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Norwegian football is going through a golden spell with a number of players now performing at the highest level in Europe. They look like a national team that are on the up and should start making their mark in major tournaments in the near future.

Here is a look at four of their players who could be set for big moves in 2022.

Erling Haaland

Striker Erling Haaland is the real star of Norwegian football. The Dortmund striker is considered to be one of the best strikers in the world at the moment. His goal scoring record at the German club over the last three years backs that up.

Last season’s Best Forward of the Season in the Champions League is being monitored by all the major European clubs, including Manchester United; their boss Ralf Rangnick is thought to be an admirer of the player. They will be fully aware that Haaland’s release clause of £64 million will be activated in the summer. This is much lower than what they will value the player at, as he would be expected to go for at least £100 million in today’s market.

As reported by ESPN, Barcelona are thought to be preparing a move for the striker this summer. They are doing their best to reduce their wage bill before then by offloading players like Philippe Coutinho and Samuel Umtiti. This will allow them to be able to finance a deal later this year.

Haaland will be hoping he can help Dortmund to some silverware this season if it does end up being his last campaign for their club. They are the 11/2 favourites to win the Europa League with Unibet, one of the leading sport betting sites in Norway who offer odds on the European competition.

Jørgen Strand Larsen

Another Norwegian striker who has a big future is Jørgen Strand Larsen. He currently plays his club football for Groningen in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands. In his debut campaign for the Dutch club last season, he scored nine goals. He looks on course to beat that record this year.

Stand Larsen has played for Norway and may end up being Haaland’s strike partner going forward. He has recently been linked with a move to the Premier League to join Leicester.

Celtic are another club who are thought to be interested in Larsen. They bought Virgil van Dijk from Groningen in 2013. If they do sign the 21-year-old, they will be hoping the striker goes on to have a similar career to the former PFA Player of the Year.

Ola Brynhildsen

Only one player had more assists in Norway’s Eliteserien last season than Ola Brynhildsen. He helped Molde finish second in the final standings behind FK Bodø/Glimt.

The 22-year-old joined Molde from Stabaek in July 2020. He signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Norwegian club. Despite his age, he has already appeared 100 times in the Eliteserien, so he has lots of experience.

Brynhildsen has featured for Norway under-21s, however, he remains uncapped with the senior team. That is likely to change in 2022, especially if he continues with the form he showed last year.

Unlike Haaland and Strand Larsen, it may not take a huge transfer fee to scoop the talented attacking midfielder away from Molde. There are likely to be clubs across Europe who are happy to take a chance on him to see if he can step up to a higher level. It would be relatively low risk for them.

Marius Lode

Defender Marius Lode has been an integral part of FK Bodø/Glimt’s title success in 2020 and 2021. The towering centre-back has played in the heart of their defence and his form has been very consistent.

Lode received his first two caps for Norway in 2021. Unlike many players in his position, Lode is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. He is also versatile in that he can play at full back and as a defensive midfielder, if required.

The Bodø/Glimt man has featured in Europe across all three leading competitions. British clubs will get a chance to see him close hand when the Norwegian club take on Celtic in the Europa Conference League knockout round play-offs, which takes place over two legs.

In the Europa League Conference League group stage, Lode finished fourth in the most completed passes. As documented by UEFA, he ended the group with 392 passes. Those sorts of stats showcase how much of an all-round player he is.

Stoke City are one of the clubs in England that has been linked with the Norway international. They are unlikely to be the only Championship side to do be doing so. Many English clubs have scouts regularly watching football in the Eliteserien.

If all four of the above players get their moves to bigger clubs in 2022, it can only benefit the Norway national team, as they look to improve their results on the international stage.

Photo by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash

Since Southampton were promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 2011/12 season, one player that has been a consistent and regular figure for them is club captain James Ward-Prowse, who has made at least one goal contribution in all of the ten Premier League seasons he’s had at the club, racking up 35 goals and 34 assists in 257 appearances.

After appearing in all 38 of Southampton’s league games last term, the 27-year-old managed to end the campaign with more goals (8) and assists (8) than he had done previously and is currently on his way to matching those numbers with five goals and two assists in 18 games so far this time around.

Given Ward-Prowse’s clear importance to the team as well as his useful knack for scoring and creating goals, the current January transfer window could give new Southampton owner Dragan Solak the opportunity to make a real statement and show his ambition for the team by bringing in a player that could push Hasenhuttl’s side forward alongside Ward-Prowse.

With the south-coast club previously linked with a transfer move for Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard, who has been previously described as being a “dynamic” player by former Red Devils player and coach Michael Carrick, this could be a great first signing under Solak’s ownership.

Having scored nine goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances on a loan spell with West Ham United last season, the £18m-rated star has proved what a dangerous player he can be in front of goal when given the chance to play regularly, which he hasn’t been given this season at Old Trafford.

During his spell with David Moyes’ side, the Englishman managed to rack up an average of 2.6 shots per game in the Premier League, which is higher than any current Southampton player has managed to make this season, showing that he could be a very dangerous player for the Saints if he decides to leave the Manchester club again this month in search for regular playing time.

If Southampton can secure Lingard’s signature this month and get him playing alongside Ward-Prowse as they have done in the past on the international stage, the pair could form a terrifying partnership in Hasenhuttl’s side and add an extra attacking outlet in the team that could potentially push them into the top half of the table by the end of the season.

In other news: Ralph could unearth the new Yaya Toure as Saints plot move for “unique” £9m-rated ace – opinion

Aston Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle are all keen on midfielder Yves Bissouma, with Brighton recently rejecting a £30m bid.

That’s according to French journalist and commentator Fabrice Hawkins, and, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa are after a new defensive midfielder this month following the injury to Marvelous Nakamba and have been linked with a £40m move for Bissouma.

Sam Wallace of The Telegraph labelled a move for the Seagulls star as a difficult and potentially expensive one but not impossible.

Hawkins took to Twitter on Tuesday evening, claiming Brighton have rejected a £30m offer. He doesn’t name where the offer came from, but Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle are all name-checked with an interest.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful relayed Hawkins’ claim regarding Bissouma on social media. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with a few urging the club to get a move over the line and another labelling the midfielder as a potential ‘superstar’.

“Make it happen!”

Credit: @mooneyavfc

“Give them what they want boys!!!”

Credit: @AvfcRegan

“Stump up the £45m lads. Suarez and Bissouma + CB and we can get 7th imo”

Credit: @Neaarii

“Smart anchor bid, now Make it £35m as a final offer.”

Credit: @Daevion44070743

“I think £40m plus add ons gets him”

Credit: @hutchingss81

“£50m get it done. Exactly what we need and potential to become a superstar.”

Credit: @Muskehound01

In other news: ‘We’ve actually broken Lange’ – Many Villa fans ‘excited’ as more transfer news is now confirmed. 

Having signed Hayao Kawabe earlier in the month, only for him to be loaned back out, followed by the arrival of Chiquinho who recently played in an U23s game, Wolves have not done much to fully strengthen Bruno Lage’s senior squad just yet.

With only a few days to go until the January transfer window closes, it seems as though the fans can forget about one reported target making his way to Molineux for the time being.

What’s the latest?

In a recent transfer report from the Birmingham Mail, journalist Alex Dicken had this to say about the possibility of Wolves signing Lille midfielder Renato Sanches, who has been previously linked with a move to Molineux.

“Wolves have added another winger to Lage’s squad in the form of Chiquinho, but the club are still light in defence and midfield.

“As mentioned above, a new centre-back signing before Monday is now unlikely, and there have been very few genuine links to midfielders other than Renato Sanches.

“The Sanches ship seems to have sailed, meaning Lage might have to muddle through with Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Leander Dendoncker and rookie Bruno Jordao – although the latter could still be loaned out.”

Shi is heading for a big mistake

With 182 senior club appearances under his belt across all competitions, Sanches has had spells in his home country with Benfica, a short stint in the Premier League with Swansea City as well as time in Germany with Bayern Munich before joining Lille.

This highlights the experience the 24-year-old has while playing with some big clubs and having some knowledge of what it’s like to play in England’s top division, which shows why it would be disappointing, particularly for Lage to not have the Portuguese international in his squad for the remainder of the season.

While it may be enough for Wolves to see out the rest of the season with the trio of Neves, Moutinho and Dendoncker as their main senior central-midfielders if they avoid getting injured, thinking on a long-term basis, it could be a big mistake for Jeff Shi to not bring the former Swansea man in when the summer transfer window opens.

With Moutinho’s contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign and previous transfer rumours linking Neves with a move away from the club, bringing in Sanches as a fairly young but experienced midfield option should be at the top of Wolves’ priority list.

So, while the ship may have sailed this month to bring him to Molineux according to Dicken, Wolves should definitely do all they can to get him in the summer.

In other news: Talks on: Fabrizio Romano drops big Wolves transfer update, Lage surely sweating – opinion

According to a report by Hull Live, there has been a transfer development out of Tottenham Hotspur involving Hull City forward Keane Lewis-Potter as the Lilywhites attempt multiple new signings.

The Lowdown: Paratici at work…

As per reliable sources, Tottenham could be set for a ‘frantic’ end to the January transfer window, as Spurs chief Fabio Paratici and manager Antonio Conte work on multiple moves.

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Despite looking set to miss out on long-time winter target Adama Traore, who is currently in talks with Barcelona, Spurs are believed to be on the verge of landing Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat, with growing optimism they could also sign FC Porto star Luis Diaz after a bid.

They’re also working on multiple exits as midfielder Tanguy Ndombele remains in talks with Paris-Saint Germain, while the likes of Dele Alli could also be on the move (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Tottenham ‘preparing big-money’ transfer…

As per Hull Live, it appears Spurs aren’t done there in the last hurdle. As stated in the website’s headline, Tottenham are ‘preparing a big-money transfer’ for Lewis-Potter, with the Lilywhites and Paratici ‘understood to be keen on making a bid’.

According to this report, Conte has even sent scouts to watch the 20-year-old in action, with the Italian personally keen on his potential signing.

Their ‘expected’ offer will apparently include the option to loan Lewis-Potter back to the MKM Stadium for the rest of 2021/22.

The Verdict: Get it done…

The bright Championship starlet is certainly one to watch, and the fact that Hull could demand just £14m should be a real incentive for Spurs to make a last-gasp move.

Lewis-Potter was a key player in helping the Tigers achieve promotion back to England’s second tier last season, scoring 13 goals and setting up six others in 43 League One appearances. A regular under former Hull boss Grant McCann, he has continued that form into this season, with six goals and four assists in all competitions halfway through the current campaign (Transfermarkt).

His former manager even labelled the attacker a ‘special talent’, and the 20-year-old’s numbers over the last two years back up this statement.

Lewis-Potter could also help to fill Tottenham’s homegrown quota as the reasons to move far outweigh any doubts.

In other news: In the coming hours: Sky Sports journalist shares exciting transfer news out of Tottenham, find out more here.

According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, Southampton did not make any attempt to sign Dele Alli this month, despite previous reports linking him with the club.

The Lowdown: Dele Alli’s recent struggles

Alli has faced a tough period in his career over the last year, having lost his place in Tottenham’s starting XI. The 25-year-old has made just two Premier League starts under current Spurs manager Antonio Conte, totalling a meagre six appearances during the Italian’s reign so far.

As a result, the playmaker has been linked with a move away from N17, and it seems that a breakthrough has been made regarding his exit from north London.

Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to report the news, saying: ‘Dele Alli to Everton, done deal and here we go! Full agreement reached with Tottenham, permanent move subject to medical in the next few hours. It’s done.’

The Latest: Saints fail to move for Alli

According to talkSPORT journalist Crook on Twitter, Southampton made no effort to sign Alli from Tottenham during the January transfer window, stating: “Also reliably informed #SaintsFC did not make any attempt to sign Dele Alli this window”.

This is despite previous reports linking the 25-year-old with the south coast club, with Ralph Hasenhuttl an admirer of the England international.

The Verdict: Missed opportunity

Despite his poor form, Alli could have been a fantastic option for Southampton, who have now missed the opportunity to pull off a late transfer in January. This could have been similar to the Takumi Minamino loan move from this time last year, which proved to be relatively successful.

Once hailed as ‘good enough for Real Madrid’, it seems ridiculous that Southampton would not have gone in for the Spurs ace, particularly when he seems set to be leaving on a free, with a £10m fee following clauses being met. Having totalled 91 career goals, Alli could have been of real use to Hasenhuttl, as he would’ve bolstered the Saints’ attacking options with proven top-flight quality.

If Southampton want to push higher up the league table, they will need to meet £100,000-per-week demands. Otherwise, they won’t be able to secure many players of significant quality in today’s inflated market.

In other news: Southampton are till in talks over this striker

An agent has claimed that there is a chance that Bruno Lage could now leave Wolves to take on the vacant Corinthians job.

The Lowdown: Sylvinho out

As per The Sun, former Arsenal and FC Barcelona star Sylvinho was sacked as manager of Brazilian club Corinthians earlier this week, after fans threatened to destroy the stadium while losing a local derby to Santos.

It means that they are in the hunt for a new coach, specifically a Portuguese one, given their huge success in Brazil in the past.

The Latest: Lage in?

As per PodcasTimao (via ESPN Brasil), agent Will Dantas has suggested Lage’s name to Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves, albeit claiming that it would be ‘very difficult’ to lure him away from the Midlands club and the Premier League. Alves will apparently ‘look into it’:

“I called Duilio and commented on a coach. It’s Bruno Lage, I met him at Benfica, when he was coach of the club. He approved Pedrinho when I took him to the team. I spent an hour talking to the guy while Pedrinho did the exams.

“I think if Corinthians brought him in, it would be a big name. Duilio said he was going to look into it because they offered him the world. He’s studying his options and he’s absolutely right. Bruno was very flattered and was happy with the conversation, but I find it very difficult for him to leave. Today he is perhaps in the main league in the world, in the Premier League.”

The Verdict: Very unlikely

It seems very unlikely that Lage would leave Molineux now, especially given that he is in the middle of his first season and managing outside of the top European leagues may not be an attractive enough option for him.

Nonetheless, he is doing a superb job at the Wanderers, guiding them to eighth place in the top flight so far having conceded the second-fewest number of goals in the entire division, only behind current leaders Manchester City.

Thus, we feel Lage is likely to stay at WWFC and not be swayed by the Corinthians vacancy no matter what they offer him.

In other news, find out what big transfer boost Wolves have received here!

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s transfer plans for defender Matt Targett…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Rudy Galetti has revealed that the Magpies are eyeing up a swoop for the full-back at the end of his loan spell at St. James’ Park.

He Tweeted: “#Newcastle are seriously considering to sign Matt #Targett on a permanent deal in summer from #AstonVilla. The left-back is also enjoying his time at the club.”

Howe will love it

Eddie Howe will surely love this update as he would be buzzing to have the English defender at the club beyond the end of the current campaign.

He has had an instant impact on Tyneside and a permanent deal for him in the summer could come as a huge boost for the ex-Bournemouth boss. Signing him to a full-time contract could secure Howe’s left-back position for years to come, with Targett having plenty left in the tank at the age of 26.

Earlier this month, former Premier League forward Noel Whelan lauded the signing, saying:

“He’s not the most glamorous full-back – but he’s solid, and that’s what they need right now.

“They’ve gone out there and identified that they need the balance between him and Kieran Trippier, and they’ve done it very swiftly and got great value out of a loan until the end of the season.

“I think he’ll make a massive difference for them, he’ll stiffen up that defence big time.”

These comments from Whelan feel apt to bring up after the defender’s first two games for the club. He had a solid debut in the 3-1 win over Everton, winning five of his nine individual battles and creating one chance. Targett also made three clearances, one tackle and two interceptions, showing off his defensive prowess.

The £35k-per-week gem then produced an excellent performance against West Ham after watching on from the sidelines against his parent club. As per SofaScore, he won four of his six duels and created three chances from left-back, whilst making two tackles, one interception and one block throughout the game.

These statistics show that he has been able to provide two quality displays since making the move from Villa, which suggests that he has been and will be a great signing for the club. He is an experienced Premier League player and that is shining through in his performances, which is why Howe will love to have him in his squad heading into next season.

AND in other news, Huge boost: Howe handed big NUFC injury lift pre-Brentford that’ll delight fans…

Having said goodbye to Jack Grealish during the previous summer transfer window in a massive £100m deal to Manchester City, it seems as though Aston Villa could be in danger of seeing another important player move away from the Midlands in the near future.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from AS Roma Live (via Sport Witness), the Italian club apparently have Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz in their sights for a potential summer transfer move.

Villa signed the midfielder back in 2019 from fellow Premier League side Manchester City in a deal worth a reported fee of £15m.

Since then, the Brazilian has gone on to make himself an important figure for the Villans by racking up 96 appearances across all competitions, with three goals and eight assists to his name.

During the recent January transfer window, it was reported that Premier League duo Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were apparently interested in signing the Brazil international, showing just how sought-after he is.

Gerrard will be furious

Having started 18 league games for Villa this season and earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.87/10, making him their fourth-highest rated player according to WhoScored, it’s safe to say that Gerrard would not be happy to see Luiz leave in the summer, especially after claiming that he and his coaching staff rate the 23-year-old “extremely high”.

The midfielder’s performances also suggest that it could be a catastrophe for Villa to sell him and not find a suitable replacement in the same transfer window.

With the summer in mind, it seems as though Villa could have a big decision on their hands when it comes to Luiz in deciding whether to cash in on him and sell him elsewhere, or try and persuade him to sign a new deal at Villa Park, with his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2023.

With recent reports claiming that the Midlands club could be looking at signing one of either Yves Bissouma or Wilfred Ndidi in the summer, perhaps selling the Brazilian could be a way of reaping some money which they could then put towards launching a move for either of their two reported transfer targets.

In other news: Lange must avoid unforgivable Villa howler over £70k-p/w star who’s “strong as an ox”

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has been handed a defensive boost following Matt Doherty’s fantastic performance in Spurs’ 4-0 victory over Leeds at the weekend, with the manager raving about the ‘good’ options now at his disposal.

The Lowdown: Conte’s desire for a right-back

Conte was heavily linked with a number of potential right-back moves during the January transfer window.

Fabio Paratici was close to signing Wolves winger Adama Traore, with Sky Sports reporting that, after an initial £15 million bid was rejected, both sides were nearing a compromise on the fee.

It was said that the Italian boss would utilise Traore as a right wing-back, despite his more attacking origins. However, La Liga giants Barcelona swooped in at the last moment with an offer, as the 26-year-old opted to return to Spain due to his reluctance to play at the back.

This left the 52-year-old with Emerson Royal as his primary option at right-back. Doherty can of course play on both flanks, but shined for Wolves on the right, where he also grabbed a goal and assists against Leeds last weekend.

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The Latest:  Conte handed defensive boost

In his pre-Middlesbrough press conference, Conte sung Doherty’s praises, claiming his versatility offers a ‘good alternative’, as he also confirmed news of returns for Sergio Reguilon and Emerson.

As quoted by football.london, he claimed:

“He’s another player improving, working very hard and improved a lot. He’s a serious guy. I like him, if he plays or doesn’t play, his commitment and his attitude is always at the top. I think he’s improving a lot and he understood that in this squad he can have an important part for this team.

“With Emerson on the right but also Doherty on the left he can give me a good alternative. I was pleased to see him perform at this level. It was the same for Sessegnon.

“Now we have recovered Sergio Reguilon and also Emerson. We’re improving, we’re working hard. We have to use the defeats to learn, to continue to improve in many aspects, not only football aspects but also character and spirit and desire to be strong.”

The Verdict: Much needed depth

Conte will be thrilled to see Doherty’s improvements. This will provide him with much-needed squad depth, as Spurs look ahead to their FA Cup clash against Middlesbrough.

Statistically, when comparing full-back performances over the past year in European competition and the ‘big 5’ leagues, the Ireland international has been phenomenal.

He ranks in the 99th percentile in Europe for non-penalty expected goals, assists, blocks, clearances and aerial duels won (via FB Ref).

If the 30-year-old can maintain his fine form from the Leeds game, where he earned himself an 8.3 rating, Conte will be sure to utilise him much more frequently.

In other news: Conte sends Dane Scarlett message