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Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that signing Leeds United signing Chris Wood would be ‘strange’, but he could also ‘tick the boxes’.

The Lowdown: Leeds January interest

As per Football Insider, the Whites are currently weighing up a move for Wood in the January transfer window, as Jesse Marsch looks for viable alternatives to current striker options Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo.

They are thought to be plotting a loan bid for the Newcastle United forward, who of course used to play at Elland Road.

The Latest: ‘Strange’ move?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that the Yorkshire club going back in for Wood is ‘strange’, but he would ‘tick the boxes’ for them if they are looking for ‘proven’ Premier League experience:

“Chris Wood had a successful time at Leeds before he eventually moved on to Burnley.

“I still find it a bit strange that maybe they’d be in for Wood, but if they’re looking for proven Premier League experience, he’d tick the boxes for them.”

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The Verdict: Avoid

As tempting as it may be for the Peacocks to bring Wood back, they should avoid signing him if they can.

He did manage 44 goals in 88 matches in all competitions over three seasons at Elland Road averaging a goal every other game, but he is now unfortunately past his best at 31 years of age.

More was expected of Wood at the Magpies after his £25m move from Burnley last January, but he has only managed four goals in 33 games so far at St. James’ Park.

The New Zealand international is believed to be on more than £100,000-per-week on Tyneside, and could prove to be a total waste of money if Leeds decide to make a move.

West Bromwich Albion’s sensational resurgence was furthered this weekend as Carlos Corberan’s side breezed past Rotherham United to make it five wins on the bounce.

With that victory, the Baggies now sit just five points away from the play-off positions, which marks an incredible feat given that it wasn’t too long ago that they sat in the relegation zone under Steve Bruce.

The Spaniard has come into The Hawthorns and instantly freed the players from the shackles of his predecessor’s philosophy, completing this turnaround without having signed any players of his own.

He has built his style predominantly on stability at the back, with West Brom’s most recent rout the first time under him they had truly blown away their opposition.

A pivotal part to that solidity has been Kyle Bartley, who had featured sparingly before the arrival of the new manager.

However, his return to the starting line-up sparked their first win under Corberan and only their second in 12 Championship games. He then played the full 90 minutes in the subsequent two games, which kickstarted their resurgence in form.

He also capped off his displays with goals in back-to-back games, including the winner in a fine away victory at QPR.

The 31-year-old is a stalwart for West Brom but has seen injuries halt his continued presence in the team. Therefore, this January could see him finally replaced in the form of Ryan Porteous.

Having been linked with Albion just under two weeks ago now, the 23-year-old has since gained a host of additional suitors all plotting a swoop for him next month, and with good reason. The Hibernian centre-back has been in sensational form this term, earning a 7.27 average Sofascore rating.

Standing at 6 foot 2, he boasts an extra inch on Bartley, which could make up for the 17% disparity between their aerial duel success rates. Porteous has won just 63% of his, but this is an attribute which can flourish with experience.

The rest of his defensive statistics outline a fine stopper for Hibs who also boasts no little composure in the form of his 79% pass accuracy.

He has averaged 1.4 tackles and 3.5 clearances per game this season, outperforming Bartley in the former but dwarfed by 4.9 per 90 in the latter.

Their immense ability to read danger and get the ball clear is an integral attribute for a defender, and signing Porteous in January could allow the ageing Bartley to bestow further wisdom upon the young Scotsman.

Kevin Campbell issued his verdict on how important a signing the Scotland defender could be, saying: “Porteous – I’ve seen him play a couple of times – he’s a real decent player. Good, aggressive, strong and can play out from the back. 

“The key to everything is having the squad because all you need is a couple of injuries to key players and you leave yourselves open. Corberan and West Brom are not going to put themselves in that position – he’s going to try and strengthen everywhere he sees fit.”

Porteous would be an intelligent move by West Brom to kickstart their January transfer business and would be a fine addition to boost their promotion dreams.

Everton are desperately scrambling to put the cogs in place to mount a charge up the Premier League table across the second half of the 22/23 campaign, with the club currently languishing in 17th place, just one point above the drop-zone.

Indeed, Frank Lampard’s Toffees are in a dire situation, with three successive losses in the English top-flight – the latest of which was a 2-1 home defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were bottom of the table prior to their victory at Goodison Park.

According to The Sun, the Toffees have a vested interest in Chicago Fire’s Columbian starlet Jhon Duran – who is reported to be valued at around £10m – and may swoop for the ace with swift conviction.

There may still be light at the end of the tunnel, and one signing that could rectify the wrongs comes in the form of Duran, with journalist Simon Phillips detailing his thoughts on a move to GIVEMESPORT.

He said: “There’s a few names they’ve been looking at. The only one that really stands out and I have had solid information on lately is Jhon Duran.

“Everton are there and are one of the clubs that are looking at him. But there are other names and Lampard is pushing hard now to bring a new striker in during January.”

Lukaku 2.0

After finishing 16th last year, staving off an unthinkable relegation due to an impressive burst of form in the closing weeks, the Everton faithful’s optimism was turned up a notch following a promising summer transfer window that saw the club spend approximately £69.7m on summer signings.

They have not had the desired effect, and while the defence has been bolstered, the offensive vigour and fluidity across the pitch is steeply lacking.

The 19-year-old Duran, who has eight goals and five assists from terminated with the Toffees earlier this month.

A far more vibrant replacement possessing bundles of pace and imposing physicality could go a long way towards turning Everton’s fortunes around, and it bears semblance to a former juggernaut at the club’s disposal.

Romelu Lukaku signed for the Merseyside-based club from Chelsea in 2014 for a then-club-record fee of £28m, and the striker went on to wreak havoc upon the Premier League and Europe with his club, scoring 87 goals across 166 appearances.

In his most prolific season, he netted 25 goals and six assists from 37 league appearances with the Toffees, and Duran – hailed as a “wonderkid” by Tom Bogert – could go a long way in emulating the powerhouse.

Whether Everton succeed in their pursuit will remain to be seen, but with the front of the ship failing to steady the turbulence, someone of his ilk is certainly needed, and quickly.

Journalist Simon Phillips says that Everton are eyeing up a potential move for Chicago Fire striker Jhon Duran in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Teenage talent

At just 19 years of age, Duran is one of the rising stars in the game, having scored eight goals and supplied a further six assists in 28 games for Chicago Fire in this year’s MLS (Transfermarkt).

He also broke into the Colombia national team in September and has three caps for his country as a teenager.

The Latest: Everton interested in Duran

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips has shared that Everton are ‘looking at’ Duran in January, adding that Frank Lampard is now ‘pushing hard’ to bring in a new striker.

The journalist said: “There’s a few names they’ve been looking at. The only one that really stands out and I have had solid information on lately is Jhon Duran.

“Everton are there and are one of the clubs that are looking at him. But there are other names and Lampard is pushing hard now to bring a new striker in during January.”

The Verdict: Striker needed

Monday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Wolves showed the Merseyside club’s fragilities in front of goal, as they only managed to score once from 12 attempts in total.

The result means that they have netted just 12 goals in the Premier League all season, the third-fewest of any team in the division, so they could do with adding some more reliable firepower to their attack.

At 6 foot 1, Duran should be able to cope with the physical demands of the English top flight, and he has already shown that he is capable of scoring goals at senior level.

Hailed by his manager Ezra Hendrickson as a player who could become ‘really special’, the Colombian would certainly be an exciting addition by the Toffees if they can bring him to Goodison Park.

Everton host Brighton in the Premier League this evening and if Frank Lampard wants to keep his job at Goodison Park, he must consider unleashing Dwight McNeil from the start.

The Toffees picked up a morale-boosting point against Manchester City in their last fixture but were set up extremely defensively at the Etihad, and Lampard must surely revert back to a more attacking formation when the Seagulls come to Merseyside on Tuesday evening.

If a defender is sacrificed and Lampard returns to a four-at-the-back formation, then he should consider reintroducing McNeil, who can provide some flair and quality in the final third, as his side look to take three points against an impressive Brighton outfit.

The young winger arrived from Burnley in the summer and was much maligned after managing no goals and just one assist in 38 appearances for the Clarets, as they were relegated to the Championship.

However, he already has two goals and one assist to his name in the Premier League this season, which makes the 23-year-old Everton’s joint-second top scorer, while only Alex Iwobi has contributed to more goals overall.

The former Burnley man also ranks fourth for key passes and dribbles per game, despite many of his appearances this season coming from the bench, which emphasises the threat he can add to Everton’s attack.

Lampard has led Everton to just two points from their last five Premier League fixtures and three points are a must against Brighton, or it is only a matter of time before they find themselves in the relegation places in the top flight, so it is no surprise that he is once again under serious pressure.

Although the point at City was a remarkable one, only a wonder goal from Demarai Gray prevented another loss and the Toffees will need to create far more chances against Roberto De Zerbi’s side on Tuesday if they want to win the game.

Therefore, he will need another attacking option on the pitch and after some impressive performances from McNeil so far this season, it is time he was handed more minutes from the start.

Joe Cole and Peter Crouch were full of praise for the Englishman on BT Sport when he impressed against Liverpool in 2021.

Crouch said: “I didn’t realise how good he was. He looked fitter, stronger faster in some way. He’s a wonderful footballer.”

Cole added: “Without sounding to give him a big up, he reminds me of Di Maria.”

Considering the Argentine’s sensational performance in the World Cup final recently, where he scored one of all the important goals, Everton could definitely use a player like Di Maria for the rest of the season.

Thus, if Lampard is to have any hope of keeping himself in the job, he must hand McNeil a start in the hope that he can be the difference maker this evening.

Journalist Ross Gregory has claimed that it could make sense for Newcastle United to try and pull off a swap deal involving Martin Dubravka.

What’s the word?

At the start of the season, the goalkeeper was loaned out to Manchester United but has returned to the club and is now being linked with a move to Leicester City.

Incidentally, the Magpies have been tipped to make a possible for Foxes midfielder Youri Tielemans this winter. On top of that, James Maddison is another name frequently linked with Newcastle.

With that in mind, it could make sense for the two clubs to try and possibly arrange some kind of swap deal involving Dubravka which could, in theory, leave all parties happy this January.

While talking on NUFC Matters, Gregory proposed the ideas, saying: “If Dubravka is going to go there, or is somebody that they’re interested in and looking to sign, and if Newcastle are keen on a couple of Leicester players, then it would make sense to try and negotiate some sort of deal there.”

He did add, however: “Swap deals and deals involving other players very, very rarely come off in the Premier League.”

Swap deal

At times this season, current Leicester number one Danny Ward has come under criticism and so it wouldn’t be a shock if the Foxes genuinely were in the market for a new goalkeeper.

Over at Newcastle, Nick Pope is the undisputed first-choice pick for Eddie Howe but that doesn’t mean Dubravka is a poor player. After all, he does have 37 clean sheets in 127 Premier League games. So he could be an attractive option for Brendan Rodgers.

And with those rumours linking the Magpies with the likes of Tielemans and Maddison, an opportunity could arise here allowing them to land a target for a cut price with their unwanted goalkeeper heading off in the other direction.

It certainly makes sense on paper but it remains to be seen if such a deal would even be considered.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Leandro Trossard in recent days as manager Antonio Conte looks to bolster his playing squad.

According to talkSPORT correspondent Alex Crook, the Lilywhites’ interest in the Brighton and Hove Albion dynamo is genuine, he tweeted:

“Led to believe #THFC interest in Trossard is genuine. No firm bids yet. Is under contract until 2024 after #BHAFC triggered a year’s option as revealed on @talkSPORT last week.”

Whilst no fee has been mentioned by the transfer insider, the Belgian international is currently valued at around £18m by CIES Football Observatory and the Seagulls are in no position to sell him on the cheap after extending his £40k-per-week deal by one further year.

It’s no secret that Spurs need further reinforcements upfront because Conte has endured a frustrating time with injuries over the past few months, with the likes of summer signing Richarlison, veteran Lucas Moura and arguably his most integral star Dejan Kulusevski all watching on from the treatment table, often at the same time too.

But would Trossard be a viable alternative?

Well, the versatile Brighton winger is actually outperforming Heung-min Son in several key facets this campaign, so it could be healthy competition for him as well as further cover for the aforementioned names.

Indeed, the Belgian is currently outscoring the South Korean by seven goals to four and doing so with ease as every 0.41 shots on target per 90 result in a goal, compared to Son’s rate of 0.18, via FBref.

Elsewhere, he is proving to be more creative too – it’s no wonder he has been lauded as a “wizard” in the past because he’s finding the net or providing an assist every 146 minutes, some 70 minutes more often than Spurs’ long-serving talisman.

And it’s the same story for progressive passes, with Trossard registering an average of 3.42 successful attempts per 90, compared to Son’s 1.6 in the Premier League this campaign.

Other statistics in which the January transfer target excels in include passing completion, goal-creating actions and passes into the opposition’s penalty box per 90, via FBref.

On that evidence alone, he would surely be a more than worthwhile signing and that’s not to mention his consistency in the big time as he also enjoyed 11 goal contributions across 34 league appearances last season.

Therefore, sporting director Fabio Paratici could hand Conte a new attacking threat by luring the 28-year-old “game-changer” – in the words of BBC journalist Phil McNulty – to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before deadline day on January 31st.

AND in other news, Paratici could sign Spurs’ own Foden with £21m “hurricane”, he’s perfect foil for Kulusevski…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has offered his thoughts on Glasgow Rangers and their pursuit of a new attacker in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

O’Rourke has suggested that Michael Beale believes the Swansea winger could bolster his Light Blues squad this month after the gem caught the manager’s attention during a loan spell in League One earlier in the campaign.

The reporter told Football FanCast: “He’s very talented young player, Morgan Whittaker.

“It hasn’t really worked out for him at Swansea but he’s had a really successful time on loan at Plymouth in the first half of the season – scored lots of goals and created lots of goals.

“And (he’s) obviously comes to the attention of Michael Beale at Rangers who obviously sees the potential in Morgan Whittaker and sees him as somebody who could improve his squad at Ibrox right now as well.”

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Gers have had an offer of £1.5m turned down for the forward, who Swansea reportedly value at £2m.

Striking gold

Rangers could now strike gold by securing a deal to sign the attacker this month, as he is a young player with the potential to improve and has showcased his quality in the third tier of English football.

Retired winger Jobi McAnuff recently heaped praise on the youngster. Speaking on Sky Sports News, via Wales Online, the former Reading man said: “He’s a top, top young player. He’s been out on loan at Plymouth where’s he got nine goals and seven assists.

“He can play wide right or just behind the striker. He scores important goals, he’s a great dribbler and carries the ball well. He’s a fluid player who links into the attack very well and he’s got a fantastic left foot.”

Whittaker averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across his 25 appearances in League One for Plymouth and was directly involved in 16 goals, whilst he also created 1.3 chances per match for his team-mates.

At the age of 22, he could arrive as a player with the potential to earn Rangers millions in profit in the future – like one of their previous signings from League One in Joe Aribo.

The Gers signed the Nigeria international from Charlton after the midfielder scored 10 goals in 39 third-tier appearances at The Valley in 2018/19. He then enjoyed three years at Ibrox in the Premiership before signing for Premier League club Southampton for a reported fee of £10m last year.

This shows that the Light Blues can develop young talents before selling them on for big money, and Whittaker – who has showcased his quality at the same level that Aribo did – could be next in line to earn the club a hefty payday, which is why Beale could strike gold by securing his services this month.

Arsenal are waiting for an update on their enquiry over Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Gunners are eyeing up another attacker after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk, and Diaby could have been a signing for the short and long term.

A recent update has stated that Arsenal look set to sign Leandro Trossard from Brighton, which may put an end to their January pursuit of the Frenchman, but they could still return for the 23-year-old in the summer window.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Sheth revealed that no answer had been given to Arsenal’s previous enquiry yet.

He said: “Arsenal are waiting for a response from Bayer Leverkusen over their enquiry for Moussa Diaby.”

A long-term goalscorer

If Diaby does join within the next two windows, he could provide cover across the attacking line, as well as inject goals into the Arsenal side.

Over the past year, Diaby ranks in the top 11% of wingers in Europe’s top competitions for non-penalty goals (as per FBref) and has scored six times in 15 Bundesliga matches this season.

He would be competing with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and would raise the standard of depth in attack, as having even one of them on the bench would add serious firepower as a substitute.

He was once described as “incredibly dangerous” by striker Nils Petersen and could help Arsenal compete on multiple fronts as well as reduce their reliance on Saka and Martinelli, as both players have started every Premier League match this season.

Should he join, Arsenal would be set up for the next few years in attacking areas, with the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in the squad as well.

However, amid the Trossard reports, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal have already moved on to other targets for now.

Manchester United attacker Anthony Elanga will be allowed to leave the club on loan in January, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Elanga struggling for playing time

The 20-year-old has had a sedate 2022/23 season after breaking through at United last term, finding himself well down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag.

Elanga has afforded just five starts in the current Premier League campaign, along with one in the Europa League, with just a solitary assist to his name overall.

The youngster could do with regular minutes elsewhere, and it looks as though the Red Devils might be open to that possibility.

The Latest: Elanga free to leave on loan

Taking to Twitter, Sheth said that Elanga is free to leave United on loan this month, so long as any such move would be beneficial for the Sweden international’s development.

The journalist tweeted:

“Manchester United would consider loan offers for Anthony Elanga & Facundo Pellistri if good for club and player development.”

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The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

A loan move away from Old Trafford is something which could really benefit Elanga moving forward, in terms of progressing as a footballer and not growing stale as a backup option at United.

It is hard to see how he is going to fit into Ten Hag’s plans for the remainder of the season, especially if Jadon Sancho comes back into contention upon addressing his fitness concerns, and a few months of playing regularly at a different club could help the Swede to mature further as a player.

Elanga has shown flashes of quality, having been hailed as a ‘top kid’ by Bruno Fernandes last year and scored in the Champions League knockout rounds.

However, he is likely to remain in the shadows at Old Trafford considering the form of wingers Marcus Rashford and Antony, and he should jump at the chance of a temporary challenge elsewhere.