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Chelsea are looking to ‘bring in’ two new midfielders in 2023, with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo ‘definitely’ on the list of targets, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Triple exit on the cards?

The Premier League giants could be very light in the centre of the pitch next summer with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante’s contracts expiring at the end of the season, and both are yet to put pen to paper on fresh terms.

Denis Zakaria will also be returning to his parent club Juventus following the conclusion of his loan spell, meaning that Graham Potter will likely need to dip into the market to find suitable reinforcements.

The Latest: Phillips’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips revealed that whilst Chelsea do still have the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek available, Todd Boehly is looking to make some new recruits in midfield over the next 12 months, with one player in particular name-checked.

The journalist said: “I think the way things are looking at the moment, Chelsea are potentially going to look to bring in two new midfielders within the next two windows. And Caicedo is definitely one of them on that list.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The Mirror have claimed that Brighton are willing to entertain offers in the region of £85m for Caicedo, and whilst this is a large figure, he would be more than worth the purchase.

Dubbed a ‘machine man’ by Jacek Kulig, the Ecuadorian currently averages 2.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game this season and has a pass success rate of 87.3% (WhoScored).

That’s more tackles per game than anyone in the current Chelsea squad, while he’d also be in the top five at Stamford Bridge for the other metrics (WhoScored).

With Potter and Caicedo having worked together at the Amex Stadium, this pre-existing relationship could help to give the Blues an advantage in the race for the 21-year-old’s services next year.

Premier League giants Chelsea are interested in signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves in the January transfer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Neves on the move?

The Portuguese talent stayed put at Molineux beyond the summer transfer window, despite looking almost certain to leave at one point.

Neves has been linked with a move to a number of clubs, including Manchester United and Barcelona, and it could be that he moves on next summer.

Another club have now seemingly entered the race to snap up the 25-year-old.

The Latest: Chelsea keen on Neves

Writing in his Substack column, Phillips claimed that Chelsea are eyeing up the signing of Neves in January as Graham Potter looks to improve his squad moving forward.

The journalist stated:

“I’ve been told over the weekend that Ruben Neves is once again coming up in recruitment conversations and is a player being recommended by some at the club as a midfield target we should push for in January.”

The Wolves midfielder’s current deal expires in the summer of 2024, so the Molineux hierarchy may feel that next year is the ideal time to earn a hefty fee from selling him.

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The Verdict: Only a matter of time

While it would be the dream scenario for Neves to see out the rest of his career at Molineux, where he has become a stalwart of 228 appearances, the reality is that he will surely be keen on a greater challenge at some point in the near future.

Dubbed an ‘amazing’ player by club and international colleague Jose Sa, the Portugal midfielder could want to test himself in the Champions League, and he is someone who could add fresh legs and class to a Chelsea midfield with multiple players in their 30s.

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Shipping Neves off next summer makes the most sense instead of in January, unless he decides to sign a new contract out of nowhere, at which point Wolves would then need to spend the money wisely on top-class signings to compensate for parting with their best player this season according to WhoScored metrics.

Scottish champions Celtic continue their march towards the league title, with the Old Firm outfit having been in truly relentless form during manager Ange Postecoglou’s time at the helm thus far.

The 57-year-old’s regime has proven particularly successful with regards to the club’s recruitment, with the Parkhead giants having brought in a whole host of hidden gems and bargain talents who have gone on to thrive in Glasgow.

That remarkable transfer policy under the one-time Australia head coach has been crucial to the club’s on-field success, with the Hoops perhaps wishing that such astute market dealings had been commonplace before the title-winning coach’s arrival.

One notable howler that occurred prior to Postecoglou’s tenure was the failure to snap up current Rangers talisman, James Tavernier, with the Bhoys having seemingly had the chance to bring the Englishman to Scotland prior to his subsequent move to Ibrox.

That’s according to current Stevenage boss Steve Evans – who coached the 31-year-old during the defender’s loan stint at Rotherham in the 2013/14 season – with the veteran manager revealing earlier this year that he recommended the full-back to those at Celtic Park.

Somewhat frustratingly, the powers that be failed to act on that recommendation as the Bradford-born machine – who was on the books at Newcastle United at the time – subsequently went on to join Wigan Athletic in 2014, before joining the Gers for a reported fee of just £220k a year later.

That figure has proven something of a snip as far as the player’s current side are concerned, with Tavernier having emerged as a true leading asset for the Scottish Premiership outfit over the past seven years, proving a truly lethal presence in an attacking sense, in particular.

The forward-thinking right-back has been simply “unstoppable” at times – in the words of former boss Steven Gerrard – having racked up 91 goals and 112 assists in 373 games for the club to date, with that a truly staggering haul for a player in his position.

Those “scary numbers” – as described by pundit Kenny Miller – included a tally of 35 goal involvements in all competitions last term as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side reached the Europa League final, with that haul greater than any Celtic player achieved in the 2021/22 campaign.

Equally, despite the Ibrox side’s notable struggles this time around – having slipped nine points behind in the title race and endured the worst group stage performance in Champions League history – the £30k-per-week ace has still been something of a shining light, with eight goals and five assists already thus far.

That record is no doubt greater than that of fellow full-back, Josip Juranovic, for instance, with the Croatian star having only registered six goals and three assists in total since making the £2.5m switch to Paradise in the summer of 2021, including only two goal involvements this season.

As much as it may pain supporters to admit, Tavernier could well have thrived in Postecoglou’s attacking system had he been snapped up all those years ago, with the Hoops potentially regretting their decision not to move for a player who has gone on to blossom on the other side of the city.

Tottenham Hotspur have scouted Marcus Thuram ahead of the January transfer window and journalist Dean Jones believes he could add a lot to Antonio Conte’s squad…

What’s the word?

It’s believed that the north Londoners have been keeping an eye on the Frenchman’s situation at Borussia Monchengladbach as his current £53.8k-per-week contract is set to expire in the summer.

They are likely, however, to face stiff competition from arch-rivals Arsenal and some reports have suggested that the Bundesliga side are willing to sell him for as little as €10m (£8.7m) because they risk losing him for free otherwise.

“Yeah, definitely they could both [Thuram and Youssoufa Moukoko] add to what they’ve got. They both make sense in different ways from things I’ve heard about how they intend to move the squad on,” he told GIVEMESPORT.

Bargain of January

If Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici still want to bolster the frontline with further reinforcements, having signed Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison in recent windows, then they should look no further than Thuram, who could be the bargain of the window.

For a fraction of the £60m they paid Everton for the Brazil no.9 in the summer, they could get a similar profile of player as the France international is also capable of playing anywhere along the frontline and has proven his ability over the last 12 to 18 months.

This campaign alone, Thuram has delivered 13 goals and four assists, including strikes against both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Such versatility has seen him earn comparisons to a fellow native by a manager that knew him better than anyone.

“Thierry Henry had the timing of the smartest footballers. He was also very strong physically, and technically he could do everything,” former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger told Der Spiegel back in 2020. “In fact, there’s a player in the Bundesliga who reminds me of him – Marcus Thuram from Borussia Monchengladbach.”

The Gladbach star is just as much a creative presence and threat as he is a goalscorer, having averaged 1.73 successful dribbles and 3.09 shot-creating actions per 90 over the last year, feats that see him rank within the top 8% and 22% of his positional peers across Europe, via FBref.

With the prospect of the Champions League knockout stages, the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League and multiple domestic cups after the World Cup break, it would make sense for Conte to want further bodies available and that makes Thuram a rather intriguing option.

The attacker, who Saudi Arabia boss Herve Renard once dubbed a “physical monster”, could well be the biggest bargain of the January window for whoever decides to pull the trigger.

For Spurs, it would be wise if Paratici did just that as he won’t be taking a big chunk out of the war chest and could bolster Conte’s playing. squad with additions elsewhere too.

AND in other news, Conte may be about to ditch £100k-p/w Spurs “legend” for “mad” £18m-rated “liability”…

Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland returned to Championship action with a bang as they beat Millwall 3-0 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

The Black Cats swept the Lions aside with relative ease in their first match back after the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and have moved up to tenth in the table.

Amad Diallo opened the scoring with a simple finish from close range after excellent work from Alex Pritchard down the left allowed Ellis Simms to flick the ball into the winger’s path.

Pritchard then doubled the lead as he brilliantly evaded a number of challenges in the box before rifling in an effort that was too hot for the goalkeeper to handle.

Simms rounded out the scoring in stoppage time as he raced onto a ball over the top and lifted the ball over the Millwall shot-stopper before passing it into an empty net.

Whilst Pritchard was pulling the strings in midfield all afternoon and was heavily involved in two of the goals, the real hero for Mowbray on Saturday was central defender Danny Batth.

The former Stoke City man was a colossus at the back for the Black Cats as he repelled attack after attack with his sublime defending alongside Luke O’Nien.

He was crucial to Sunderland picking up a clean sheet in the match and made vital interventions in the first half to keep the game at 0-0, which provided the attackers with a platform to go and win the game in the second half.

Batth made a goal-saving clearance off the line in the first half after Anthony Patterson watched the ball go over his head and consistently won his individual duels and was in the right place at the right time to cut out attacks.

As per Sofascore, he won 11 of his 14 battles (79%) and made ten clearances, one tackle, one interception, and four blocks across the 90 minutes, whilst not being dribbled past a single time.

These statistics show that the 6 foot 3 titan was sensational for Sunderland as he dominated the opposition from a physical perspective and put his body on the line multiple times to preserve the clean sheet.

He was also composed and reliable on the ball as he completed 81% of his attempted passes and only lost possession 12 times from 77 touches, which shows that he was not a liability on the other side of the game.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and attempts to secure the future of one of their young academy talents…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Scotland, the Light Blues are preparing to offer a contract to B team striker Robbie Ure to avoid him leaving at the end of the season.

The report claims that the Gers view him as a ‘rising star’ and want to keep him at Ibrox on a new deal, as his current one is due to expire next summer.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the player is willing to extend his stay in Glasgow and how many years the club are willing to commit to fresh terms.

Could save Ross Wilson millions

Alfredo Morelos is out of contract at the end of the campaign and it remains to be seen whether or not the club will be offering him an extension.

The striker, who has scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in 38 Premiership outings since the start of last season, has proven that he can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch and his departure would leave a gap in the squad.

Morelos has plundered 115 goals and 52 assists in 243 matches in all competitions for the Light Blues and it would be ambitious to expect Ure to make the step up and have a similar impact.

However, Rangers now have Antonio Colak, who has scored 11 times in 14 top-flight games for the club, and this means that the youngster could jump up to the first-team and provide competition for the Croatian, rather than being needed to immediately be the first choice.

Ure, who was hailed as “magic” by Scott Arfield in an interview after a win over Queen of the South earlier this season, could, therefore, save the Gers millions by taking up Morelos’ place in the squad after putting pen to paper on a new deal.

The 18-year-old emerging as a senior option would alleviate the need for Wilson to dip into the market to sign a replacement for the Colombian and the teen’s statistics at youth level suggest that the dynamo has the potential to make the step up.

He has scored 13 goals and produced eight assists in 22 games across the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League, whilst he has also scored once in two first-team outings after finding the back of the net against Queen of the South in the League Cup.

Ure has been on fire in front of goal, scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis, and this indicates that he could be ready to make the leap to regular action in Michael Beale’s squad.

Therefore, pinning him down to a contract extension could save Wilson millions as it would keep him around as a first-team striker and provide the head coach with an in-house Morelos heir.

TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor believes Jack Harrison is too good for Leeds United but not good enough for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Steady progress

Having been shipped about between Liverpool’s and Manchester United’s respective youth ranks, Harrison ventured across to America in the hopes of forging a professional career. 

He was picked up by Chicago Fire, and did just that, making the switch to City Group owned New York City in a move that fuelled his rise to the top.

He never got a chance at Manchester City, despite signing on a permanent deal back in 2018, but impressed enough for Leeds United, with Agbonlahor feeling that his level now lies somewhere just above the Yorkshire side.

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The Latest: Agbonlahor fuels the fire

With Harrison set to enter the final 18 months of his contract with Leeds, Agbonlahor has chipped in as to where he believes his future lies. 

Speaking to Football Insider in reaction to recent news of talks for a brand new deal, the pundit said: “First of all, I don’t think he’ll want to sign a new deal because I don’t think Leeds will pay him what he wants.

“But then I look at Newcastle and can they be looking at better players than him?

“I do like him but with where Newcastle want to go, I don’t think they should be looking at Harrison anymore.

“They should be looking at better players in Europe, to be honest. They are so close to the top four and staying in there, I don’t think Harrison is the answer.

“I think he’s better than Leeds but I just feel Newcastle are onto bigger things.

“Is Everton the right sort of move for Harrison? That sort of level where you get an extra £20,000-a-week or £30,000-a-week.

“I just don’t think Newcastle is the right place for him.”

The Verdict: A great option

Having delivered a consistent haul of eight goals in each of his two Premier League seasons with Leeds United, Harrison has fully asserted himself as a reliable Premier League asset.

You would think that if the 26-year-old is to switch sides, it would be for a club who are challenging within the top half of the table, rather than fighting with the sole purpose of renewing the club’s Premier League status. 

Newcastle therefore fit that description, and quite frankly, as an inverted left winger, he would offer the side a bout of dependable quality where Allan Saint-Maximin is too often injured. 

At this point, the Magpies should be looking to sign a couple of marquee signings, particularly in the attacking areas, so you can certainly see where Agbonlahor is coming from. 

But, Harrison would represent a solid and dependable option who is yet to enter his prime years.  The £40million man would be a great option for Eddie Howe.

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘ready to open negotiations’ for Fiorentina star Sofyan Amrabat as sources from Italy share Spurs’ chances of signing him.

The Lowdown: Paratici interested…

Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici is thought to hold a serious interest in signing the Morocco international, who played a starring role in the African side’s run to this year’s World Cup semi-finals.

The Premier League side are eyeing a move for Amrabat after his brilliant individual campaign in Qatar, but they’re not the only ones, with Liverpool also thought to be in the mix.

Antonio Conte is tasked with clinching a second-successive top four finish for Spurs and potentially silverware, highlighting the need for quality reinforcements ahead of January.

The Latest: Spurs ready Amrabat talks…

Italian reports now share Paratici’s chances of signing the 26-year-old next month as the club prepare to enter discussions.

La Repubblica claim the north Londoners are in fact ‘ready to open negotiations’ for Amrabat with Spurs, and Paratici by extension, ‘trying’ to make a move.

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Fiorentina, it appears, are very reluctant to sell mid-season but an offer of ‘at least’ £44 million could sway them.

The Verdict: Right man?

There is little denying Amrabat’s quality given he has emerged as one of this World Cup’s breakout stars, with footballer Jamie Smith calling him ‘sensational’.

However, Conte already has many quality options in central midfield, including Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Yves Bissouma and Oliver Skipp – making the need for another body questionable.

Instead, perhaps Paratici should focus his efforts on the signing of a central defender or further attacking options to support the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Richarlison.

Manchester United are ‘talking’ to David De Gea regarding a new long-term contract, according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Four deals extended

The Premier League giants have recently triggered one-year extensions on the deals for Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot and Fred, though doubts were raised when the 32-year-old’s name wasn’t included in the list.

The Red Devils goalkeeper will be out of contract at the end of the season, creating speculation surrounding his future, though a positive update on the club’s stance has now emerged.

The Latest: Negotiations ongoing

Taking to Twitter, Thomas revealed that MUFC are currently in discussions with De Gea over extending his stay at Old Trafford.

“Man Utd: Talking to David de Gea about a new longer-term contract, meaning they haven’t triggered the year extension in the current one (yet). They have triggered extensions until 2024 in the contracts of Rashford, Dalot, Shaw and Fred, however.”

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The Verdict: Correct decision

De Gea has been hailed a ‘world class’ shot-stopper by journalist Josh Bunting, and United wanting to retain his services for the foreseeable is completely the right decision given his impressive record between the sticks.

The Spaniard has kept a total of 174 clean sheets during his time in the top flight, and even despite a perceived dip in recent years, nine of those shutouts have come in just 20 games across all competitions this season.

Erik Ten Hag will know that the 6 foot 2 colossus is a key cog at the back which is why the club need to do everything they can to get him to put pen to paper on fresh terms as soon as possible.

Aston Villa return to competitive action for the first time since November as they take on Liverpool at Villa Park in the Premier League this evening.

Unai Emery only enjoyed two league matches, beating Manchester United and Brighton, prior to the break for the 2022 World Cup after taking over from Steven Gerrard and is now set for his third as he prepares his team to take on Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.

The Villans played four friendlies during the break and won one of them as they lost to Villarreal and Cardiff, beat Chelsea, and held Brighton to a 2-2 draw.

They now play host to a Liverpool side who are sitting just four points ahead of them in the Premier League table as it stands, which means that a win for Emery’s men will take them to within one point of last year’s Champions League runner-ups.

However, they head into the match without Jacob Ramsey after the Villa manager confirmed that the midfielder will not be in contention to play, saying: “His injury came before we went to Dubai, he didn’t play the friendly matches but now he is starting to train on the pitch. I think he is going to be ready, maybe, in ten days or two weeks.

“But for the match on Monday, he’s not available. It’s a pity for us because he was a very, very good performer before the World Cup and is an important player.”

Ramsey started the club’s last Premier League match against the Seagulls before the break and Emery will now have to find a replacement for the Englishman.

The former Arsenal head coach must now finally unleash attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho from the start to take the academy graduate’s place, as the Brazil international has been back in training since the middle of this month.

Steven Gerrard hailed his “magical” form last season and Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino once claimed that his international teammate has “magical powers” on the pitch.

The 69-cap Brazilian maestro has not featured for Villa since October and must now be unleashed in place of the injured Ramsey as he has the quality to be a match-winner on his day.

He is yet to register a goal contribution in six Premier League starts this season but his five goals and three assists in 16 starts, whilst averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.09, for the Villans last term proved that he still has the quality to be a difference-maker.

Coutinho has the attacking quality to produce a moment of magic, through a goal or an assist, to win matches for Villa and a clash with his former club Liverpool could be the motivation he needs to burst into life for the first time in 2022/23, which is why he should start this evening.