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Newcastle United are reportedly ready to launch a January transfer move for Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic. 

The Lowdown: Pulisic’s time at Chelsea

Back in the 2019 January transfer window, Chelsea signed the winger from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £57.6m before immediately loaning him back to the German club for the end of the 2018/19 season.

With 133 appearances for the west London club under his belt, the 24-year-old has scored 26 goals and delivered 21 assists, but hasn’t ever quite fully delivered on the excitement surrounding his initial arrival.

Having been knocked out of the World Cup with the USA in the round of 16 stage, the attacker can now focus again on his domestic future following a summer of transfer talk, when Fabrizio Romano claimed PIF are “obsessed” with the player.

The Latest: Newcastle ready to bid

According to a recent report from the Daily Mirror, Newcastle are looking to launch a move to make the Chelsea winger their ‘statement signing’.

The report claims that Chelsea want £40m for the American, and although the Toon are ready to bid, they expect to try and drive that price down.

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It’s also alleged that Pulisic would be tempted by the move on the premise he’d be getting regular playing time.

The Verdict: Worth a shot?

Having only started three of the 13 Premier League games he’s appeared in for Graham Potter’s side this season, it’s easy to see why he’d be looking to make a move away from Stamford Bridge to somewhere he’d have a better chance of playing regularly.

In terms of what he’d be able to offer Eddie Howe’s side, Pulisic has been able to rack up the second-highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes in the league this season at Chelsea (2.14) as well as the joint-fourth highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.43).

Hailed for his “electric” performances at the World Cup by journalist Ben Wright, Pulisic would certainly add some extra attacking strength to Newcastle, bagging 67 senior goals for club and country aged just 24.

Looking ahead to January, we feel that it would definitely be worth Newcastle making an approach to Chelsea to see if they’d be willing to sell the winger for a price that would suit both parties.

Wolves’ hopes of signing Marcos Acuna in January have seemingly taken a blow, with reports suggesting that he will remain with the La Liga side due to injury issues in Jorge Sampaoli’s squad.

What’s the word?

It was originally suggested that the Argentina international was surplus to requirements at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium and would be free to complete a £12 move to Molineux next month, where he would reunite with his former manager, Julen Lopetegui.

The Spaniard openly admitted that he wanted to bring the Argentine to Wolves in a recent press conference, saying:

“We are opening up different options because the reality is that we have to reinforce the team in different positions. (Acuna) is a player that I like. But we will see what happens.”

Despite some impressive performances at the World Cup, where he has helped Argentina reach the final in Qatar, it seemed as if the 31-year-old would be easily available for the Old Gold in January, and he could have added some experience to an otherwise youthful defence.

However, those hopes have now seemingly been scuppered after fellow Sevilla left-back Alex Telles picked up an injury with Brazil in Qatar, with Marca reporting that Acuna will be restored to the starting 11 under Sampaoli and perhaps will not be allowed to depart in the winter transfer window.

Bad news for Lopetegui?

While Lopetegui is well stocked at left-back, with Jonny Otto, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hugo Bueno all capable in that position, Acuna’s experience could have been vital in helping turn Wolves’ season around.

Jonny’s form has seriously declined this season, as the Spaniard has averaged a shocking 6.55 rating from WhoScored for his Premier League performances, compared to 6.75 last year.

Bueno and Ait-Nouri both have promise but it would be a risk to trust two youngsters with relatively little Premier League experience to be the starting left-back for the rest of the campaign, especially given how poor Wolves have been defensively, conceding 24 league goals already.

Acuna has experience playing at the very top, and could definitely feature in this weekend’s World Cup final, while Lopetegui already knows he can trust him from his time at Sevilla.

During his time with Sporting Lisbon, the versatile defender was described as “one of the best in the world” which suggests that he would have been an eye-catching addition at Molineux, considering Wolves are currently propping up the Premier League table.

Acuna’s 6.90 average rating from WhoScored at the World Cup is better than every player in Wolves’ squad bar Ruben Neves in the Premier League, which shows just how good he can be when playing against some of the best in the world.

Consequently, it is undoubtedly bad news for Lopetegui if he remains with Sevilla in January.

West Bromwich Albion have clearly identified midfield as an area needed for recruitment, as rumours persist linking them with options…

What’s the latest?

The latest comes from Portsmouth’s The News page, where they detail all the potential transfer dealings that could go on at the south coast club.

Of them, Jay Mingi is touted with a move following a season of “hurtling emergence” as they describe it.

With the Baggies mentioned in the report, they will battle with the likes of Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City for his signature.

The 22-year-old is entering the final six months of his deal, meaning Carlos Corberan would only have to pay compensation to snatch him from the League One club.

Better than Russell

As aforementioned, Mingi is not the only option the Midlands outfit are considering this January.

Another prominent rumour that has arisen has linked Corberan with a return to his old club for Jon Russell, although there is cause to believe that the Pompey maestro could offer far more than the struggling Jamaican.

Despite impressing in their promotion push last season, he has disappointed this campaign, outlined in his 6.61 average rating.

He clearly has issues with the weight of maintaining his strong performances, which could suggest their fleeting nature and his lack of consistency.

Meanwhile, Mingi has featured just 28 times for Portsmouth after a spell in West Ham United’s academy.

Despite playing at a lower level, it is clear that defensively the youngster shines. Recording 1.1 tackles per game alongside 3.7 duels, he has earned widespread praise for his focus on mastering the dirty work.

What makes these numbers even more impressive is that he has only been handed a fleeting role thus far this season, as he is averaging just 34 minutes per game.

Despite this, his former manager Danny Cowley has been vocal in his admiration for the young midfielder: “Jay [Mingi] is talented and can be whatever he wants to be. He has some attributes that we can’t give, such as pace, power, the ability to cover the ground and put the fires out.

“He’s very good in the defensive transition and we are working hard on his technical ability off both feet, receiving and passing skills, his tactical understanding of how to receive the ball and how to find his own space.”

Clearly well thought of, the freedom he could hand to the likes of Tom Rogic would make him a much better option than Russell, who has somewhat shown his true colours this season.

Jude Bellingham’s father wants his son to complete a move to Liverpool once this season reaches its conclusion, according to an exciting new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Bellingham set to leave Dortmund?

The midfielder has already become a genuine force as a footballer, despite not yet turning 20, standing out as a key man for Borussia Dortmund and now England.

Bellingham has scored four goals in five Champions League appearances this season and a host of clubs have been linked with signing him after his impressive World Cup campaign in Qatar, with Liverpool right at the top of the list.

This summer likely presents the perfect opportunity for Dortmund to cash in while his stock is at an all time high, at which point there will be a huge battle for his signature.

The Latest: Player’s dad wants Liverpool move

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Bellingham’s dad, Mark, wants his son to complete a move to Liverpool, seeing them as the best option for the prodigious midfielder.

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The report claims that the player himself has ‘had his head turned’ by Manchester City and Real Madrid, but the Reds are still trying to get a deal over the line after coming close last summer.

The three clubs are ‘all working hard behind the scenes on convincing the midfielder to join them’.

The Verdict: Deciding influence?

Bellingham and his father Mark seemingly have an extremely close relationship, so the latter’s influence could certainly play a big role in the former’s decision this summer.

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The teenager looks the perfect signing for Liverpool this year, even if they will have to pay an eye-watering amount to get him, and he could solve their midfield woes that have existed this season.

In fact, it is hard to find any negatives to the move, with Bellingham a long-term superstar who can be a key man from the off and mature into one of the best players in the world.

The Everton hierarchy are yet to sign off on a new contract for Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. 

The Lowdown: Pickford’s contract situation

As things stand, the Englishman’s contract at Goodison Park is set to expire in the summer of 2024.

This season has seen the 28-year-old, who is one of the club’s top earners with a wage of £100,000 per week, feature in all but one of Everton’s games in the Premier League.

However, some concerning behind-the-scenes details have emerged ahead of the upcoming January transfer window regarding Pickford and his future on Merseyside.

The Latest: Behind-the-scenes issues

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Everton are yet to sign off on the new five-year contract that Pickford apparently agreed to sign before the World Cup.

The report adds that this delay has led to increased doubt over the shot-stopper’s future at Goodison Park and has alerted the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to the situation.

The Verdict: A mistake from Everton

Even though Frank Lampard’s side have had a tough season in terms of their league results, Pickford has shown how important figure he is for the team.

For example, having faced the fourth-highest number of shots on target in the Premier League (81), the Englishman has made 62 saves, the second-highest of any goalkeeper in the division.

This has given him a save percentage of 79% – the fourth-highest in the league – in addition to his overall performance rating of 6.93/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest rated player at Everton.

Overall, we feel that if the Goodison Park board have delayed giving the green light to Pickford’s new contract, this has been a big mistake on their part, especially if the 28-year-old ends up having his head turned by one of the prospective suitors mentioned in the report.

Arsenal still have Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans ‘on the radar’, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Arsenal’s Tielemans interest

In May, it was reported by The Telegraph that Mikel Arteta was pushing for Arsenal to make a bid of £25m for the Belgian, who was considered one of the club’s leading targets. However, the move did not transpire, with the manager deciding not to strengthen in central midfield.

Given the partnership that Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka have formed in the Premier League this season, Football London reported that the Gunners are willing to wait until the 25-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the current season before signing him.

However, it has now been reported that he is still being considered by Edu and co…

The Latest: Jones’ update

According to Jones, Tielemans is still a potential option for Arsenal, with the journalist telling GIVEMESPORT:

“I think that they are still concerned about lacking a certain profile of player within their squad, and that is one of the reasons that these players [Mac Allister and Tielemans] continue to be linked and why Tielemans is still on the radar.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

There is no pressing need for Arsenal to strengthen their central midfield options significantly, with Partey and Xhaka averaging Sofascore ratings of 7.12 and 7.06 respectively in the Premier League (both in Gunners’ top eight), striking up a good relationship in the middle of the park.

The injury suffered by Gabriel Jesus perhaps poses the biggest threat to Arsenal’s title charge, so signing a new striker should undoubtedly be the main priority for Arteta in the January transfer window, although signing Tielemans would be a bonus.

Hailed as ‘magnificent’ by journalist Josh Bunting, the Belgian maestro is just coming into his peak footballing years at 25, and he has weighed in with at least ten combined goals and assists in his last two full league campaigns from central midfield with Leicester.

As such, Arsenal should assess whether the 58-cap Belgium international is available on a cut-price deal in January and duly make a bid for him, as there is currently a risk that he chooses to sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club.

Leeds United are reportedly very interested in signing Borussia Dortmund star Raphael Guerreiro this year and the Portuguese left-back could be Jesse Marsch’s own Joao Cancelo at Elland Road.

TEAMtalk suggested in December that the Whites were readying a contract offer for the 29-year-old who looks set to leave Signal Iduna Park this year, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Leeds could approach the Portugal international on a pre-contract deal now but may be convinced to bring him to Elland Road this month considering Marsch’s lack of options at left-back, with “liability” Junior Firpo having flattered to deceive since joining the club from Barcelona.

It would undoubtedly be a coup for the Yorkshire outfit if they could sign Guerreiro this month, given that he has experience playing at the top level with Dortmund in the Champions League, with two goals in just four appearances in Europe so far this campaign.

This season has seen the left-back contribute one goal and two assists in 12 Bundesliga appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a solid 6.88 average rating.

Considering this would rank him as the second-best performer in Leeds’ squad, it is clear the quality he could add to Marsch’s squad, and it is easy to see why Victor Orta is reportedly so keen to do a deal.

Dortmund manager Eden Terzic was full of praise for the defender last year, saying: “[He is] an amazing player. So you see especially against a deep defending side, we want him to get on the ball because he makes things happen.”

Should he arrive at Elland Road this year, he could potentially emulate Portuguese teammate Cancelo, who has established himself as one of the world’s best in his position since joining Manchester City, contributing nine goals and 21 assists in 122 appearances for the Citizens.

According to FBref, Cancelo is the second-most similar player to Guerreiro when compared to other full-backs across Europe.

The two players have registered remarkably similar statistics this season with regard to goals and assists per 90 (0.26 vs 0.23), passes leading to a shot (26 vs 28) and blocks (14 vs 15).

WhoScored also suggests that both Cancelo and Guerreiro excel at passing and holding onto the ball, which suggests they are modern, attack-minded full-backs.

Given Cancelo’s success at City, Marsch would surely be foolish to turn down a player so similar, so he should do all he can to bring Guerreiro – who could command around £22m – to Elland Road this month.

Manchester United have identified rising Sporting Lisbon centre-back Goncalo Inacio as an option to assume a pivotal role at the heart of the defence over the coming years and could make a move this January…

What’s the word?

The Red Devils expressed an interest in the Portuguese ace’s signature last summer, with A Bola (via the Express) suggesting they had made a bid in the region of £35m for his services, with manager Erik ten Hag said to be a big admirer.

And now, O Jogo suggests that intrigue in his signature has been maintained by John Murtough and co, with his left-footed skill set a defining factor behind the desire to bring him to Old Trafford.

In the summer, Ten Hag ultimately went with Ajax Amsterdam’s Lisandro Martinez, signing the gem for £56.7m, but the allure of bringing another quality option into the fold, to partner Raphael Varane within the centre of the backline, could lead to a return.

Ruben Dias 2.0

Having won the past eight fixtures across all competitions, United are in contention for silverware once again. Indeed they are the only established ‘big six’ side to remain in the semi-final phase of the Carabao Cup and host EFL Championship outfit Reading in the FA Cup fourth round.

A forthcoming Europa League knockout tie against FC Barcelona will be a true test of the side’s abilities, but the varying elements have contributed to a navigated direction towards success once again, rather than the wayward, meandering travails that the club have been at the centre of over the past several years.

In order to maintain success, someone of Inacio’s ilk will indeed need to be slotted into the fold, cementing the resilience of the backline for years to come, and at just 21 years old the young titan could be the exact signing Ten Hag needs to ensure the ship does not sink.

As per FBref, the starlet ranks within the top 1% for passes attempted and progressive passes over the past year, also in the top 2% for pass completion and the top 9% for rate of assists, when compared to centre-backs across Men’s Next 8 leagues over the past year.

This innate ball-playing aptitude and knack for instigating offensive transitions, partnered with his Portuguese roots and career birth in his homeland, means that he could emulate the success of Manchester City titan Ruben Dias, who has flourished as one of European football’s supreme defenders since his arrival onto the major scene.

Forging 109 appearances for the Sky Blues, scoring four goals and five assists, the 25-year-old has become integral in his team’s exploits, winning two Premier League trophies, the Carabao Cup, and the 2020/21 Premier League Player of the Year.

And having not dropped below 90.5% in passing accuracy since arriving in Manchester, as per Whoscored, the phenom certainly stakes a claim for a pedestal among the very best passers of the ball within the game.

Inacio can replicate the feats of his positional peer by arriving in Manchester himself, but etching his name into prominence by plying his trade among the red half of the prestigious footballing city.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this evening as they make the trip to the Etihad Stadium to face second-place Manchester City.

Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte is tasked with sparking a reaction from his side after they put in a woeful display against arch-rivals Arsenal at the weekend, a game in which they were outfought and outplayed for the most part.

It also poses a big decision on whether to stick or twist with his starting lineup as mistakes against the defending champions will almost certainly be punished.

Several of his key players have returned from injury and Spurs do hold a very impressive record against the Citizens in recent times, so it’ll be interesting to see what sort of XI he deploys.

Here’s what we are predicting…

There could be as many as four changes to the side that tasted defeat to the Gunners, starting with the long-awaited return of Rodrigo Bentancur.

Missing since his World Cup exploits, the Uruguayan’s absence has been a frustrating one for the team but Conte revealed in his pre-game press conference that he would be available for selection at long last. Given the importance of a result, he should start alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Despite an error that gifted Arsenal their opener, skipper Hugo Lloris will remain between the sticks but we could see the “reliable” Ben Davies return to the back three, replacing Clement Lenglet on the left-hand side. Meanwhile, out wide, there could be a further two changes with Emerson Royal and Ivan Perisic returning to the starting XI.

They’ll replace Ryan Sessegnon, after the £25m “big talent” – as once dubbed by former teammate Stefan Johansen – was handed a torrid afternoon on Sunday, and Matt Doherty.

Further up the pitch, Conte is likely to keep the faith with Heung-min Son despite his ongoing form struggles, along with Harry Kane, who must improve in front of goal if he’s to find the net against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Dejan Kulusevski should also retain his place after returning from injury last time out, though Bryan Gil is pushing for another start after impressive in what little opportunity he had in the Swede’s absence.

AND in other news, Levy could repeat his big Bruno Fernandes blunder at Spurs with £40m “special talent”…

Tottenham Hotspur are set for new talks soon as they keep chasing the signing of Sporting Lisbon star Pedro Porro before January 31.

The Lowdown: Spurs make Porro offer…

The Lilywhites, earlier this week, made an official bid to sign the former Man City wing-back according to reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The offer amounted to one player plus guaranteed money to secure the services of Porro, but according to Romano, Sporting rejected this formula and continue to ask for his €45 million (£39m) release clause.

Antonio Conte is chasing Champions League qualification for the second-successive campaign and is reportedly after Porro to upgrade his options at wing-back.

The north Londoners squandered a two-goal lead on Thursday night as Premier League champions Man City sealed a 4-2 comeback win at the Etihad Stadium.

This result highlights the need to strengthen and it appears Tottenham haven’t given up on Porro.

The Latest: Tottenham set for fresh Porro talks…

According to The Daily Mail, Spurs are ‘due to resume talks’ with Sporting for the 23-year-old after making their offer earlier this week.

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They add that Porro is ‘regarded as one of the best attacking right-backs in Europe’ but his club keep insisting that Tottenham must pay his exit clause.

It’s added that the Spaniard is keen on a move to north London.

The Verdict: Make the move…

The young defender, who has stood as one of Sporting’s best players so far this season, would undoubtedly boost Tottenham’s options at right-back.

As per WhoScored, his status as an elite attack-minded full-back is seriously backed by the numbers as Porro ranks in the club’s top two for shots at goal and key passes made per 90.

The defender also tops their charts for league assists over 2022/2023, something which will undoubtedly attract Conte to the signing of Porro this month.

Called a ‘special’ player by members of the media, Sky Sports pundit Kevin Hatchard has claimed Porro has gone up a level under Sporting boss Ruben Amorim and that he is ‘perfect’ for Conte.

It appears he could be the right answer to provide some more attacking flair on Spurs’ right-flank.