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Tottenham Hotspur will find it ‘difficult’ to complete a deal for Sporting Lisbon right-wing back Pedro Porro in January, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Tottenham chasing Porro

At the start of the transfer window, Tottenham were said to be close to completing a deal for the 23-year-old which would have amounted to £35m, but negotiations were not as quick as initially anticipated.

Spurs cooled their interest in the Spaniard upon learning that Sporting were demanding his £40m release clause to be paid, and the move has seemingly now been thrown into jeopardy.

The Latest: Could be difficult

According to Romano, Porro is Tottenham’s main transfer priority this month, but Sporting are reluctant to sell him if the clause in his contract is not met.

The Italian tweeted: “Understand Pedro Porro is top of the list for Tottenham as new right back. Spurs will try to sign Porro as player would be keen on the move.

“It’s difficult deal in January as Sporting have been very clear: €45m release clause or no way. Stance could change in June.”

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The Verdict: Keep pushing

Considering that Tottenham were believed to be close to securing a deal amounting to £35m, paying an extra £5m for a player with Porro’s ability doesn’t seem excessive, and Daniel Levy should pay the full amount before another club does.

The defender has been lauded as a ‘special talent’ by journalist Zach Lowy, and he would be a perfect signing for Antonio Conte in an attacking sense. He has averaged 4.61 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes over the past year, placing in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s major leagues.

Pundit Noel Whelan has recently called the right wing-back position Tottenham’s ‘most fragile area’, owing largely to the disappointing form from Emerson Royal, who was labelled ‘dreadful’ by journalist Josh Bunting earlier this season, so it is clear that an upgrade is needed at the earliest availability.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a rather impressive hit rate with regard to recruitment during his Parkhead tenure thus far, with the 57-year-old having typically proven an astute operator in the transfer market.

Despite that near-on “perfect” record in terms of incomings, as per pundit Alan Hutton, one addition that has failed to work out is the signing of Danish midfielder, Oliver Abildgaard, with the 26-year-old having become something of a forgotten figure in Glasgow of late.

Having signed on a season-long loan deal from Russian outfit Rubin Kazan on deadline day during the summer, the towering asset has since gone on to play a peripheral role for the Scottish champions thus far, having featured just nine times in all competitions this season – totalling just 156 minutes.

That lack of action has seen the one-cap international fail to start a single games across all fronts this term, with even the injury absence of captain Callum McGregor prior to the World Cup break having not led to a more prominent role in the side at the base of the midfield.

According to pundit Frank McAvennie, something is simply “not right” regarding the 6 foot 4 dud’s situation with the Hoops, with that coming amid reports that Postecoglou and co will look to terminate his temporary deal this month.

The Scottish Premiership outfit appear to have identified an ideal replacement who can help hasten Abildgaard’s departure from the club, following speculation that the Bhoys are interested in signing Korean midfielder, Kwon Hyeok-kyu.

According to reports in his homeland – via journalist Barry Anderson – Celtic are believed to have “made an offer” to sign the 6 foot 3 colossus from K-League side Busan IPark, with the 21-year-old named as one of his nation’s “bright prospects”.

The towering youngster would clearly be able to mirror the physical attributes of Abildgaard as a result of his height, while also offering the benefits of his “high-tempo play, technique and physique”, in the words of Anderson.

The South Korea U23 international illustrated his defensive prowess in the recent K-League campaign after averaging 1.6 interceptions and 1.0 tackles per game, with those numbers a superior record to that of Abildgaard who has averaged just 0.2 and 0.5 for the same two metrics, respectively.

With the latter man something of a spare part under Postecoglou at present, it could well make sense to replace the Dane with an up-and-coming asset such as Kwon, whom the title-winning coach can help to nurture and develop.

Tottenham Hotspur will unlikely be able to sign Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie in January, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target Kessie

Spurs recently emerged as the most likely party to sign Kessie if his current club decide to sell him this winter, although there are several offers on the table, as per Spanish sources.

However, a fresh claim has come to light which indicates that the 25-year-old could be set to remain with the La Liga club, at least for the remainder of this campaign.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones played down the rumours linking the Ivorian with a Premier League move.

The journalist said in relation to Spurs’ recent transfer links with the player: “I think a cheeky bid for Kessie in January would probably be a waste of time to be honest.

“He’s basically chasing a dream here. And I think he’ll give it the rest of the season before he even contemplates going anywhere else.”

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The Verdict: Blow for Tottenham

Once lauded as ‘fantastic’ by Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti, the £69k-per-week earner would provide depth for Antonio Conte in Tottenham’s midfield engine room, providing a more defensive option to compete for a starting berth with the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

His acumen in cutting out opposition attacks is highlighted by an average of 1.62 blocks per game over the past year, placing him in the 86th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

He is not limited to defensive contributions either, as indicated by his match average of 2.85 touches in the attacking penalty area (95th percentile), so he appears to offer a well-rounded package.

While it seems that the Ivorian enforcer currently wants to make a name for himself at Barcelona, Spurs should continue to monitor him over the winter, as his multi-faceted attributes would surely be of great use to the north London club in their push for Champions League football.

Wolves are reportedly interested in signing Villarreal defender Pau Torres and the Spaniard could be Julen Lopetegui’s own version of Antonio Rudiger at Molineux.

According to 90min, the Old Gold, along with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen on the Spain international, who looks set to star for Luis Enrique’s side in Qatar at the World Cup.

The 25-year-old has been a mainstay in Villarreal’s impressive sides in recent seasons, helping the Spanish side to the Champions League semi-final last season, after winning the Europa League in the 2020/21 campaign.

This term has seen the centre-back make 13 appearances in La Liga, in which he has averaged a solid 6.64 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which ranks him ahead of both Max Kilman and Nathan Collins in Wolves’ squad, while his experience of playing in Europe’s elite competition suggests that he could be an upgrade to the Old Gold’s backline.

Football content creator Ryan Haber suggested that Torres could be part of a “dream” transfer window for Manchester United in the summer transfer window and indeed he could be exactly that at Wolves should he sign.

Owen Hargreaves was also full of praise for the defender on BT Sport last season.

He said: “He’s a fantastic player. I’m quite surprised he’s still at Villarreal. English teams were looking at him.

“I think everyone was talking about Man United and even Real Madrid, I think his potential is literally that high.

“He’s got a fabulous left foot, he’s great in possession. A fantastic player so I don’t think he’ll be at Villarreal very long.”

Therefore, Torres is clearly a highly-rated defender and it is easy to see why Lopetegui might want to bring him to Molineux, but when you compare him with Real Madrid stalwart Antonio Rudiger, there is little to suggest that the Spaniard – who is set to feature for Spain at the World Cup – wouldn’t improve Wolves’ ailing backline.

FBRef suggests that the former Chelsea defender is the tenth-most similar player to Torres when compared to other centre-backs in Europe’s top leagues.

Last season saw the two defenders register similar statistics with regard to expected assists (both 1.5), blocked passes (both nine) and aerial duels won (58 vs 56).

WhoScored also suggests that both Rudiger and Torres’ main strengths are passing and concentration, so they are clearly similar defenders.

Given Rudiger’s impressive form at Chelsea before his move to Los Blancos, Lopetegui would surely be foolish to turn down a player similar to the German at Molineux.

One of the key additions for Leeds United in the summer was Rasmus Kristensen, who was seen as the natural replacement for the disappointing Luke Ayling. It was a position renowned across Yorkshire for being in desperate need of a revamp.

The former Red Bull Salzburg man marked the first of two occasions where Jesse Marsch had returned to his old club for additions, with the six-foot-one stalwart impressing in his start to life in the Premier League.

He has battled well to cope with the demands of English football, earning himself a position in Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark squad for the upcoming World Cup.

For all the £17.5m-rated man’s defensive quality – notably averaging 2.9 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game from his 12 top-flight appearances this season – it remains to be seen whether he boasts the offensive qualities to truly be a long-term fit for the spot.

The 25-year-old has only recorded one goal contribution all season in the league, with his lack of attacking impetus outlined in his 0.6 key passes per game.

That fact could be the reason behind the Whites’ reported interest in another right-back, with his long-term replacement sounded out in the form of Borussia Mönchengladbach youngster Joe Scally.

Due to Jesse Marsch’s well-reported interest in finding a new left-back, scouts were present in the clash between the German outfit and Borussia Dortmund, thought to be viewing the progress of Raphael Guerreiro.

However, in a report made by 90min, they claim that the strong American contingent at Elland Road could make Scally someone who may also be on their radar.

The 19-year-old is currently also valued at £17.5m by CIES Football Observatory and is also set to travel with the USA as part of the forthcoming World Cup, highlighting his pedigree despite his youth.

A player who is “one of the most talented right-backs in his age group in the world” – according to NFCYC sporting director Claudio Reyna – Scally racked up three goal contributions across last season in what was his debut season in Germany.

This season has seen him once again impress, as, despite not recording a goal contribution, he has created three big chances and averaged 0.5 key passes per game.

He clearly has an incredibly high ceiling, and with a sensational breakout World Cup in the works, to invest in him now might be a stroke of genius.

Whilst it may seem harsh to ditch the latter man from the side in January, the potential Scally brings is undeniable. He already has the defensive qualities Kristensen boasts of and has nothing but time to slowly improve his creativity to make him the perfect modern full-back.

Tottenham Hotspur have ‘been in contact’ to sign Inter Milan star Milan Skriniar in recent weeks, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Paratici plans emerge…

The Lilywhites, after securing a previously unlikely Premier League top-four finish last campaign, gave manager Antonio Conte their backing in the summer transfer market.

Club owners ENIC green-lit a £150 million equity increase to bolster Conte’s squad with Spurs completing eight major new signings – including a permanent deal for Cristian Romero.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie all put pen to paper on moves to north London with the latter of the seven remaining on loan at Udinese for this campaign.

However, a great opportunity has emerged to make another potential signing next year as Nerazzurri colossus Skriniar runs down his current Inter deal.

The Latest: Spurs make Skriniar contact…

Indeed, the north Londoners are now one of a host of clubs taking real interest in the 27-year-old who could leave Inter for nothing next summer.

Sharing the news for 90min and on Twitter, journalist Graeme Bailey calls Skriniar ‘one of Europe’s top central defenders’ and reveals Tottenham’s admiration for the player.

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He claims that Conte’s side have ‘been in contact’ with the player’s entourage ‘in recent weeks’ as Paratici seemingly eyes a real coup for free.

The Verdict: Make the move…

Valued at around £57 million by Transfermarkt, landing him for nothing in 2023 would come as, arguably, Paratici’s best move since being appointed chief director.

Former West Ham goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is certainly in agreement that Skriniar would be an upgrade on Conte’s current defensive crop, calling him a player who would make ‘absolutely perfect’ sense from the Italian’s perspective.

Spurs need world-class additions for their back three if they’re going to reach the levels of a side like Man City and Skriniar seems to fit the bill.

Newcastle United have been blessed with some exceptional strikers over the years as fans have enjoyed the likes of Les Ferdinand, Papiss Cisse, Callum Wilson and, of course, Alan Shearer.

The Magpies faithful have seen their fair share of clinical goalscorers over the years and they will be hoping that summer signing Alexander Isak, who joined from Spanish side Real Sociedad, will be the next cult hero for the club in that position.

Dan Ashworth splashed out a club-record transfer fee of £63m to snap up the Sweden international but money does not guarantee success, as Newcastle have found out over the years with bargain signings and expensive flops.

One acquisition the club played a blinder with was Demba Ba, who moved on a free transfer from West Ham United in the summer of 2011 when Alan Pardew was in charge.

He had scored seven goals in 12 Premier League matches for the Hammers in the previous campaign and that was enough to convince the Magpies to secure his services.

Pardew heaped praise on the striker’s instincts at the time of the move, saying: “He’s a player that has a natural eye for a goal, my connections at West Ham are very good and I know everything about him.”

The forward had failed medicals with Stoke and Stuttgart and it was reported that there were doubts over whether or not Newcastle would go through with a deal due to concerns over a long-term knee injury.

Instead of backing out of the transfer due to potential injury complications, Pardew decided to go through with the signing and the English manager’s decision paid dividends with that call as Ba went on to be a terrific player for the club.

In his first season on Tyneside, the Senegal international plundered 16 goals and four assists in 36 Premier League outings. He followed that up with an impressive 13 goals and four assists in 20 top-flight appearances in the first half of the 2012/13 campaign, which attracted interest from Chelsea.

The Blues activated the attacker’s £7m release clause and snatched him away from the Magpies after 18 months of the supporters enjoying his performances up front.

Former Chelsea TV journalist Jake Heasman once described him as a “lethal” forward who “bangs in goals” at the time of his move to Stamford Bridge in 2013 and his aforementioned statistics at St. James’ Park back that up.

Whilst it was far from ideal for Newcastle to lose Ba midway through a season for £7m, Pardew played a blinder with the attacker as the club made a £7m profit off a free transfer and received a year and a half of outstanding performances after initially doubting whether to bring him to the north east.

Their gamble paid off both in terms of the financial and footballing benefits it brought and the now-retired marksman should be looked back on fondly by supporters.

Allan is reportedly in talks to leave Everton and sign for Al-Wahda in the United Arab Emirates.

The Lowdown: Flop

Unfortunately, Allan has been somewhat of a flop at Goodison Park ever since his arrival from Napoli back in 2020, with 57 appearances made in total with no goals and just three assists to his name over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

He was a key part of the squad that almost got relegated last season, and has not yet made an appearance for the Merseyside club so far this term, already being usurped by new signing Idrissa Gueye in that defensive midfield role.

The Latest: Exit talks

As per Football Insider, talks are underway for Allan to join Al-Wahda in the UAE before their transfer deadline on October 4.

He has been given the green light to leave after falling down the pecking order under Frank Lampard following the summer arrivals of James Garner, Amadou Onana and Gueye.

The Verdict: Get rid

Given his lack of playing time, and the fact that the Toffees have other players who can cover in his position, now is the best time to get rid of Allan rather than having to wait until the January transfer window opens.

The Brazilian is currently their joint-fifth highest earner on £70,000-per-week, and so that would be a lot of money to save on the wage bill.

Nonetheless, they could then use that money saved to potentially invest further in January, should any enticing opportunities come up.

Wolves winger Pedro Neto could jump at the chance to move from Molineux to Arsenal before the transfer window ends, according to journalist Josh Holland.

The Lowdown: Neto linked with Arsenal

The Portuguese forward is one of the Old Gold’s most prized assets, considering the attacking quality that he possesses and the fact that he is still only 22 years of age.

Neto has been linked with a move to Arsenal in recent days, with Mikel Arteta seeing him as someone who can add more quality to an already talented young squad in north London.

Wolves have three days to cling onto the player, with the transfer window ending at 11pm on Thursday night.

The Latest: Holland talks up possible Neves exit

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Holland claimed that Neto would want to join Arsenal if the chance arises in the coming days.

The Midlands-based journalist stated:

“I don’t think Wolves would allow Neto, such a big player, to go this late in the transfer window.

“Whether Neto would go to Arsenal, I think Arsenal are one of the most promising projects in the Premier League at the moment.

“So, if the move was right for Neto, I think he would want to go. But he’s not guaranteed minutes. At Wolves, he’s their star winger, whereas at Arsenal, they obviously have got Saka, Martinelli and Smith Rowe.”

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The Verdict: Potential huge blow

Neto and Ruben Neves, who is also linked with a move elsewhere in the Premier League, are two of Wolves’ most gifted and trusted players, featuring for all but 37 minutes combined in the top flight so far this term, so losing either of them this week would be an enormous blow.

At 22, the former has so many years ahead of him, and in a Wolves squad too often lacking genuine quality and end product in the final third (just 38 league goals last season), he has it in abundance.

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A return of 11 goals and 12 assists in 97 appearances for the club may not look earth-shattering, but it is good for an emerging talent, especially one playing in a far from prolific team.

It may be hard for Neto to say no to Arsenal if they come calling, though, with the Gunners top of the Premier League at the moment, so it would be difficult to begrudge him a move to the Emirates Stadium if his heart were set on going.

According to Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold, the Lilywhites have held internal talks about a move for Bristol City’s Alex Scott.

The Lowdown: Scott profiled

The midfielder joined the Robins from Guernsey back in 2020 and has quickly adapted to life in the second tier, with his impressive performances at Ashton Gate catching the eye of multiple Premier League clubs.

Antonio Conte’s side are one of the teams to have been credited with an interest in the exciting prospect, but they are set to face competition from rivals Leeds United for his signature.

The Latest: Spurs ‘heavily’ tracking Scott

Asked during a fan Q&A for Football.London whether he could see Tottenham signing Scott in the coming weeks, Gold said they have ‘spoken about’ the player behind closed doors:

“Spurs will have to start building their homegrown numbers up for the long-term because they have let Alli, Carter-Vickers, Clarke, Etete, Rodon (for the Premier League) and eventually will see Winks go, and in the short-term, both Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett have left on loan.

“As for Alex Scott, he’s a player Spurs have scouted heavily and spoken about and the 18-year-old has got a fair bit of interest in him at the moment.”

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The Verdict: One for the future

Having been a regular starter at Bristol last season, making 38 appearances and racking up six goal contributions in the Championship, the Reds won’t want to let him go, but he’s proven to be a really promising young player and one that Spurs should snap up in a heartbeat.

Praised for his ‘exceptional’ breakthrough campaign by Robins boss Nigel Pearson, the teenager averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per league game in 2021/22, via WhoScored.

Scott has an outstanding work rate and is skilled in winning possession back for his side, and these are all qualities that would mean he’d flourish in his development if he was to make the move to player under Conte.