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Tottenham Hotspur are likely to allow Bryan Gil to depart in the coming weeks having kept ahold of him in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

With Spurs looking to strengthen in the January transfer window, the Sky Sports News editor, Lyall Thomas, has suggested the Spanish winger could be a player who Spurs are looking to offload over the month.

It was reported the 21-year-old was close to leaving for a season-long loan to Valencia in the summer but was then denied the opportunity after Spurs did not bring in any more players.

Spurs are believed to be looking to strengthen their attacking options this month, with Alasdair Gold claiming the Lilywhites have their eyes on a number of players.

However, now a number of months on, Thomas believes should the opportunity become available for Gil again, he will likely be allowed to leave north London:

“I think if Spurs bring one in in an attacking position, I think it’s very likely that Bryan Gil will be able to go on loan.

“Obviously, that was on the cards in the summer.”

January headache at Spurs

Since joining Spurs, it has been reported that Real Madrid had shown an interest in signing Gil from the north London side showing just how highly rated the Spaniard is in his homeland.

Yet at Spurs, the 21-year-old has not really been handed much of an opportunity under Antonio Conte with his first Premier League start of the season coming against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Despite a lack of opportunities in north London, it is believed Spanish clubs continue to show their interest in Gil with some suggestions up to five clubs are looking to rescue Gil from Spurs.

In a Spurs shirt, the Spaniard has failed to provide a goal but has managed to return a single assist during his 27 appearances for the Premier League side (via Transfermarkt).

However, it seems he may have blown his opportunity to impress Conte on the weekend against Villa after being handed with a mere 4/10 rating by Gold.

Whether Gil has a future in north London or not, it is apparent he needs to get some regular game time under his belt. But with Spurs’ injury issues and last summer’s hesitance, it would have to be expected Conte will want to bring in some new faces before sanctioning departures.

For all the excitement surrounding the possible new additions at Celtic this month, manager Ange Postecoglou will no doubt be fearing that a handful of his key figures could well be poached by interested parties.

Although such interest may be something of a compliment with regards to the Old Firm outfit’s rampant form this term – having won 19 of their 21 Scottish Premiership outings thus far – that will hardly soften the blow if any assets are to unexpectedly depart in the coming weeks.

One man who has seemingly caught the eye of late is Japan international, Daizen Maeda, with Sky Sports reporting that Premier League strugglers Southampton are ‘monitoring’ the in-form speedster as they look to bolster their chances of survival.

The Saints do, of course, have previous for raiding the Parkhead giants for talent, having prised the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Stuart Armstrong from Glasgow in the recent past.

To lose Maeda would no doubt be a blow for the Scottish champions, with the £18k-per-week speedster having been on a real hot streak of late, having provided three goal contributions in his last three league games – taking his total tally this season to 11 goals and assists in 27 games in all competitions.

The diminutive “machine” – as lauded by ex-Bhoys striker Chris Sutton – also boasts an impressive overall tally for the club of 24 goal involvements in just 49 games since joining from Yokohama F. Marinos a year ago, hence the concern of losing such a dynamic talent.

Should that reported interest from south of the border ultimately lead to a swift exit from Celtic Park for the 12-cap gem, Postecoglou will likely be left to scour the market to find a suitable replacement.

The title-winning coach could, however, be better served looking towards the academy ranks in order to find an heir to Maeda in his side, with promising teenager Ben Quinn once such talent who could well be deserving of a chance at first team level.

The 18-year-old winger could potentially help to fill Maeda’s goalscoring void, having proven himself a lethal presence as a result of his standout displays for the clubs ‘B’ team so far this season.

The young Irishman – who joined the club back in 2019 – has scored seven goals and laid on four assists in just 19 appearances in the Lowland League so far this term, having also scored once in his two Challenge Cup outings.

That stunning haul is all the more impressive considering that the youngster is not an out-and-out centre-forward, as he mirrors Maeda in being able to wreak havoc from either flank.

Although the exciting sensation is yet to feature in the senior ranks, the indication is that Celtic certainly have a real player on their hands, having had to fend off interest from the likes of Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers to secure his signature just over three years ago.

As such, Postecoglou could well save himself millions if he does promote Quinn in the near future, with the Republic of Ireland youth international potentially able to be Maeda’s successor should the latter man seek to move on.

Aston Villa have ‘sealed’ a €14m (£12.4m) move to sign Real Betis full-back Alex Moreno, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Moreno speculation

Villa were first linked with a swoop for the defender ahead of the New Year after NSWE previously promised Unai Emery a ‘huge’ 2023 transfer budget.

The 29-year-old is one of numerous La Liga players who have been linked with a move to the Midlands in recent weeks, and it seems as if the Spaniard will now become Emery’s first signing in charge at Villa Park.

The Latest: Villa move for Moreno

Romano took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to share an update on Villa’s move for Moreno, claiming that documents have been exchanged ahead of a €14m deal being ‘sealed’.

The Italian said that ‘Emery will have the fullback he wanted’, adding that the player ‘will undergo medical tests soon’ prior to being unveiled as a Villa player.

The Verdict: Versatile operator

Described as ‘quality’ by journalist Ethan Lamb, Moreno is primarily a left-back but can also line out as a left midfielder or left winger. Therefore, he’ll offer plenty of versatility under Emery, who has mainly gone with a 4-4-2 system so far.

All of Moreno’s 15 league appearances for Betis this season have come as a full-back, from which he has registered three assists, so he could be about to rival Lucas Digne for a starting spot, with Villa chiefs potentially open to offers the Frenchman following a move for Moreno.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly closing in on the signing of West Ham United defender Craig Dawson, having missed out on the Englishman during the summer.

What’s the word?

That’s according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, with the transfer insider revealing that an agreement has been reached to bring the 32-year-old to Molineux for a fee of around £3.3m.

Writing on Twitter about that impending move, the respected source stated: “#Wolves have agreed a £3.3m fee with #WHUFC for defender Craig Dawson and are hoping to get the deal completed in time for Sunday’s trip to #MCFC. Dawson is a long-term target who came close to joining in the summer.”

As noted by Crook, reports in the summer had suggested that the experienced centre-back was keen on joining the Midlands outfit, only for the Hammers to ultimately pull the plug on deadline day after failing to secure a replacement.

Coady 2.0

While the Old Gold did recruit Republic of Ireland international, Nathan Collins, during the summer window, the club were left somewhat depleted defensively after the reliable trio of Romain Saiss, Willy Boly and Conor Coady were all allowed to depart under Bruno Lage’s watch.

The exit of the latter man, in particular, proved particularly surprising as the long-serving skipper was allowed to join current relegation rivals Everton on loan, after having racked up 317 appearances for Wolves since 2015.

The old-school defender was undoubtedly something of a leader for the club both on and off the pitch, having led “by example” according to Lage, who also described him as “one of the best” back in March.

That importance to the side was laid bare last season as the England international started all 38 games for the club in the Premier League, keeping 11 clean sheets in that time and averaging 3.7 clearances per game to illustrate his defensive prowess.

The 29-year-old also proved something of a threat in an attacking sense in the 2021/22 campaign, having recorded a respectable haul of four league goals from his centre-back berth.

Current boss Julen Lopetegui could well find Coady 2.0 by bringing in the aforementioned Dawson, with the no-nonsense “warrior” – as lauded by West Ham boss David Moyes – also proving influential in both boxes.

The versatile rock – who can feature at the heart of the defence or at right-back – is evidently a player willing to put his body on the line for his side, with the former Watford man ranking in the top 6% among his European peers for blocks made.

Equally, the £45k-per-week brute – who has averaged 3.3 clearances and 1.3 tackles in eight top-flight games this season – is also something of a weapon in the opposition penalty area, having scored nine goals in 87 games for the Irons in all competitions.

Although, like Coady, the Rochdale-born machine may not be the most glamourous of names, he does offer that workmanlike and hard-nosed defensive resilience that could well prove vital in the scrap for survival.

On the evidence of his form at the London Stadium in recent years, Dawson could well emerge as a truly astute, bargain capture for Lopetegui and co.

Insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph could leave as Joseph Anang returns from loan.

What’s the word?

As we enter the final week of the January transfer window, there may yet be plenty of twists and turns as players are linked with moves both to and away from east London.

In a recent development, young shot-stopper Anang has returned from his loan spell with League One club Derby County and is expected to link up with David Moyes’ senior side.

While the 22-year-old would not be expected to play many minutes any time soon – barring injuries to the likes of Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola – this could open the door for Randolph to depart.

That is according to Ex, who explained as much in an update shared on The West Ham Way Patreon page.

He said: “A number of clubs are said to be eyeing up a move for Irish third-choice ‘keeper Darren Randolph.

“The 35-year-old is out of contract in the summer and West Ham could be about to cash in now. Bournemouth are said to be leading the race with some Championship clubs also in the mix.”Joseph Anang has returned to the club following an injury-plagued time at Derby County. The player injured his arm and was unable to figure for the first team. It is thought his recall to the squad is said to coincide with Randolph being allowed to leave.” Time to move on?

Anang was on the bench for just one league game during his time with Derby before injury curtailed his loan spell. While he has featured plenty of times at academy level, the 22-year-old is yet to play for the first team at West Ham.

However, as mentioned before, it’s not as if he will be expected to step onto the pitch any time soon even if Randolph does depart. Indeed, the Irishman hasn’t played once so far this season and finds himself way down in the pecking order.

At 35 years of age now, Randolph has plenty of experience – despite his lack of recent game time – with over 400 competitive games under his belt across the span of his career.

With that in mind, he could do a decent job if Bournemouth or any Championship teams do come calling. What’s more, with his contract up in the summer, he likely wouldn’t cost very much.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has claimed that Nicolo Zaniolo is on the transfer shortlist of Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Lowdown: Zaniolo a wanted man

90min has reported that Tottenham Hotspur is getting closer to meeting the demands set by AS Roma for the Italian attacking midfielder.

This season Zaniolo has played 13 times in Serie A where he’s found the back of the net once and has yet to provide an assist.

The 23-year-old was previously on the books at Italian outfit Inter but he never featured for them at a senior level.

The Latest: Italian on Brighton’s shortlist

Speaking on the TogetherBHA YouTube channel, Jacobs claims that Roberto De Zerbi’s side would have to pay around £30 million for Zaniolo and said that he’s likely on a list of candidates should they want to move late in the January transfer window.

He stated: “Roma, at the moment, are saying it’s got to be a loan with an obligation, or it’s got to be a permanent sale. And that will maybe, if Spurs walk away, provide a window of opportunity. So Brighton may say, you know what? Were we to lose Caicedo now we are going to look at a player like Zaniolo.

“You have to pay, if it’s a permanent deal something in the region of £30m, though, which is quite a lot of money, quite a big chunk of the Caicedo fee, so I’d be surprised if Brighton went in that direction.

“But you’re quite right to say they’ve been linked, and usually there’s no smoke without fire, which means that he’s probably one of a series of names on a shortlist that they’re looking at in case they do have to move late within the market.”

The Verdict: A move is unlikely

We believe that a move for Zaniolo would be a great addition to Brighton’s squad, he’s certainly an improvement on Adam Lallana.

The Italian is 11 years younger than the Seagulls midfielder and has delivered a much better goal contribution rate in the last six seasons, Zaniolo tally is eight in 110 Premier League games.

Adding the 23-year-old would improve Lallana’s ability to create chances averaging 3.44 shot-creating actions a game from the last year, the Seagull midfielder only has 2.35  per 90 minutes from the last 365 days.

A move to Sussex would be unlikely due to Spurs’ current transfer position on the Roma star, likely due to the likelihood of European football being a possibility on a consistent basis.

Brighton has yet to feature in either the Champions League or the Europa League, Spurs have appeared in both competitions in 13 different occasions since 2010.

There may be only a two-point gap between the two clubs, but if you’re Zaniolo a move to Spurs would ensure a better chance of playing at a higher level for the long term.

Everton could reportedly be set to put an end to their striker issues with a shrewd January transfer…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Sunday Mirror (29/01, pg 76), who claim that the Toffees are among three Premier League clubs vying for Michail Antonio.

With just 18 months left on his £85k-per-week deal at West Ham United, it is suggested that the ageing marksman is willing to leave the London Stadium despite featuring heavily for David Moyes this campaign.

With Sean Dyche now all-but-confirmed as the new manager at Goodison Park, he could make his first deal a characteristic one, welcoming a tireless target man to underpin his philosophy.

Ashley Barnes repeat

Just two years after his appointment at Burnley, the 51-year-old went scouring the market in search of that perfect striker with which he could utilise as the foundation for his offence.

A staunch believer in the 4-4-2 system, its many variations make for an interesting tactical outlook that is far from the prehistoric ideals many would believe he employs. Despite this, Barnes was the perfect choice to occupy one of those two roles up top.

Whilst talking on The Coaches Voice about how he masterminded the Clarets’ win over Liverpool, he referenced one man in particular as integral in executing their game plan.

Fully aware of the high line, he noted that Barnes’ experience playing in non-league helped his understanding of the exploitative balls in behind that would trouble Jurgen Klopp’s men. It was he who won the decisive penalty, which he would go on to score, helping the Lancashire outfit end the Reds’ 68-game unbeaten run at Anfield.

Dyche could look to repeat the deal to sign Barnes by investing in Antonio, who too has seen a meteoric rise up the footballing pyramid to Premier League stardom and often outscored the consistent if unspectacular 33-year-old.

With pace and physicality in abundance, a willingness to run the channels plus a sensational ability with his back-to-goal, his presence could be integral in allowing a new system to be built on Merseyside that could ensure survival.

In fact, his strength was lauded by personality Godfrey Akoto Boafo, who lauded the “powerful” attacker as “carrying” his team.

The 32-year-old remains the Hammers’ all-time Premier League top scorer, which speaks volumes for his pedigree, but it was only last season that he was bagging ten times and assisting eight.

Should he recapture any semblance of that goalscoring form, combined with his consistent work rate and hold-up play, he can quickly become a fan favourite under Dyche. Antonio can once again become the “complete monster” that journalist Paul Brown once dubbed him.

With a similar rise to prominence through the football leagues, to their mirrored play styles that utilise their physical assets to perfection, this seems like the perfect deal to allow Everton’s new boss to repeat a masterclass of the past by signing his new Barnes.

Newcastle United hold a strong interest in the Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek amid the final hours of this month’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe saw his first January arrival come through the door last week with the addition of Anthony Gordon from Everton in a deal which could rise as high as £45m.

However, that signing aside, it has been a fairly quiet month for the Geordies who are still seemingly looking to do some business in the remaining hours with a deal agreed upon for Harrison Ashby.

And it may not end with the potential signing of Ashby from West Ham United with the Toon believed to have their eyes on a trio of Chelsea players.

Speaking on the Ranks FC Patreon page, insider Dean Jones has suggested the player Newcastle admire the most from the trio is actually Loftus-Cheek:

(7:00) “Loftus-Cheek was the one I was told yesterday [Monday], they were most keen on. They weren’t sure if Chelsea would do a loan on that. So let’s keep an eye on that.”

Late business?

It is interesting to hear Loftus-Cheek could be the player who is garnering the most attention from the Magpies in terms of the Chelsea trio reported.

The 27-year-old has proven himself to be an extremely versatile player during his time at Stamford Bridge having played across the midfield and at right-back (via Transfermarkt).

And the Englishman has actually played a fairly significant role in the Blues’ side thus far but with Chelsea potentially receiving a significant number of players back from injury over the coming weeks, we wonder if that puts his spot in the side in jeopardy.

Chelsea’s transfer window has been nothing short of outrageous with the Londoners having spent around £182m – which could potentially rise significantly by the end of the day.

With this in mind, as well as Jonjo Shelvey’s imminent departure to Nottingham Forest, Newcastle could prove a place where Loftus-Cheek could offer his services in midfield.

The 27-year-old has covered in both a central and defensive midfield role this season which has seen him pick up an assist in the Champions League against AC Milan (via Transfermarkt).

And in comparison to other midfielders, Loftus-Cheek ranks in the top fifth percentile for dribbles completed, top seventh percentile for touches in the opposition box and has averaged more tackles per 90 minutes than Sean Longstaff this season.

As the hours tick by and Chelsea potentially look to bring even more players in, perhaps this could leave Loftus-Cheek’s position in the side in doubt and possibly open up a move to Tyneside for the 27-year-old.

Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is seemingly already eyeing potential moves ahead of the summer transfer window, amid reports that the Magpies could make a renewed approach for Leicester City talisman James Maddison.

What’s the word?

According to The Northern Echo, the Tynesiders are set to make the Englishman a ‘key target’ come the end of the season, albeit with Premier League rivals Manchester City also set to now be in the race for the 26-year-old’s signature.

The report suggests that, having made an offer for the playmaker last summer for a fee of around £50m – as well as another enquiry last month – Ashworth and co are set to rekindle that interest in the summer, with the Magpies willing to be ‘patient’ in their lengthy pursuit of the player.

The article adds that the St James’ Park outfit would be open to forking out around £40m for the former Norwich City man, with the one-cap England international having yet to commit himself to the Foxes with less than 18 months left on his existing deal.

Newcastle’s own De Bruyne

Maddison has emerged as a leading target for Eddie Howe’s side as a result of his standout form at the King Power Stadium of late, having bagged eight goals and four assists in just 15 top-flight appearances this season, on top of providing 30 goal contributions across all fronts last term.

That ability to make a telling impact in the final third from his creative midfield berth has ensured that the Coventry-born sensation shares a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, as per FBref.

That likeness is evidenced by the fact that the latter ranks in the top 1% in Europe among those in his position for assists, shots and non-penalty goals as a marker of his relentless consistency in attack, while Maddison also ranks in the top 1% in those same three metrics.

The two players’ quality on the ball is also further showcased by the fact that De Bruyne – who has three goals and 12 assists in the league this season – ranks in the top 1% for progressive passes received, with the Leicester dynamo only slightly behind as he features in the top 5% in that regard.

Such brilliance in possession is also laid bare by the fact that the Belgian has been lauded as “the best passer the Premier League has ever seen” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, while Maddison has previously been praised for his “world-class” delivery by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.

To merit a mention in the same breath as the 31-year-old is testament to the rise that the eye-catching 5 foot 9 “baller” – as lauded by journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray – has enjoyed under Brendan Rodgers of late, and it is some feat to be compared to someone who Jamie Carragher hailed as “the best player in the Premier League for the past four or five years”.

While Maddison still has some way to go before truly matching the former Chelsea man – who is currently top of the division for big chances created this season (20) – it does bode quite well for the impact that he could make for the Magpies.

Chelsea star Reece James has been criticised for his ‘horrid’ positioning in the build up to West Ham’s first half goal today.

The Lowdown: Derby day…

The Blues travelled across London to face their capital city rivals in what was an interesting contest.

West Ham, who are battling against Premier League relegation, could not be in a more different scenario to Chelsea who are looking to kick on and build after lavish squad investment.

Graham Potter’s men couldn’t have got off to a better start, taking the lead through Joao Felix who fed off Enzo Fernandez’ sumptuous cross with a delicate first time finish.

Chelsea dominated right from the off but, in an unexpected twist, West Ham found themselves back in it when former Stamford Bridge defender Emerson Palmieri buried a flick-on at the back post.

The away side couldn’t regain their lead and nearly found themselves behind but for VAR.

Tomas Soucek’s late goal was ruled out for offside with the encounter ending 1-1.

The Latest: James criticise for Emerson goal…

For West Ham’s first half equaliser, Emerson found himself in acres of space – leading to broadcaster Nubaid Haroon criticising James’ positioning in the build up to that crucial goal.

He explained:

“That Emerson goal is hilarious btw. Reece James’ positioning is horrid”

The Verdict: Bad day defensively?

Going forward, the England international was as threatening as ever – making two key passes whilst also attempting a shot on target (SofaScore).

James also put five crosses into the West Ham box, and while none of them resulted in a goal, the right-back’s presence going forward was there.

However, you could say this was an off day for James defensively, having lost the majority of both his ground duels and aerial duels this afternoon (SofaScore).

The 23-year-old’s positioning for West Ham’s only goal was also poor given he appeared to be ball-watching – which ultimately allowed Emerson to ghost in and score the home side’s equaliser.