Journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that Chelsea will be in “dreamland” if they can pull off a shock double transfer swoop for Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
What’s the word?
As we approach the very final stages of the winter transfer window, it’s fair to say Todd Boehly has been a very busy man with key signings such as Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Joao Felix, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto and others arriving at his club for big money.
However, with a little time left in January to go, the American may not be done just yet. Indeed, the Blues are pushing hard to sign Fernandez from Benfica. What’s more, Brighton’s Caicedo has also been a target and could be someone they swoop for too.
While speaking about all the exciting rumours on The Premier Chels, Jacobs resulted to rule out a move for both and said it would arguably be the club’s “greatest ever window”.
He said: “Todd Boehly has been ambitious, Todd Boehly’s spent a tonne of money, Todd Boehly has bought for the now and for the future.
“But to think in 48 hours, they are somehow going to pull off Enzo and Caicedo, would be dreamland.
“If they do it, they’ll have had the greatest ever window in the club’s history. Even if they get one, it won’t be far off the greatest window.”
Fantasy football
Money certainly doesn’t seem to be a problem for Boehly or Chelsea right now seeing as they have spent nearly £200m already this winter.
And the current negotiations with Fernandez – who has a release clause of €120m (£105.6m) – suggest they have even more cash to splash.
If they can get that deal with Benfica done, it might seem a little far-fetched that they would then go out and sign Caicedo too. However, the club’s poor Premier League form suggests something drastic needs to change for the club to salvage their season.
What’s more, manager Graham Potter has a past relationship with his former Brighton player, having coached him in 16 matches for the Seagulls.
Both Jorginho and N’Golo Kante will see their contracts expire in the summer and if Chelsea can fill those positions now it could solve a key issue long term.
With all that in mind, perhaps this “dreamland” isn’t too far away from reality.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Newcastle United have ‘submitted a new proposal’ to try and sign Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca.
The Lowdown: Have pushed before
It was reported by Romano earlier this month that Newcastle will ‘push again’ to try and sign Franca, after opening talks over his potential signing in December.
After the signing of young Australian talent Garang Kuol, the St. James’ Park outfit have also been linked with a move for 19-year-old Edouard Michut, and adding 18-year-old Franca into the mix shows the direction that the club are trying to head in in terms of buying prospects with the promise to grow into superstars in the future.
The Latest: Offer made
Taking to Twitter, Romano has revealed that the Tynesiders have ‘submitted a new proposal’ for Franca, offering a total package of €16m (£14m) to Flamengo, while he is also attracting the interest of both Lyon and Real Madrid:
“Newcastle have submitted a new proposal for Brazilian talent Matheus Franca, offering €16m package to Flamengo.
“Understand Matheus Franca is also in Olympique Lyon list — Real Madrid have sent scouts to monitor him in Brazil as well.”
Eddie Howe’s side seem really intent on gathering a serious crop of exciting young players together, and Franca could turn out to be a star for them in years to come should he sign.
The midfielder, who can also play up front and on the wings, has already played 28 times for Flamengo by the age of 18, scoring seven goals (Transfermarkt), and has won both the Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores.
Howe already has two Brazilians starring in his XI, and adding the exciting Franca could eventually form a dominant trio packed with flair and exuberance.
Franca is thought to have a €100m (£87m) release clause in his contract and has been courted by Manchester City as well as Madrid, further highlighting how highly rated he is, so the Magpies must look to get this deal done as soon as possible.
Leeds United aren’t looking for any more defensive recruits, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Defensive business done
Leeds have moved very quickly to secure their first signing of what is an important transfer window by completing a deal to land Austria international Maximilian Wober.
The defender, who can play as a full-back and a centre-back, is now the fourth signing to arrive at Leeds from the Red Bull Group since Jesse Marsch took over.
Wober will likely come in and be the club’s first-choice left-back as that position has been filled by Pascal Struijk, thus making Leeds’ backline slightly disjointed this season in the absence of Junior Firpo.
The Latest: Wober to be the sole defensive arrival
Given Leeds have the fifth-worst defensive record in the league heading into their latest midweek clash, many may have expected them to overhaul their backline, but Hay has admitted on The Phil Hay Show that this won’t be the case.
He said: “It doesn’t sound as if there will be another left-back coming in, although we spoke to Marsch on Saturday after the game and he didn’t get into the subject of Wober at all.
“He said, ‘look, if and when it happens, I will discuss it, but I’m not talking about it beforehand,’ which is very much in line with what he was saying originally about transfers, that he was going to try hard not to say too much about them this month.”
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The Verdict: Leeds taking a gamble
Much like over the summer when Leeds decided to not bring in a left-back despite the injury to Junior Firpo, Victor Orta could be taking a similar gamble this time by only bringing in Wober.
This is because Wober himself isn’t even a natural left-back, having spent the majority of his career as a centre-back, so it feels almost like they are replacing Struijk with another centre-back instead of getting a natural in that position.
While Wober has indeed often played left-back for RB Salzburg, it surely wouldn’t take much for them to just go out and recruit a natural on the left side of the defence – even if it was a youngster or veteran, just to give fans and manager peace of mind that someone can slot in there if injuries strike.
Glasgow Rangers claimed their first win under Michael Beale in Thursday night’s vital 3-2 comeback victory, and this is hopefully the start of a new era at Ibrox under the Englishman at Ibrox.
Thoughts now turn to Tuesday night’s clash Premiership clash against Aberdeen at Pittodrie in what promises to be another tough fixture, but with the confidence gained from an impressive second-half performance at Ibrox four days ago, there is no reason why three points shouldn’t be secured again tomorrow.
Although the result was the most welcome thing, Beale will have been just as delighted with some of his players’ performances against Hibernian.
Alfredo Morelos looked sharp playing in the new 4-3-1-2 system, with Fashion Sakala operating next to him as opposed to leading the line solo under Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s 4-3-3. Meanwhile, Ryan Jack controlled the game, taking 82 touches, making one key pass and even scoring the second equaliser.
It was American Malik Tillman – dubbed “phenomenal by Rangers team-mate John Lundstram – who really shone against Hibs, though, and Beale should unleash him once again tomorrow.
The £13k-per-week youngster has plenty of potential, although he has struggled at times this season, especially with the rough-and-tumble nature of Scottish football, which is much more physical than anything he will have experienced in Germany with Bayern Munich.
There have been glimpses of genius from Tillman, with his solo goal against Motherwell one of the standout moments. He looked a player reborn against Hibs, rejuvenated in a midfield three alongside Jack and Glen Kamara as they sat slightly deeper to allow the 20-year-old to utilise his attacking talents, and it paid off handsomely.
He received a rating of 7.7/10 via Sofascore for his performance on the night, which included two assists (and some nifty footwork for the second), four key passes and 58 touches during the match. He also succeeded with 75% of his dribble attempts, which suggests that he has his confidence back under Beale, and this could be incredibly important going into 2023.
Despite his vast potential, Rangers fans must understand that he is still raw and won’t be able to put in superb displays in every match. However, under Beale’s guidance, it looks like the Ibrox faithful will see the best of the American.
Pittodrie is a difficult place to viist under normal circumstances, never mind when adapting to a new manager and fresh tactics. However, if the second-half performance against Hibs is anything to go by, then the future certainly looks bright for the Light Blues, and Tillman could cause the Dons all sorts of problems tomorrow if he is unleashed from the start.
West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma could potentially be out of action for up to four months due to his knee injury according to medical expert Ben Dinnery.
The Lowdown: Zouma’s injury blow
In the early stages of West Ham’s previous Premier League game against Leicester City, Zouma was forced off with a suspected knee injury.
Last week, the east London club revealed that the Frenchman had undergone surgery on his knee and will now begin his recovery process.
With domestic football on hold to make way for the World Cup, it appears that one medical expert has shared some details regarding how long Zouma could be out of action.
The Latest: Dinnery reacts
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Dinnery, who contributes to Sky Sports, had this to say about Zouma’s current situation and how long he could be spending on the sidelines, hinting at a possible three to four-month absence in a worst-case scenario.
“Depending on the extent of that surgery – whether it’s just a bit of a flush out and a bit of a trim or it’s something a little bit more involved in terms of the meniscus – you could be talking a period of four to six weeks or possibly three to four months.
“Imaging may not have been conclusive but, suffice to say, it would give a strong indication that if the player wants to play pain-free going forward, that decision to take the operation was the correct move to make.”
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The Verdict: Fingers crossed at West Ham
Across the 14 league appearances he’s made for David Moyes’ side this season, the £125k-per-week defender has racked up the second-highest passing accuracy percentage at the club (85.9%).
Having made more clearances (68) than any other West Ham player, this further showcases how much of an important player he is for the team and what they could be missing if he ends up being out of action for a significant period of time.
Taking all of this into account everyone at the London Stadium will undoubtedly have their fingers crossed that it will be a matter of weeks rather than months until the centre-back is back in action for the team.
West Bromwich Albion have suffered this season for a lack of goals, and despite Carlos Corberan having turned around their form, his early philosophy at the Hawthorns has had to be built upon defensive stability.
Whilst Steve Bruce likely had high hopes for his January signing Daryl Dike, his injuries meant that the 61-year-old had to scramble in the back end of the summer transfer window for someone to supplement Karlan Grant.
Although Brandon Thomas-Asante was acquired, there was a belief that things would remain comfortable with the former Huddersfield Town marksman up front. Last season he had scored 18 times for a side that slumped to a mid-table finish.
However, with just three scored this campaign in 17 Championship games, both he and the tactical ideals of Bruce culminated to create a truly toothless Baggies outfit.
Even now they have only scored 24 times in 20 games.
It could therefore pique Corberan’s interest that Aston Villa starlet Cameron Archer has reportedly been made available to be loaned this January.
The Midlands outfit had launched a summer bid for his services, and so could look to reignite their interest to further bolster their striking options
Having been starved of consistent exposure to the senior squad, the 20-year-old boasts just 43 minutes of Premier League football across six appearances.
He is not playing for the youth teams and acting as a spectator for the first team.
Going out on loan would serve his career best, in a move that could benefit both parties involved.
Last season, Archer scored seven times and assisted once in 20 Championship appearances for Preston North End and had scored three goals and assisted two more in four Premier League 2 games. The youngster even boasted a goal against Chelsea in the EFL Cup, after scoring a hat trick in the previous round.
Clearly boasting fine finishing prowess, it was noted by the Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe that he possessed an “abundance of talent”.
He continued: “His quality levels are fantastic, he’s bullish, strong, he can roll, he has got that little burst of pace too.”
With the physical assets to succeed, and the finishing to make him a success at the Hawthorns, it marks a no-brainer for the club to snatch this second chance with both hands to lure such a remarkable talent to West Brom.
For all intents and purposes, Liverpool are the Champions Elect at the top of the Premier League table, but Newcastle United can upset their party both this week and in three weeks.
Anfield awaits for Eddie Howe’s men, whose shaky form in recent weeks was epitomised during Sunday afternoon’s thrilling win over Nottingham Forest, winning 4-3 in a game that highlighted strengths and exposed flaws.
Liverpool are ruthless, but they aren’t perfect. The Magpies earned a draw at St. James’ Park in December and have ample firepower to strike a blow to Arne Slot’s high-flying season, indeed making themselves known ahead of next month’s Carabao Cup final.
Howe’s dealing with a few injuries, but it’s largely positive news for the travelling Toon.
Newcastle team news
Joelinton remains sidelined after sustaining a knee injury at the beginning of the month. He won’t be fit for this one but Howe remains adamant the Brazilian is in contention to play at Wembley in three weeks.
Newcastle’s depleted backline remains without Jamal Lascelles for most of the campaign, but Sven Botman is looking to return from his latest setback. Albeit, this one might come a tad too soon.
Newcastle’s gaffer revealed he reluctantly replaced Joe Willock with Sandro Tonali against Forest at the weekend, initially unwilling to make the change after the silky midfielder felt a twinge in his hamstring earlier in the week. As it is, he’s in contention for Anfield.
Luckily, it’s a clean bill of health for United’s ferocious frontline – and it’s a good thing too, for the Magpies will need all their firepower to overcome the unstoppable Mohamed Salah.
Howe must unleash his own Mohamed Salah
Salah has scored 30 goals and provided 21 assists from 38 matches in all competitions for Liverpool this season, and while the Merseysiders have a range of dangerous forwards, he is the chief sharpshooter and supplier, all wrapped into one.
The only forward to outscore Alexander Isak in the Premier League this season, Newcastle’s defence will need to be on their a-game, but Howe must also meet fire with fire in some instances, and may want to consider unleashing his own version of the Egpyt star.
Premier League 24/25 – Top Scorers
Rank
Player
Apps (starts)
Goals
Assists
1.
Mohamed Salah
27 (27)
25
16
2.
Alexander Isak
24 (24)
19
5
3.
Erling Haaland
25 (25)
19
3
4.
Chris Wood
26 (25)
18
3
5.
Bryan Mbeumo
26 (26)
15
4
Stats via Premier League
As such, this might be a good game for Harvey Barnes to make a rare start in the Premier League, having last been unleashed from the outset against Brentford in December – it was a chastening 4-2 defeat for Howe’s men, but Barnes scored.
His clinical edge can rival Salah’s. As per FBref, Barnes ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored (0.57) and the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area (6.90) per 90.
Such skills have seen Salah drawn by FBref as a player of statistical likeness, curiously. Pundit Matthew Upson has even praised Barnes for his “razor-sharp” finishing.
Harvey Barnes in action for Newcastle
Anthony Gordon has wheels and multi-dimensional wide qualities, so he could play on the right flank in place of Jacob Murphy, to allow the right-footed Barnes space and positioning to arc inside and strike past Liverpool’s redoubtable goalkeeper.
Barnes is also something of a secret weapon, with five of his last six Newcastle goals coming on the road. The England international’s pace and potency in the final third could see Liverpool come unstuck, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate going to have an eye on Isak at all times.
It’s a move that would be somewhat contentious, moving Murphy to the bench after such committed and balanced attacking performances, but he flattered to deceive during December’s 3-3 draw, withdrawn after 74 minutes having completed only seven passes, missed a fantastic chance to score in hitting the woodwork and lost all three ground duels, squandering possession 12 times, as per Sofascore.
Against Liverpool’s mean defence, Newcastle need something more deadly to alleviate Isak’s workload, and Barnes might just be the man for the job.
Newcastle must rue selling world-class star who will be better than Gordon
Newcastle were forced to sell off two of their most prized assets in June to avoid a PSR breach, and one in particular is starring on the South Coast.
Aston Villa appear to be going through something of a goalscoring crisis at the moment. Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins have netted just three times between them all season, with Villa scoring only six times in the Premier League.
Steven Gerrard will now surely be regretting not bringing in another striker during the summer transfer window, and this could come back to haunt the 42-year-old if Villa’s form doesn’t pick up soon.
If the Englishman could turn back time, he might wish he could have a former Villa hitman leading the line in his current team…
Juan Pablo Angel would star under Gerrard
In December 2000, Villa manager John Gregory splashed out a then-club record transfer fee of £9.5m to bring Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel to the Premier League.
He had shone at River Plate, scoring 36 goals for the Argentine club, and this prompted Gregory to make a move for the player.
Angel struggled initially in the Midlands, not scoring his first goal for the club until May 2001, but this proved to be the catalyst which endeared the striker to the Villa faithful over the next six years.
The Colombian eventually went on to score 62 times in a Villa shirt and became quite a fan favourite in his seven-year spell with the club.
He was extremely strong and clinical once he got into the penalty box and these attributes enabled him to shine in the Premier League. His best season was 2003/04, when he scored 23 goals and led the club to a sixth-place finish and a League Cup semi-final.
His later years at the club weren’t as prolific, and he moved to the MLS, playing for New York Red Bulls, LA Galaxy and Chivas USA before retiring at his first club Atletico Nacional in 2014.
A total of 72 goals during his time in MLS proved that he still had the finishing touch, and he will surely go down as one of the finest Villa strikers of the 21st century.
Angel would star in this current squad, especially with creative talents such as Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia supplying him with plenty of goalscoring opportunities.
Aston Villa’s official Twitter channel still regularly posts videos of his goals and have dubbed the striker as “vintage” in one of their goal-of-the-day videos.
He would terrorise defences in the current top flight and who knows how many goals he would score. One thing seems for certain – if he were leading the line for them this season, Villa would have scored more than six league goals by now.
West Bromwich Albion are looking at bringing former Everton midfielder Fabian Delph to The Hawthorns.
The Lowdown: Delph’s release
Delph, who shares the same agent as Baggies defender Semi Ajayi, was released by Everton over the summer. The 32-year-old had been with the Toffees since 2019 and made 11 of which came last season.
The former Leeds United, Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder failed to find a new club during the summer window, but he is still able to sign terms as a free agent.
The Latest: West Brom links
A report from Football League World ahead of West Brom’s trip to Norwich City claims the Baggies are one of five Championship clubs looking at a potential move for Delph.
The report adds that Rangers are also keen on the midfielder, however, a move to the second tier in England is looking more likely.
The Verdict: Another one…
The Baggies have made brought in six players in recent months on free transfers, two of which have been out-of-window moves for Tom Rogic and Erik Pieters.
Steve Bruce has two defensive midfielders and two central midfielders to pick from at this moment in time, so you could make an argument for Delph being a smart addition.
However, the Englishman, who has scored twice against West Brom during his career, may take time to get up to speed in the Championship, especially after only making £80,000-a-week wage with his former employers.
Manchester United are ‘interested’ in a move for Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, according to Sky Sports.
The Lowdown: Trapp profiled
Trapp, labelled as ‘magnificent’ in this year’s Europa League final by journalist Josh Bunting, is 32 years of age and has been with Frankfurt since 2019. The Germany international, sponsored by Adidas, is under contract until 2024.
He has previously plied his trade with Paris Saint-Germain and has made 261 appearances for his current employers across two separate spells.
The Latest: United interest
Sky Sports provided an on-air update regarding United’s transfer business on Tuesday morning.
They said that the Red Devils are ‘expected’ to go back in with a new offer for Ajax winger Antony and added that the club are ‘also interested’ in Trapp but haven’t held formal talks or made an official offer so far.
The Verdict: Needed
Erik ten Hag could do with bringing in a new goalkeeper to rival David de Gea after allowing Dean Henderson to join Nottingham Forest on loan earlier in the window.
Trapp has plenty of experience in Germany and France, so providing he is willing to play second choice to De Gea initially, could be a perfect addition at Old Trafford.
De Gea hasn’t had the best of starts to the current campaign with a big error against Brentford, so Trapp could feel there’s a chance for him to get plenty of game time, especially with United in a number of different competitions.