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An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their interest in signing Josh Onomah in the upcoming January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the Light Blues head coach is keen on a deal to sign the Fulham attacking midfielder next month, as he was also looking at the gem in his previous job.

The reporter told GIVEMESPORT: “I believe he does like Josh Onomah from Fulham.

“He was interested in possibly signing him when he was at QPR, so he’s a player that’s definitely on Beale’s radar.”

Ryan Kent 2.0

The Gers could now land their next version of Kent by securing a deal to sign Onomah as he could follow in the ex-Liverpool man’s footsteps by failing to fulfil his potential in England before excelling in Scotland.

Prior to arriving at Ibrox in 2018, the current Light Blues star had failed to score a single goal in 16 outings for Freiburg and Bristol City combined in the Bundesliga and Championship – on loan from Liverpool. He had also only managed three goals and three assists in 44 second-tier matches for Barnsley in the 2016/17 campaign.

However, Kent was able to hit his stride in a Rangers shirt and has racked up 31 goals and 53 assists in 196 games in all competitions for the club to date, with Beale working with him as the assistant manager for the first three years.

Onomah, meanwhile, has failed to score or assist a single goal in his last 13 Premier League appearances for Fulham across the 2020/21 and 2022/23 campaigns so far.

This shows that, like the current Gers gem, the midfielder has struggled to make his mark at the top level and that a move to the Premiership could allow him to kickstart his career.

Fulham’s midfielder has shown that he has the scope to develop into a player capable of making a big impact in the final third. The 25-year-old wizard produced four goals and six assists in 28 starts in the club’s last two Championship seasons combined – winning promotion in both of them.

Onomah, who journalist Josh Bunting once claimed has “huge potential”, was also capped a whopping 58 times by England at youth level and this shows that he was seen as a promising young player by his country.

Beale must now bring him to Rangers and provide the gem with the chance to make a name for himself in the Premiership, just as Kent has over the last few years.

Nottingham Forest have had their fair share of injury problems over the Premier League season and now a new update has emerged on another setback ahead of their return to action later this month.

What’s the latest?

Forest boss Steve Cooper has revealed a concerning update on Cheikhou Kouyate’s recovery timeline after suffering a hamstring injury at the World Cup, which led to the midfielder needing surgery.

Unfortunately it doesn’t look good for Cooper, who revealed to NottinghamshireLive:

“That’s going to rule him out now for 10 to 12 weeks. It’s a challenge for him that he’s got to embrace and give his best to.

“We’ll miss him, for sure – on the pitch and, equally, off the pitch, because of the character and the personality that he is. It’s slightly unfortunate about how it all evolved with the injury, but we don’t really want to get into that. It’s happened now, so we all have to commit – including Cheik – to get him back as quickly as possible.”

It’s bad news for Cooper

There is no doubt that it is bad news for the manager that Kouyate will be unavailable for the next few months as the Welshman has a huge challenge ahead of him to secure safety in the Premier League over the second half of the campaign.

Forest are currently 18th in the top flight, spending the majority of their promotion season inside the relegation zone so far, however, the run of form displayed ahead of the World Cup break will have given Cooper hope that his team can finally start competing.

Over their last five league outings, Forest collected points from four of their fixtures, leaving them just one point shy of climbing out of the bottom three ahead of their clash with Manchester United on Boxing Day.

Losing the experience and consistency Kouyate has been offering the Tricky Trees in the centre of the pitch will be a big blow for Forest, especially when you consider his output so far.

With a Sofascore match rating of 6.78, he is the seventh-best player in the squad so far and indeed their joint-best midfielder alongside Ryan Yates when compared to that metric.

That comes courtesy of some productive displays over 12 appearances, with the 32-year-old having scored one goal, created one big chance and completed a whopping 84% of his dribbles.

Furthermore, he has averaged 1.8 tackles – the best of any midfielder in the squad – 1.6 clearances and 3.9 duels won per game.

With that being said, the absence of Kouyate will be a big loss for Cooper but he will now need to rely on his other midfielders to deliver crucial points in the Premier League over the upcoming fixtures.

West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Azzedine Ounahi after the midfielder’s sensational performances at the World Cup and the Moroccan could be the man to replace Tomas Soucek in David Moyes’ side.

According to the Mail, West Ham, Wolves and Leicester City are all keen on the Angers star, who is expected to cost around £40m after bursting onto the scene in Qatar.

With his side currently bottom of the French top-flight ahead of its resumption after Christmas, a transfer could definitely be on the cards for Ounahi in January, but he will have to replicate his performances for his country rather than his club if he is going to be a success at the London Stadium.

The 22-year-old was a revelation for the Atlas Lions as they sensationally reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, before defeat against France brought an end to their spectacular run.

Ounahi would play a big part in the historical wins over Spain and Portugal, earning 7.13 and 7.2 ratings from WhoScored for his performances against tough European opposition.

This led legendary manager Jose Mourinho to sing his praises, as he described the midfielder’s displays in Qatar as “jaw-dropping,” which certainly bodes well for any interested clubs in January, given some of the talents that the Portuguese manager has had at his disposal in his career.

Should Ounahi complete a £40m move to West Ham in next month’s transfer window, it could be bad news for Soucek, who has, this season, struggled to replicate the form he showed when he first joined the Hammers.

The Czech Republic international has averaged a 6.91 rating from WhoScored so far this campaign, compared to 6.97 and 7.34 average ratings from the last two Premier League seasons, while his goal tallies are also down significantly from years gone by, finding the net once in 2022/23, compared to ten in 2020/21 and five in 2021/22.

Meanwhile, his pass success rate of 76.9% is extremely disappointing for a central midfielder. Ounahi, by comparison, has averaged an 88.6% success rate with Angers this season, which suggests that he could be a much more reliable midfield partner for Declan Rice.

The Moroccan has also averaged more shots (1.6 vs 1.1), key passes (1.2 vs 0.5) and dribbles (2.6 vs 0.1) per game this season, so signing the impressive young midfielder could help Moyes drastically improve his midfield and finally bench Soucek after his less-than-impressive start to the current campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur have recently been linked with a move for Barcelona forward Memphis Depay but there is ‘nothing concrete’ as of yet, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Depay interest

Spurs were named by 90min as one of several Premier League clubs to have spoken with the 28-year-old’s representatives earlier this month, with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal doing the same.

The Daily Mail then reported that Depay had been offered to Tottenham by Barcelona as he has been unable to force his way into the starting XI at Camp Nou, making just two La Liga appearances up to this point of the campaign.

Romano has now detailed how far the negotiations have progressed…

The Latest: Romano’s update

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Italian stated that there have been no been no solid developments in the transfer saga surrounding Depay, for Tottenham or any other of the interested clubs.

Romano said: “At the moment, from what I’m told, there are many rumours but nothing concrete, not with Tottenham or with any other club. Everything is so calm around Memphis Depay.”

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The Verdict: Get it done?

The Dutchman has started at centre-forward in 39 of his last 50 games, but he is also able to play on the left. That would make him a versatile option for Antonio Conte, akin to Richarlison, who can also play in both positions.

That is an important box ticked, given that the 28-year-old’s game-time in a central role is likely to be limited with a move to Spurs, as he would no doubt be playing second fiddle to Harry Kane.

The Dutch ‘enigma’ – as dubbed by The Guardian’s Jonathan Liew over his flamboyant off-field lifestyle and troubled Manchester United spell – has a fantastic scoring record throughout his career, with 147 goals in 396 senior appearances at club level, while also weighing in with 92 assists.

With Barcelona seemingly happy to part with Depay if they have offered him out, Tottenham should use that opportunity to get a deal over the line, as there is plenty to suggest that he would be a fantastic attacking option for Conte.

Stephen Warnock has claimed on Sky Sports that Antonio Conte is trying to push Daniel Levy and Tottenham Hotspur in order to be financially backed.

The Lowdown: Conte wants to be backed

Reports have claimed over the last few weeks that Conte and Spurs are indeed in fresh contract talks to try and secure the future of the Italian boss whose original contract expires this summer, albeit the club can trigger an extension.

However, as things stand, nothing has materialised, and there now appears to be something of a standoff between Conte and Levy as to who blinks first, with the Italian manager clearly wanting to be backed in the transfer window.

Conte has made it very clear he wants and needs more bodies in his Spurs side, but Levy may not hand him that until he confirms his intentions and signs a new deal.

The Latest: Levy and Conte at a standoff

Warnock, who was speaking on Sky Sports News, believes that Conte is pushing Levy as much as he can to try and gain more control of what goes on at Spurs.

“From Daniel Levy’s point of view, it feels a case of Antonio Conte signing the contract and then he will [back] him in the market.

“If he doesn’t sign the contract, he’s going to struggle to back him because he wants to avoid having a turnover of managers with their own players.

“Conte always likes to be in control and feel he’s in the power position. Conte is pushing Levy as far as he can but Levy is saying if you commit to us, we’ll commit to you,”

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The Verdict: Spurs must trust Conte

It appears pretty clear that Conte does indeed need more signings to improve his Spurs squad as they are yet to win since the World Cup concluded and that’s coincided with players such as Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison missing games.

Therefore, if this is what happens when Spurs pick up just a few injuries, it should be pretty obvious to the board that Conte needs additions, or they could be kissing their top-four chances goodbye.

However, given that Spurs did splash out quite heavily last year, there may not be the money available that Conte thinks is enough to improve his team, and he may therefore not wish to sign a long-term deal.

Tottenham Hotspur have now made contact with Angers regarding the signing of midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Ounahi targeted

While impressing at the World Cup would have made people more aware of him, Ounahi has long been the subject of interest from across Europe, with giants like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain sending scouts to watch him prior to the tournament.

The same report credits Premier League clubs Leicester City, Newcastle United, Southampton and West Ham United as all having an interest in the midfielder, but there is no mention of Tottenham.

However, the Lilywhites could now be set to make a late attempt to hijack the transfer…

The Latest: Tottenham make contact

According to a report from La Repubblica (via Sport Witness), Tottenham chiefs have now been in contact with Angers, who have set an asking price of £30m on one of their prized assets.

It is claimed that Napoli had agreed the transfer with the player, but Spurs are ‘meddling’ and could change his mind if they choose to make a concrete offer.

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The Verdict: A risk?

The 22-year-old has received high praise from a legend of the game, with Jose Mourinho hailing him as ‘absolutely incredible’ after his performances out in Qatar, and he has also displayed very promising signs at club level.

Over the past year, the maestro has averaged 2.48 dribbles completed per 90, placing him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he has also proven himself as a live-wire in the opposition box by registering 2.68 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, in the 91st percentile.

However, £30m is a considerable sum of money, and BILD report Spurs have already offered midfielder Daichi Kamada a contract, with a view to bringing him to the club on a free transfer at the end of the season (via TEAMtalk).

This deal would make more financial sense, and Antonio Conte already has the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at his disposal in midfield, so it is not an area that needs immediate attention.

Manchester United are maintaining their interest in Celtic’s Croatian World Cup star Josip Juranovic, who could arrive in the coming weeks…

What’s the talk?

Having expressed an interest in the European ace’s services last year, with the Daily Mail reporting that manager Erik ten Hag’s interest stretches back to the start of the current campaign, the Croatian is a player of interest again.

Indeed, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth (live transfer blog, 10.01.22, 16.02), the Red Devils are continuing to keep tabs on the full-back amid speculation over Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s future at the club.

Recent reports have stated that he could be available at a bargain price of just £7m, a meagre sum of money for a club of United’s statute.

Juranovic dazzled for Croatia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and should the cogs fall into place, the Premier League giants would wield a fresh dynamo to bolster the pursuit of major silverware over the latter period of the campaign. 

“Unbelievable”

The Croat has been a regular presence on the Celtic starting team sheet since his £2.5m move from Legia Warsaw in the summer of 2021.

He has forged a total of 51 appearances for the Hoops, clinching six goals and providing three assists, winning the Scottish Premiership and League Cup last year.

This season, he has not quite been at the races in Glasgow, only scoring one goal and assist apiece from nine league displays despite his outfit’s momentous form, but his arresting performances with his nation and his stellar offensive work last season are solid indications of the player’s capabilities.

However, as per Sofascore, his impressive 7.19 rating in the division this season has affirmed his talent despite the dip in direct offensive contribution, with his 1.0 strikes and 1.4 key passes per match likely to be maintained should he move to Old Trafford.

And at the World Cup, an average score of 7.13 continued the conversation surrounding his aptitude as a top-class right-back, with his all-encompassing displays integral in pushing Croatia towards another fantastic finish on the world stage.

Should Ten Hag succeed in bringing the 27-cap ace to the Theatre of Dreams, United would welcome another star in the mould of beloved former full-back Rafael.

A cult figure within the Red Devil fanbase, the Brazilian Rafael made 170 appearances for Man United, scoring five goals and assisting 15 more, winning multiple trophies including three Premier League triumphs.

Having chalked up a laudable average career rating of 6.99 – as per Whoscored – and maintaining a pass success rate of 81.7%, Rafael boasts the requisite assurance and composure to flourish as a steady presence at any top European outfit.

That level of composure and security in possession of the ball is something seen in Juranovic’s game too, with the Celtic full-back chalking up a similar pass success rate of 84.6% in the SPFL this term.

When it comes to bursting forward, they are also alike with Rafael’s career-best 0.8 key passes per game from the 2009/10 campaign very close to Juranovic’s career average of 1.2 a match. They both marry that with the ability to beat a man too, registering 0.9 and 0.6 dribbles an outing respectively.

Hailed as “unbelievable” by William Gallas, Juranovic certainly boasts the consistency and refined aura to prosper in this ambitious United team, and Ten Hag must waste no time in swooping.

Newcastle United could look to the January transfer window to strengthen their already impressive squad at St James’ Park and now a potential transfer target has been identified.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle United are one of the Premier League clubs interested in securing the services of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this month, despite his determination to earn a regular spot in his current team.

As per the report, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Crystal Palace have registered their interest in the popular player alongside Newcastle during this transfer window, however, it is claimed that Gallagher is committed to Chelsea and gaining consistent game time at Stamford Bridge.

Joelinton clone

Although Gallagher may be reluctant to leave London this month there is no doubt that he could become a valuable asset in Eddie Howe’s pursuit of dominance with the Magpies should the club find themselves able to convince the player of a move.

Newcastle are currently third in the Premier League table after a phenomenal run of form that has seen them tally up just one defeat over their first 19 outings and have also progressed to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup with Howe leading his team to the potential of both a trophy and securing Champions League football.

Indeed, the Tyneside team have been consistent and reliable with everyone working together seamlessly to grind out results over the campaign so far, however, by adding new additions this month they could really build a full-proof formidable squad giving Howe more quality in the depth of his team.

As a result, the signing of Gallagher could be a major coup for Newcastle if they can secure his signature this month as the midfielder has proven that he is a prospect with a lot of potential over the last 18 months, especially during his time on loan with Crystal Palace where he played an influential role in the success of the team last season.

Over 34 appearances, the 22-year-old midfielder – hailed an “incredible talent” by Abi Rodwell – scored eight goals, registered three assists and created five big chances in a real breakout campaign.

He also averaged 1.1 key passes, 1.5 shots on goal, two tackles, 1.3 successful dribbles and 5.9 duels won per game, displaying that with consistent game time, Gallagher can be a hugely valuable asset in the centre of the pitch.

Howe could even land a Joelinton clone with the Newcastle fan favourite named as the second most comparable player to Gallagher over the last 12 months, according to FBref.

When comparing the positional peers’ output this season so far the pair share similarities in a wide array of areas, with players capable of turning defence into attack with strides from the centre of the pitch.

They are similar in their assists (1 v 1), pass completion rate (79.1% v 80.8%), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.32 v 3.23), dribbles completed (42.1% v 39.3%) and percentage of dribblers tackled (46.7% v 52.9%).

Newcastle are currently without Bruno Guimaraes and Jonjo Shelvey in midfield due to injury issues leaving Howe with limitations on the players he can rely on in the centre of the pitch, so the signing of Gallagher over the coming days and weeks could take some pressure off.

With that being said, if the powerbrokers at St James’ Park could convince Gallagher to make a move to the North East this month it would give Howe another talent to deploy in the heart of his on-form team.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has held direct talks with Arnaut Danjuma over a potential move to the City Ground, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Danjuma in numbers

Danjuma is 25 years of age and made the move to Villarreal from AFC Bournemouth back in 2021. The Netherlands international, valued at €35m by Transfermarkt, has made 51 appearances for the La Liga side, contributing to 26 goals.

Hailed as an ‘exceptional talent’ by pundit Clinton Morrison Danjuma previously scored 17 times in 52 goals for the Cherries and is primarily a centre-forward who can play deeper or out on the left.

The Latest: Talks with Cooper

FI reporter Wayne Veysey shared an update on Danjuma and Forest, claiming that Cooper has held ‘direct talks’ with the forward over a possible move.

He adds that Forest and Bournemouth ‘are convinced they are currently in the driving seat to land him by January’s deadline’, with the likes of Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham also named with an interest.

The Verdict: As well as Wood?

It looks as if attacking reinforcements are on the agenda for Forest, with summer signing Taiwo Awoniyi potentially out for months through injury. Emmanuel Dennis also appears to be up for sale, whereas speculation has emerged over a move for Newcastle’s Chris Wood.

The Times has claimed that a loan move to Forest appears to be close, so it will be interesting if the Reds also look to sign Danjuma as well as the New Zealand international. He would offer Cooper a versatile option due to being able to play deeper and on the left, so it could be one to watch.

Pundit and ex-footballer Tam McManus believes Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino may have reservations about staying if he’s not given the game time.

The Lowdown: Firmino’s deal is up this summer

The Brazilian’s contract at Anfield is up in June of this year, which would make him a free agent should a deal not be reached between the player and the Premier League club.

Firmino joined Liverpool in the summer of 2015 from Hoffenheim, a few months before Jurgen Klopp would be appointed as Reds boss.

In all competitions, the 31-year-old has played 348 times for Liverpool, scoring 107 goals and assisting 78 times.

The Latest: McManus gives Firmino verdict

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus claims that the longer the contract situation drags on, the more he begins to think the player could have reservations about signing a new deal.

He said, “I feel like this Firmino thing has been going on for a while now,

“He was brilliant for Liverpool at the start of the season. He was banging them in and then unfortunately he’s got that injury that’s kept him out for a long time now.

“Klopp could do with having him back, not just because of his quality on the pitch, but he’s a leader. He’s one of the senior players there and he’s someone you look to when things aren’t going your way.

“The longer this goes on, the more you think there might be a problem. Is it game time? He’s an older player now and Liverpool have a lot of attackers.

“Maybe he wants guarantees that he will be playing because he is getting to the end of his career now and he wants to play as much as he can.

“These talks have been going on so I do think there is something wrong.

“It would have been sorted if everything was fine.”

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The Verdict: Firmino still has a lot to offer

We believe that Liverpool should offer Firmino a new deal, as he’s proven to be a strong attacking outlet for them this season.

In the 2022/23 campaign so far, he’s amassed 10 league goal contributions from 13 matches while also proving effective in Europe, with three goal contributions in the Champions League from six appearances.

The 31-year-old hasn’t featured in any of Liverpool’s last five Premier League games, with the Reds only winning twice in that time.

It’s been a disastrous campaign for Klopp’s side this season, who find themselves 10 points off the top four in ninth place, if Firmino were to hit the ground running on his return to the squad, you would think he can earn himself a new deal on his terms.