrants his place in the starting XI right now.

As a versatile attacking midfielder, often deployed as the no.10 or out on the right flank, the 22-year-old dynamo has provided just one direct goal contribution in his last 14 appearances, all of which have been starts. His other five outings at the start of the 2022/23 campaign drew double those returns, per Transfermarkt.

His downward spiral in influence and form is also highlighted by the fact that he has struggled to register a Sofascore rating above 6.8 since the 3-2 defeat to Fulham back in October.

In that run, he’s had some stinkers against West Ham United (5.9) – where pundit Jay Bothroyd described him as “sloppy” [Sky Sports News, 4th January, 20:51] – and the aforementioned Villa game (5.9) – where journalist Joe Donnohue claimed he “struggled.”

Meanwhile, against the Bluebirds in the original tie, he struggled to do much in his 86 minutes on the pitch as he lost possession 14 times from 47 touches and he lost 56% of his duels up against a struggling second-tier outfit.

Despite all the negatives, Aaronson has still kept his place in the lineup every game and that’s a cause for concern because he’s simply not delivering on his hefty price tag.

Therefore, if Marsch wants to keep his job, he must make the bold call to ditch the American from his starting XI, starting with this evening’s FA Cup third-round replay against Cardiff.

AND in other news, Orta could replace Klich at Leeds by securing January move for “unbelievable” £25m maestro…

Leeds United return to action today but divert their attention away from the Premier League with a trip to Cardiff City in the FA Cup.

It is a wholly winnable clash, and despite the Whites’ precarious league position, Jesse Marsch will view the cup as a fine opportunity to gain some much-needed momentum after their poor run of form.

They have won just twice in their last 15 games in all competitions and as such sit just two points above the relegation zone.

It is a feeling that will likely be all too familiar for fans at Elland Road, given their narrow escape from the drop last season too.

The only saving grace is that the Bluebirds are in a similarly torrid run, as they are winless in their last seven games in the Championship.

Of that aforementioned 2021/22 campaign, one of the true villains to emerge for Leeds was Luke Ayling, who offered little defensively. This culminated in his reckless challenge against Arsenal for which he received a red card, an indiscretion that journalist Phil McNulty branded “reckless” and “awful”.

Although Ayling might have impressed in their hard-fought stalemate against Newcastle United a week ago with a 6.5 Sofascore rating, it is quite fair to say that Rasmus Kristensen has improved the Whites since his signing in the summer.

This is exemplified in his 6.91 average Sofascore rating, which is vastly superior to the 6.57 of Ayling this season and the 6.61 from the season prior.

The Denmark international has offered a fine foundation on the right flank despite Leeds’ overall defensive deficiencies, as outlined in his match averages of 1.5 interceptions, 2.8 tackles and 2.4 clearances (via Sofascore).

This is again a vast improvement on the 0.6 interceptions, 0.7 tackles and 0.8 clearances per game of Ayling (via Sofascore), who has a proven history of letting his team down, as evidenced by that red card against Arsenal last year.

The 31-year-old may have been a more than capable servant to the club across 231 appearances, but if Marsch truly values a run in the cup, thern he will want to return Kristensen to the starting line-up today in place of the £20k-per-week stalwart.