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Aston Villa have been handed a potential blow in their bid to bring Harry Souttar to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Alan Nixon’s report for The Sun, with the journalist claiming that Everton are ready to step up their interest in the Stoke City centre-back after watching him in action for the Potters last week.

Further reports have revealed that both Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the defender ahead of the winter market, however, it would now appear that the Toffees are leading the race for the 23-year-old.

Lange must act

While it is undeniable that Dean Smith already possesses rather impressive depth in the heart of his defence, with all four of Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Kortney Hause and Axel Tuanzebe being incredibly strong options for the 50-year-old to be able to call upon, Tuanzebe’s likely return to Manchester United following the completion of his loan spell at Villa Park means that Johan Lange is correct to be planning ahead for the position.

And, considering just how impressive Souttar has been for Stoke so far this season, making a move for the defender in January, as well as before Everton manage to secure a deal for the youngster, would appear to be a very wise move by the Aston Villa director of football.

Indeed, over his 13 Championship appearances, the £3.6m-rated man has helped his side keep three clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.9 interceptions, two tackles, 5.8 clearances and winning a whopping 7.2 duels per game.

These returns have seen the player who Joey Barton dubbed “exemplary” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him as Michael O’Neill’s third-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, it would very much appear as if the £5.2k-per-week Souttar boasts the ability to make an immediate impact within the Aston Villa first team, as well as being a player who will only improve with time and experience of playing at a higher level.

So, it would indeed appear a wise move for Lange to do all he can to beat the Toffees to the 23-year-old’s signing, or else Villa could find themselves lining up against the Australia international in the second half of the season.

In other news: Imagine him & Ings: Lange must seal AVFC deal for 4 G/A beast with “mindset of a lion”

According to Italian news outlet Messaggero Veneto, Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu is being targeted by West Ham ahead of a potential €20m (£16.6m) summer transfer.

The former Watford winger has had an exceptional season in Serie A, scoring nine goals in 25 appearances and setting up two more, as he has transitioned effectively into becoming a striker.

His versatility could be a key reason behind the east London club’s interest, due to Michail Antonio being the only natural striker at the club and the Spaniard’s ability to also operate as a left winger.

While Deulofeu’s career has seemingly been revived in Italy, this would be his fourth stint in England – and if his previous spells are anything to go by, could it be an unsuccessful signing from a West Ham perspective? Our writers give their verdicts below….

 Vijievan Jeevathayalan

“With just 20 goals in 127 games in his time in the Premier League, Deulofeu would be hugely underwhelming as a potential summer signing. The former Everton and Watford man showed flashes of his brilliance in England, but really struggled to deliver anywhere near the kind of consistent form that would suggest a third spell in the top flight would see him finally bring the goods.

“West Ham have taken several steps forward under David Moyes, and with a place in the Europa League quarter-finals already secured, and being well-placed in the Premier League for another impressive finish, the Hammers should be looking at real statement signings this summer. Deulofeu simply doesn’t fit the bill, and Moyes would be making a major howler to push through a move for the Spaniard. It’d quite frankly be a complete waste from GSB.”

James Thompson

“If West Ham were to make a move to bring Gerard Deulofeu back to the Premier League after his stints with Watford and Everton, this would be a really uninspiring move from GSB.

“Having scored just four goals in his previous season in England with Watford, it’s hard to see the Spaniard winning a battle against the likes of Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals or Manuel Lanzini to become a regular first-team figure for David Moyes.

“With the summer transfer window in mind, if the Hammers are going to be in the market for another attacking player, Deulofeu should be nowhere near the top of their transfer target list.”

Daniel Emery

“It would be a surprising move from the Hammers given their wealth of options in the attacking midfield areas. Bowen, Vlasic, Benrahma, Fornals, Yarmolenko and Lanzini can all play in the positions behind the striker and I struggle to see where Deulofeu would fit in.

“He predominantly plays off the right and his 10 goals and four assists since the start of last season do not suggest that he has the quality to displace Bowen, who has 16 goals and 15 assists in the same time, from that role.

“The Spaniard is not an upgrade on what they have and, at 28, is not an up-and-coming prospect who they can look to bed in over time. This deal is a must-avoid.”

In other news – Imagine him and Antonio: West Ham must land £18m-rated “weapon” likened to Beckham

West Ham won’t be bringing Jesse Lingard back to the club this summer, with the midfielder now all set to stay put at Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Lingard excels at West Ham

The Hammers enjoyed an excellent 2020/21 season, qualifying for the Europa League, and Lingard was one of the standout performers.

The 28-year-old scored nine Premier League goals in just 16 appearances after arriving on loan in January, excelling for David Moyes’ side.

The Latest: Midfielder set for United stay

There have been constant rumours linking Lingard with a return to the London Stadium this summer, but according to talkSPORT, he will remain at United:

“BREAKING: Jesse Lingard will stay at MUFC this summer. WHUFC were keen to re-sign Lingard, but couldn’t meet United’s £25M asking price – talkSPORT sources understand.”

The Verdict: Shame, but Vlasic fills the void

Re-signing Lingard would have capped off an exciting final couple of days of the transfer window at West Ham – he was hailed as ‘amazing’ by Rio Ferdinand last season – but it is also no great blow to miss out on him.

The Hammers still have a hugely exciting midfield and attack comprising of the likes of Declan Rice, Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio, which bodes well for the campaign ahead, with new arrival Nikola Vlasic surely the man to fill the gap left by Lingard.

Lingard’s impact last term will always be appreciated by West Ham supporters, however, and it will certainly be a storyline to watch out for whether Vlasic can perform to those ‘amazing’ levels himself.

In other news, some West Ham fans are delighted with one piece of deadline day news. Read more here.

A number of Liverpool supporters are concerned about the extent of Thiago’s injury after a photo appeared to show the Spaniard on crutches.

The Reds could only draw 3-3 away to Brentford at the weekend, blowing the opportunity to pull three points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Liverpool fielded Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Curtis Jones in midfield, with Thiago unavailable after picking up a calf injury against Crystal Palace while Naby Keita was also ruled out, and now even more worrying news has emerged in the form of an image from Instagram.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The 30-year-old will be out until the upcoming international break, but there are now fears that his absence could be more long-term.

That’s because a photo that Thiago’s wife shared on social media [via Anfield Edition on Twitter] appears to show him on crutches, suggesting the injury is serious.

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Liverpool fans shocked and worried

It may be that fans are reading too much into the image and that the midfielder will be back in good time, but these supporters have jumped immediately to shock and worry.

“He’s out for at least 2 months”

Credit: @NocturnalPsycho

“So much for just a minor calf strain. I bet all my money he’s out until Christmas”

Credit: @AnfieldOpinion6

“Watch how this 2-3 week injury turns into 3+ month saga where the club go cold on any news”

Credit: @HypeTrainSam

“Injury FC strikes again”

Credit: @NolesAndPhins

“This is exactly why squad depth is needed”

Credit: @beamerrrrrr

“We’re finished”

Credit: @Shadyy_

In other news, some Liverpool fans are excited about a transfer rumour that has emerged. Read more here.

Taking to Twitter, journalist Rudy Galetti of Sportitalia TV has dropped a major update on Newcastle United’s pursuit of manager Paulo Fonseca.

The Lowdown: Magpies in Fonseca talks…

As widely reported, Newcastle have been in talks over the potential appointment of Fonseca after they sacked Steve Bruce (Chronicle Live).

The former AS Roma tactician has been tipped as one of the overwhelming favourites for the role and reliable reporters like Fabrizio Romano insist that there is progress being made in negotiations.

Sharing an update on social media, Galetti has now backed this news whilst going a step further.

The Latest: Fonseca ‘ready to sign’ for Newcastle…

Indeed, the Italian reporter claimed that Fonseca is now ‘ready to sign’ a three-year contract with the Magpies and the announcement ‘could already be made official’ quite soon.

“Paulo Fonseca is ready to sign a 3-year contract with Newcastle,” Galetti explained on Twitter.

“The former Roma coach should be present in the Selhurst Park stands to follow the match against Crystal Palace.

“The announcement could already be made official soon.”

The Verdict: Big claim…

Coming as a big claim, Newcastle supporters could be enticed by the prospect of potentially appointing Fonseca as Bruce’s immediate heir.

Lauded as an ‘international class’ tactician by Roma chief executive officer Tiago Pinto, the 48-year-old has also been described as mixing both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp’s tactics in ‘a symphony of Beethoven and Metallica’ (Liverpool Echo).

Also a three-time league title winner with Shakhtar Donetsk, it’s clear that Newcastle and PIF could certainly do far worse than hiring Fonseca.

In other news: Newcastle now preparing £67.7m bid for ‘extraordinary’ ace with eight goal contributions already this season, find out more here.

Liverpool’s summer clearout is set to continue in the final few days of the transfer window, with Divock Origi, Nat Phillips, Lorius Karius and Sheyi Ojo all reportedly available for moves away.

What’s the story?

According to The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce (as relayed by Anfield Watch on Twitter), the Reds could part ways with up to four more fringe players before the August 31 deadline.

They tweeted: “NEW: Liverpool are open to offers for Divock Origi. Nat Phillips could also depart, while Liverpool are looking to off-load Loris Karius and Sheyi Ojo. #awlive [@JamesPearceLFC]”.

Liverpool fans should be delighted

Liverpool have already brought in around £30m this summer by sanctioning the sales of Taiwo Awoniyi, Harry Wilson and Mark Grujic.

Switzerland international Xherdan Shaqiri is set to follow that trio out of the Anfield exit door after Lyon had a bid accepted for the diminutive forward, but the exodus is not expected to end there.

Due to the huge financial impact of the ongoing pandemic added to the fact that they have a large squad, the 19-time English champions have been working with very limited funds in recent weeks.

As a result, Jurgen Klopp has only been able to bring former RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate to the club following their disappointing third-place finish this term.

However, if director of football Michael Edwards can pull off another masterclass in the market by offloading any, or all, of the four aforementioned flops, Klopp could have the required resources, and space in his squad, available to land another one of his transfer targets.

Therefore, this latest revelation will surely have the Liverpool supporters feeling delighted. They’ve seen their main domestic rivals significantly strengthen ahead of 2021/22, while key midfielder Gini Wijnaldum has joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

And while the Reds may not be able to compete financially with the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United under their current structure, selling unwanted fringe players in lucrative deals is a smart way to level the playing field.

Phillips is arguably the only first-team member up for sale whose exit could split opinion amongst the club’s fanbase, but with the returns of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip to full-fitness, coupled with Konate’s arrival, his game time would be very limited.

Whether Edwards can get any of the quartet out the door in time to bring in just a second major signing remains to be seen, although his past heroics will give Liverpool fans hope there a still a few deals that can be pulled off.

And, in other news…Sky Sports reveal exciting Liverpool transfer update that’ll have fans buzzing 

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Filip Kostic to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this month.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report from Spain (via TEAMtalk), who claim that Antonio Conte has informed Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici that he wants to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt wing-back in the January transfer window.

The report goes on to state that the 52-year-old manager attempted to sign the Serbia international during his time at Inter Milan, as well as suggesting that, should Spurs be unsuccessful in their bid to sign the 29-year-old this month, the club will attempt to land the defender again at the end of the season.

Paratici must move

Considering just how impressive Kostic has been in Germany so far this season, in addition to the fact that the wing-back would very much appear to be a perfect fit for Conte’s 3-4-3 setup at Spurs, it would appear highly advisable for Paratici to do all he can to seal a deal for the versatile defender this month.

Indeed, over his 16 Bundesliga appearances in the current campaign, the £18m-rated man has been in remarkable form for Eintracht, having already scored three goals, registered six assists and created an extraordinary 13 big chances for his teammates – with the latter being second only to Thomas Muller in the German top flight – as well as making an average of 2.8 key passes and taking 1.9 shots per game.

These returns have seen the £43k-per-week wing-back average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.34, not only ranking him as Frankfurt’s best performer in the league, but also as the 11th-best player in the entirety of the division.

As such, it is clear for all to see why Conte is reported to be so keen on securing a deal for the player who has been compared to Gareth Bale and dubbed a “mentality monster” by Kevin Trapp this winter, and why Paratici must do all he can do get a deal over the line for Kostic before the month is up.

Indeed, should Spurs be successful with a swoop for the 29-year-old this January, Conte could very well have the club’s next Bale on his hands for the second half of the campaign – something which is certainly a very exciting prospect.

In other news: “I understand”: Big twist emerges in THFC pursuit of £25m-rated gem, AC surely buzzing

Leeds United reporter Conor McGilligan has been reacting to a transfer update on Robin Koch.

The Lowdown: Koch to go?

The Whites defender has been in and out of the team this season, failing to nail down a regular role at the back.

The German did fill in for Kalvin Phillips in a defensive midfield role since the turn of the year but has been a substitute in Leeds’ recent upturn in form over the last three games and might not be confident of getting into the line-up for the visit to Watford on Saturday.

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According to Football Insider, the club will listen to offers for Koch in the summer, with a fee in the region of £10m-£11m thought to be enough to prompt a deal.

Leeds are thought to be planning a defensive overhaul ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first season in charge, with Koch potentially moving on from Elland Road.

The Latest: McGilligan reacts to Koch exit reports

McGilligan, who works for Leeds Live, took to Twitter in response to the update regarding Koch. He feels that the 25-year-old has ‘way more potential’ than Diego Llorente, describing a possible exit for the former as an ‘absolutely bizarre decision’.

When asked if he thought Koch should be allowed to leave, the journalist firmly replied:

“Absolutely not. Llorente goes over Koch ability wise for me, you’ve also got to look at the age of both – way more potential for Robin. Would be an absolutely bizarre decision.”

The Verdict: Leeds’ worst-rated defender…

You can see why Leeds are considering parting ways with Koch this summer in what could well be a summer shake-up at Elland Road, should Marsch steer the club to Premier League safety.

As per WhoScored, Koch has struggled this season with an average match rating of just 6.32/10, with fellow centre-backs Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk and Llorente all outperforming the German.

He has actually been the club’s worst-rated senior performer and has also missed 38 games through injury and illness since arriving in Yorkshire, so if one of the four were to go, it wouldn’t be a shock if Koch was the man to be jettisoned, despite McGilligan’s protestations.

In other news: Leeds and Marsch handed early injury boost as ‘strong’ player may now return v Watford  

As per Italian newspaper Corriere Fiorentino, via Sport Witness, a transfer update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Vlahovic on the move?

The Serbia international, who has rejected advances from his current club to make him the highest-paid player in their history, looks to inevitably exit sooner or later.

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His contract expires in 2023, so Fiorentina could risk losing him on a free deal at the end of next season as clubs hover for his signature.

One of those suitors is thought to be Tottenham as the Lilywhites remain heavily linked, following on from sporting director Fabio Paratici’s interest in the 21-year-old over the summer transfer window.

Now, as per a fresh claim from Italy, an update has emerged on the Vlahovic situation involving Spurs.

The Latest: Lilywhites in direct contact?

Corriere Fiorentino (via Sport Witness) lifted the lid on Tottenham’s ‘direct contact’ with La Viola directors Daniele Pradè and Giuseppe Barone, also revealing that the two chiefs held this contact during ‘a trip to London’.

They added that Spurs manager Antonio Conte is a personal admirer of the prolific striker and Tottenham were even ‘ready to come forward’ over the summer during Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Vlahovic stands out as Tottenham’s most blockbuster striking target by some distance and his form in Europe has been among the best.

Scoring 14 goals and setting up three others in just 16 appearances throughout all competitions, it is little wonder his exploits in front of goal have drawn comparisons with Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Braut Haaland.

Serie A experts who have watched him consistently, such as Conor Clancy, have raved over the young attacker’s talent and ability, with that writer calling him ‘phenomenal’ and a potentially ‘exciting’ long-term replacement for Harry Kane (The Transfer Tavern).

Averaging even more shots on goal per 90 this season than Tottenham’s star duo Kane and Son Heung-min (WhoScored), who both made the PFA Team of the Year last term, it’s safe to say that the Serbian does indeed come as a head-turning target.

In other news: Eight players now safe from Spurs axe after impressing behind the scenes, find out more here.

West Brom were dealt a big injury blow back in September after defender Dara O’Shea suffered a fractured ankle while on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.

Sadly, that has recently been made worse given how Kean Bryan, who was brought into the club as a replacement for O’Shea, has now been ruled out of the remainder of the campaign after picking up a severe knee injury last weekend.

Opportunity knocks

With this major double injury blow in mind, once the current international break ends, it could be the perfect time for Baggies manager Valerien Ismael to give young West Brom defender Caleb Taylor his first taste of Championship action this season after appearing on the substitutes bench on five occasions throughout the campaign.

As a product of West Brom’s youth academy, Taylor has made 36 appearances for their U18 side as well as 16 appearances for their U23 team.

During his time with the youth side, Taylor was described as “vocal, focused and leads by example with the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch” by U18 manager Peter Gilbert, which is very impressive for such a young player looking to break into the first team.

Taylor has only made one senior appearance for Ismael’s side which came during the club’s disheartening 6-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup back in August in where he managed to make three clearances, two interceptions and two tackles. He also prevailed in four out of the five duels he was involved in (as per SofaScore), showing his defensive capabilities against a top Premier League side.

A pass success rate of 85% also demonstrated his composure at the heart of the defence.

Taking all of this into account, it feels like now would be a good time for the 18-year-old to get his chance to play regularly with the rest of the first team players and get some league minutes under his belt while both Bryan and O’Shea are out injured.

If Ismael does decide to give the youngster the chance to play in the Championship in the coming weeks and months, he definitely has the ability and mindset to be a reliable performer for the Baggies, which could be crucial for the team and their hopes for promotion back to the Premier League this season.

In other news: WBA must secure deal for “wonderful” 6ft4 beast, it may be season-defining for Ismael – opinion