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Wolves have had a pretty underwhelming January transfer window when it comes to adding new first-team players to their squad, with Hayao Kawabe and Sang-bin Jeong arriving and then being loaned out to Grasshopper Club Zurich shortly after.

However, it seems as though the Old Gold have their eyes on securing the signing of a potential future star that has been tearing it up at youth level with his current club.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness) Wolves are one of the three teams that have shown an interest in signing 18-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger Djeidi Gassama alongside Hamburg and FC Basel.

The winger joined PSG’s youth ranks from fellow French club Stade Brest back in 2019 and has managed to rack up five goals and three assists in just six UEFA Youth League games last year, showing the attacking talent he has and how much of an exciting young prospect he is.

Traore 2.0

As a young winger that has experience of playing for a top European club at youth level, a move for Gassama from Wolves could be seen as being the club’s potential long-term replacement for Adama Traore, who has recently returned to Barcelona after working his way through their youth ranks before eventually moving to Wolves.

In addition to that, with an ability to score goals, provide assists and play across a number of attacking positions on the pitch, the 18-year-old certainly has the capabilities of developing his game and becoming an exciting player for Wolves in the future.

That’s much in the same way that Traore was, who was also capable of playing in numerous of attacking positions.

Moving forward, if Wolves are able to strike a deal to bring Gassama to Molineux before the end of the day and he follows in the same footsteps as Chiquinho, who made the move to the Midlands club earlier in the window, this could be a mouth-watering transfer for the Old Gold if the player can grow and acclimatise himself to English football positively.

In other news: “I have been told..”: BBC journo drops deadline day Wolves update, fans surely gutted – opinion

Having gone through October and November without a win in the Premier League and with just one victory under their belt from four league games so far this month, Everton have been going through a rather rough patch in their season, leading to public fan unrest and the departure of Marcel Brands from his role at as their director of football.

One factor that has contributed to Everton’s poor form this season is the fact that Toffees striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin hasn’t played a game since August as a result of a fractured toe.

Taking into account how he managed to score a goal in all three of Everton’s opening games of the campaign that he played in, this shows just how important he is to the team in an attacking sense and why their results have dipped since he’s been out of action.

Despite his injury, Calvert-Lewin has still managed to be linked with a move away from Goodison Park with fellow Premier League club Arsenal interested in signing him in the future.

Given how important he’s proved himself to be for Everton this season alone, it would be nothing short of an unforgiveable disaster for the club and Rafa Benitez if he left anytime soon.

Since making his senior debut for the Toffees back in December 2016, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £40.5m according to Transfermarkt, has gone on to score 56 goals and provide 16 assists in 176 appearances across all competitions.

Having been praised by former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti for being “cold” in front of goal, it’s safe to say that Everton would be in a better position than the one they’re currently in had Calvert-Lewin been available for the entire campaign.

With all of this in mind, Benitez will undoubtedly be hoping that not only will the England international be able to make a full recovery as soon as possible but also that he doesn’t get tempted with a move away from the club to somewhere like Arsenal. An eventuality like that surely wouldn’t improve the relationship between the Everton fans and Benitez.

On a more positive note, the fact that Calvert-Lewin’s contract at the Merseyside club isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2025 should put to bed any concerns that some Everton fans may have that he will be leaving anytime soon.

That said, with a torrid run of form, seeing their best player head for pastures new would only exacerbate their problems and the pressure on the manager’s shoulders. Considering his relationship with the fans already, selling him could have disastrous consequences.

In other news: Benitez should brutally axe £110k-p/w “nightmare” who’s thrown his Everton career away – opinion

Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on the future of Tanguy Ndombele, and Tottenham Hotspur supporters will want to hear it…

What’s the word?

Following their FA Cup win over Morecambe on Sunday afternoon, the Italian transfer guru issued the following claim on Twitter:

“Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January. Rumours about AS Roma but no talks so far as [the] Italian side are working to sign Sergio Oliveira,” he said.

“Spurs are also open to discuss swap deals including Ndombele as part of the negotiation.”

Finally the end?

It’s hard to imagine any way back for the French midfielder, who was signed for a club-record £55m back in the summer of 2020, after the weekend’s antics at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 25-year-old star trudged off when substituted by Antonio Conte in the 69th-minute to a chorus of boos, and the raucous atmosphere only made him walk slower, despite Harry Kane’s attempts and visible frustration as the Lilywhites were losing 1-0 at the time.

Once he reached the side of the pitch, he did not go and sit in the dugout but instead, he went straight down the tunnel. “It’s hard to think of a worse way to endear yourself to the fans,” claimed The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke following the match.

Meanwhile, Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan slammed his attitude and form at the club.

“The fans are voicing their disapproval, and rightly so. His attitude and performances are woeful,” he said.

“He’s their record signing, let’s not forget. That’s four managers now who have had the chance to get the best out of him and improve him.

“He’s shown disrespect to the fans, the club, and the manager by walking straight down the tunnel. Quite frankly, I don’t think there’s any way back from that. I think his time’s up.”

Now valued at £34.2m by Transfermarkt, the former Lyon man has managed only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances – that’s a direct contribution of just once nearly every five games. A shocking return for an attack-minded player.

On the above evidence, the frustrated Lilywhites faithful will surely be delighted by Romano’s latest update. It seems as if Ndombele’s time at Spurs is finally coming towards an end.

Whether or not the north Londoners find a viable solution remains to be seen, but at the very least, the intent is there to get him out of the club.

AND in other news, Sky Sports reporter drops huge Spurs transfer claim live on air, fans will be buzzing…

A crushing injury update has been delivered on Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack…

What’s the latest?

Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has revealed that the 29-year-old is waiting on a diagnosis after suffering an injury in training prior to the 1-1 draw with Lyon in the Europa League, although he is unsure as to the extent of the blow.

Football Scotland quote the Dutchman as saying: “I don’t know. We will have to wait and see, he’s getting the diagnosis in the next few days. We have to wait and I can’t say anything about his injury yet, but I hope we will be able to do so.”

Frustration

This news will come as a body blow to Rangers and leave supporters frustrated given the timing of the knock. Jack has only played three competitive matches since his return from a long-term injury, coming off the bench in games against Hibernian, Dundee and Ross County.

His last appearance prior to that little spell came all the way back in February against Dundee United, with more than eight months separating his time in the team due to injury. This highlights how long he has had to wait to be given a chance to get back out on the pitch and that is why this knock will be a particularly frustrating one for him and the fans to deal with.

Supporters surely want to see him back out on the pitch as he has shown in the past that he can be a top performer at this level. Last season, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 in the Premiership as he made 19 appearances on the way to the Gers’ title triumph. He completed an impressive 90% of his passes and made 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst chipping in with two goals and one assist.

This shows the quality that Jack can provide on the pitch, which is why it is a crushing blow for the Gers that he has suffered such a quick setback in his recovery. Although it remains to be seen how bad this fresh knock will be, fans may be praying that it is only a minor injury from which he will be able to recover quickly before getting back into the team in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than McLaughlin: Rangers dud with 56% pass accuracy let GvB down badly…

As per Calciomercato, an update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans for Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez ahead of the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye summer move…

Over the summer, Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici had his eye on the Uruguay international as an option who could fill many gaping holes in the Lilywhites first team.

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Indeed, Sky Sports even lifted the lid on an approach for Nandez at the time with new boss Antonio Conte seemingly reigniting the club’s interest as the winter window looms next month.

The 25-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from his current club and it appears Tottenham are still firmly in the hunt as an update emerges from Italy.

The Latest: Spurs in Nandez race…

According to CM, Tottenham and Leeds are interested from the Premier League as both clubs keep tabs – with the outlet explaining that Nandez may have already played his last match in a recent 4-0 defeat to Udinese.

As well as this, while his release clause is estimated at around €36 million (£30.6m), it is a figure which ‘could be revised downwards’ if Nandez’ club decide to do business – meaning a possible discount on the cards.

The Verdict: Get it done…

The South American ace could well be perfect for Conte’s system given he can play wing-back, right-midfield and even as a defensive midfielder (Sky Sports) – so we believe this could be an astute bit of business for Spurs.

He isn’t without his plaudits, either, with Serie A expert Mina Rzouki explaining how he has been a standout for his side.

The ESPN and CNN pundit called Nandez ‘unstoppable’, ‘amazing’ and ‘underrated’ in a glowing Twitter endorsement, perhaps highlighting how well he has played over 2021 and why Spurs are keen.

As Cagliari could be willing to sell for less than his release clause, a move for Nandez may well be a no brainer for the right price.

In other news: Paratici backed by Levy as he tries to seal Spurs agreement for ‘sensational’ ace, find out more here.

Newcastle United are reportedly now an option for Dean Henderson in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Fallen away

The 24-year-old has fallen away a little bit since his remarkable loan spell at Sheffield United, where he managed to keep 13 clean sheets and conceded just 33 goals in the 2019/20 Premier League as the Blades finished a respectable ninth for a newly-promoted team (Sky Sports).

St James’ Park legend Alan Shearer included him in his Premier League Team of the Season so far back in April 2020, even going as far as to claim that the ‘keeper is a ‘star in the making’ (Yorkshire Live).

However, Henderson has been used sporadically by Manchester United ever since his return, with just one game played so far this season (one year on from his senior debut under Gareth Southgate.

The Latest: Newcastle option

As per The Daily Mail, Newcastle are now understood to be ‘one of the options’ for Henderson in January, as he reportedly wants to leave the Red Devils at the end of the campaign if he cannot nudge David de Gea out of the number one spot between the posts.

The goalkeeper ‘would consider’ leaving in the winter window, but it is ‘unlikely’ that the Old Trafford club would allow him to depart midway through the season.

The Verdict: Do not prioritise

There is no doubt that Henderson could be a good option for the Magpies, as he will be hungry to rekindle his career and get back into the England squad, with former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho citing an ‘arrogance’ in him back in June.

Nonetheless, at 24 years of age, Henderson has the potential to be Newcastle’s main goalkeeper for years to come, providing that they can agree a reasonable transfer fee.

However, the Tyneside outfit already have Martin Dubravka, Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman at their disposal, so signing another ‘keeper should not be a priority, unless one or more of their current options were to leave.

In other news, Newcastle are ‘leading the chase’ to sign this Premier League midfielder

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been rejoicing over some early team news which emerged ahead of their match at home to Sparta Prague.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the Europa League fixture tonight, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has revealed that there will ‘definitely’ be ‘some changes’ to the team at Ibrox.

The Light Blues’ last outing was a disappointing one to say the least, losing 3-1 at home to Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on Sunday.

Therefore, it is no surprise to see some supporters revelling in the manager’s claim that changes will be made in order to secure three points tonight.

The Gers currently sit third in their group on four points, level with Sparta but with a worse head-to-head record, which can be rectified tonight with a win.

Therefore, with Lyon uncatchable on 12 points, this game presents the best opportunity for them to clinch second spot and thus go through to the knockout stages of the competition.

Rangers fans on team news hint

These Rangers supporters rejoiced as Van Bronckhorst’s team selection hint was shared on Twitter:

“Inject it”

Credit: @Jamie_RFC72

“Tears of joy rn”

Credit: @CallumGrindlayy

“Yessss cannot wait”

Credit: @_caraaa96

“Bring it on, exciting times ahead”

Credit: @Natalaymx

“Love this”

Credit: @PenmanDeclan

“Yaaas Gio, liking the sound of this, it’s what’s needed big time”

Credit: @Kieranmcgeachy

In other news, find out what Academy news has has these Gers fans gushing

Leeds United must finally sell Tyler Roberts amid his latest disaster-class against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

What’s the story?

The Wales international has endured a nightmare start to the campaign thus far, scoring no goals and providing no assists, and following his performance in mid-week, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross revealed what he saw from that night.

He said: “Roberts remains a divisive figure among fans, but Bielsa evidently likes him and plays him because he sees a lot of potential in the Wales international. The only way Roberts improves is by playing more and developing as a player on the pitch. That’s the way Bielsa will see it.

“It was interesting to see the flashpoint which convinced Bielsa to go for Gelhardt last night, though. Roberts received the ball in a promising position last night with Arsenal out of shape and rather than look to turn Maitland-Niles, as he had the time to do, he waited and looked for contact from behind to go down. The referee waved played on and the hosts took the ball away. Bielsa was furious and barked immediately for Gelhardt to come on.”

Time for Roberts to go

Here on FFC, Roberts’ performance on Tuesday against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup was heavily scrutinised, and with the January transfer window looming, it’s perhaps high time that the Wales international finally heads for the exit door.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan insisted that the £12.6m-rated forward hasn’t shown enough in the Premier League to “convince” Bielsa – he managed just one goal in 27 top-flight appearances all of last season, and even that came in the penultimate game against Southampton.

The 46-year-old said: “With Leeds this season, he’s been given a long spell of games to convince Bielsa he’s worth keeping. In my opinion, I’m still undecided. I don’t think he affected the game during his time on the field.”

Whelan added: “Is he good enough? In my opinion he isn’t. I would love him to go out there and prove me wrong because I want everyone to succeed. I need him to show me more. He needs to show more fight and desire. I just do not see that.”

The quite shambolic goal-scoring record that Roberts has at Elland Road, even for someone who’s relatively young at 22, should surely be the end of the straw for him under Bielsa.

The Whites desperately need greater end product from someone occupying that attacking midfield role just behind the striker, and Roberts simply hasn’t cut it.

Meanwhile, this Leeds United star is now attracting big interest…

With Antonio Conte heading into his first Premier League game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, the Italian manager would have undoubtedly been hoping to get his reign at Spurs off to a positive start against Everton.

However, the fixture turned out to be a rather cagey affair, with Tottenham just edging the greater share of possession, Everton having more shots at goal, Spurs creating more big chances and the Toffees enjoying more attacking momentum than the visitors – although neither side managed to find the breakthrough, with the game ending 0-0.

Despite failing to take all three points from the fixture, there were nevertheless a couple of Tottenham players who will have done themselves no harm in strengthening their spot in Conte’s first-team plans going forwards – one of whom was 21-year-old central midfielder, Oliver Skipp.

93% passes completed

Having broken into the Tottenham first-team this season after a highly impressive loan spell at Norwich City last term, the Italian manager opted to keep the young midfielder in his starting XI for Spurs’ trip to Everton on Sunday, ahead of the likes of Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, Dele Alli and Harry Winks.

And, over his 90 minutes on the pitch at Goodison Park, the £13.5m-rated man did not disappoint, enjoying 58 touches of the ball, completing 43 of his 46 attempted passes – a success rate of 93% – and finding his man with two of his three attempted long balls, as well as making two key passes.

The £24k-per-week England U21 international also impressed in metrics more typical of his defensive midfield position, making three tackles, blocking one shot, making two interceptions and winning four of his seven duels.

These returns saw the 21-year-old who Daniel Farke dubbed a “perfect” player earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.2, ranking him as Spurs’ joint third-best performer on the day.

As such, while Emerson Royal rightly deserves praise for his own performance at right wing-back against the Toffees, it will perhaps be the performance of Skipp that most pleased the 52-year-old manager, as the youngster ran the show on Sunday.

In other news: Lost 71% duels: £74k-p/w flop has now proven to Conte he’s “not good enough” for Spurs

Marcelo Bielsa has claimed that Kalvin Phillips won’t remain a Leeds United player for the rest of his career, suggesting he will look for a fresh challenge.

The Lowdown: Phillips in demand

Phillips has arguably become one of the best players in the country in the last 12 months, evidenced by his crowning as England’s best player for the calendar year.

The midfielder’s performances have unsurprisingly seen him linked with some huge clubs, with bitter rivals Manchester United thought to be taking a keen interest in him.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Bielsa makes key claim

Phillips is currently contracted to Leeds until the summer of 2024, but it remains to be seen if he will sign a new deal, or if he will even stay at Elland Road until that date.

Speaking in his pre-Watford press conference on Thursday [via journalist Phil Hay on Twitter], Bielsa delivered an eight-word answer that could worry Whites fans:

“One day he will stop playing for Leeds.”

The manager also seemed to imply a silver lining for the Elland Road faithful however by hinting that Phillips will not join their arch-rivals at Old Trafford, saying the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ will ‘only leave if he sees the link to the place he was born remains intact’.

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The Verdict: Tough to keep hold of him

In truth, it is difficult to see Phillips staying at Leeds forever, unless they quickly become one of the leading teams in England, playing Champions League football regularly.

The 25-year-old may feel he deserves to be playing at a higher level, having recently been named England’s Player of the Year – if he can shine in the knockout stages of the Euros, then he can surely thrive in the elite club competitions as well.

It remains to be seen if Phillips’ head will be turned next summer or beyond that, but it would be a surprise if he didn’t move on eventually.

In other news, one Leeds United player should return for the meeting with Watford. Read more here.