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YouTuber Conor McGilligan has been left excited by the rumours that Leeds United could sign Nicolo Zaniolo on transfer deadline day.

What’s the word?

As per Football Insider, The Whites submitted a loan-to-buy offer for the 23-year-old attacking midfielder who currently plays for Italian side Roma.

It’s well-known that Zaniolo could be on the move this winter and a move to Premier League rivals Bournemouth has only just collapsed, perhaps opening the door for Leeds to swoop.

Following that latest development, Jesse Marsch and co may have a clear run at trying to land the midfielder on deadline day and McGilligan certainly seem to be up for the potentially “huge” deal.

While speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said (0:27): “Zaniolo at Roma coming to Leeds United potentially. Massive that would be, it would be a huge deal.

“It will be a step in the right direction in terms of Leeds maybe looking towards the future, European pedigree obviously we’re bringing Weston McKennie and [Georginio] Rutter, Zaniolo.

“Unbelievable talents and players and people who their projection is extremely high. So, very exciting news, extremely exciting.”

Statement signing

As things stand, Leeds already have the likes of Rutter, Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville, Wilfried Gnonto, and Rodrigo who can play in the attacking midfield and winger roles.

With that in mind, there might not necessarily be space for Zaniolo in the team right now. However, Leicester City have made a bid for Harrison and if the Englishman leaves, it could allow the Italian to take up his spot in the squad.

The Roma player has just two goals and three assists in all competitions this term – which isn’t as quite as good as Harrison’s two goals and seven assists – but he does have higher-level experience.

For instance, Zaniolo has played 11 times for his country and scored the winner in the Europa Conference League final, and so he could be an upgrade if Leeds manage to pull off a late swoop.

This certainly looks like one to keep an eye on.

Nottingham Forest have come to life in the Premier League over the last few weeks with an impressive run of form that has seen them climb out of the relegation zone, however, a huge injury setback has now been revealed by a reliable source that will be troubling for Steve Cooper.

What’s the latest?

The Telegraph’s Midlands football reporter John Percy has confirmed that Dean Henderson will be out of action following a thigh injury sustained against Leicester City last weekend.

Percy tweeted:

“#nffc goalkeeper Dean Henderson set to miss 3-4 weeks with a thigh injury sustained in Leicester game on Sat. Wayne Hennessey expected to deputise but Forest may consider signing another goalkeeper.”

Cooper will be frustrated

There is no doubt that the latest injury blow to Henderson will be frustrating for Cooper as the side have finally hit a consistent and positive run of form of late and the Manchester United loanee has been a key player in the team’s rise up the table in recent weeks.

Although Forest have spent the majority of their campaign in the relegation zone, they are now 13th in the Premier League after picking up 10 points in their last five games, creating a five-point gap between themselves and the bottom three which is an incredibly impressive comeback ahead of the second half of the season.

The 26-year-old keeper is currently the fourth highest-rated player in the Forest squad and was integral in the club’s progression to the FA Cup semi-finals last week when he saved two of penalties in the shoot-out against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground.

Not only that, Henderson ranks seventh for shots saved and ranks fourth for aerial challenges won in the entire Premier League this season so far, proving that he has been an outstanding performer for the Trentside team.

Cooper will now need to rely on Wales international Wayne Hennessey to cover for the talented keeper should the club not dip into the market this month to strengthen the position whilst they have the opportunity to do so.

Hennessey has conceded seven goals over his four appearances for the Tricky Trees since joining in the summer, however, in his two appearances in the FA Cup the Welshman did keep two clean sheets so the manager will be hoping he can rely on the keeper to retain the positive momentum when they face Bournemouth this weekend.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how the powers at the City Ground deal with the loss of Henderson and whether they will take advantage of the January transfer window to bring in another keeper to cover over the upcoming fixtures.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be one of six Premier League clubs looking at Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott.

The Lowdown: Previous Scott speculation

The 19-year-old has already made 70 first-team appearances for the Robins, 28 of which have come during the current campaign.

He is thought to be considered an ‘elite’ talent by sources at the Championship club and has been on Spurs’ radar for some time.

Reports in February of last year claimed that Tottenham were in pole position for the player’s signature, but as we know, a transfer failed to materialise at that time.

The Latest: Spurs still keen on Scott

Journalist Ben Jacobs took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share what he knows about Scott’s future.

He said that Spurs are still tracking the midfielder and that there is a ‘realistic possibility of a sale in January’, although Bristol City want a £12m fee.

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The Verdict: Act fast?

Spurs aren’t alone in their pursuit of Scott, with the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton, Leicester, Leeds and Wolves also named in the update.

Therefore, Fabio Paratici may need to act fast if he wishes to finally secure Scott’s services ahead of five Premier League rivals.

A £12m fee could prove to be a steal in the long run, with the teenager – who can play in a number of different midfield roles – going from strength to strength in the second tier.

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.

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye has been ruled out of Senegal’s upcoming World Cup round-of-16 game through suspension.

The Lowdown: Senegal progress in World Cup

The Premier League ace is currently in Qatar, having been named in Aliou Cisse’s 26-man squad, where the Lions of Teranga have enjoyed an impressive tournament so far.

The African champions secured a 2-1 victory over Ecuador in their final group game on Tuesday which saw them progress to the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Senegal will now take on England on Sunday night for a place in the quarter-finals, but they will have to compete without the Goodison Park maestro.

The Latest: Gueye ruled out through suspension

As relayed the Liverpool Echo, Gueye ‘will miss’ Senegal’s tie against Gareth Southgate’s side after picking up a yellow card against Ecuador.

This was the 33-year-old’s second booking of the competition, which means he must now ‘serve a one-game suspension’.

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The Verdict: Huge blow

Gueye would have been making his 100th appearance for Senegal had he been available to face England, so it’s a huge blow that he has to miss out, especially on such a momentous occasion for his country.

The Toffees ‘powerhouse’, as dubbed by Tom Williams, will therefore only be able to feature again should Cisse’s men secure their passage in the final eight, which could be a difficult task against an in-form England side.

At least Everton will be pleased that Gueye’s absence is due to suspension and not an injury which could carry over into the resumption of the club season, but there’s not much that he can control now unless Senegal secure progression to the quarter-finals.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Mykhaylo Mudryk ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, PIF have given the green light for the club to splash the cash on a marquee signing at the start of 2023.

Although they are not set to sign as many as five players as they did in January 2022 with Chris Wood, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, and Matt Targett.

The report claims that the Magpies are ‘laying the groundwork’ for a possible swoop for the Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder, with the Ukraine international said to be one of the club’s top targets.

It is stated that Newcastle are in the market for a winger who can provide a threat in the final third and they have identified the 21-year-old, who transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently claimed is being valued at a fee in the region of £65m, as a potential signing.

Imagine him & Callum Wilson

Mudryk would be an exciting addition to Eddie Howe’s squad in the second half of the campaign as he is a winger who has shown that he has the potential to score and assist goals on a regular basis.

He could form a lethal partnership with current Toon striker Callum Wilson in the Premier League after the England international’s fantastic start to the season.

The former Bournemouth centre-forward has been on fire in the top-flight and has plundered six goals and two assists in 10 matches to date – just shy of a goal involvement every game.

Wilson, who scored eight goals in 16 Premier League outings last term, is a proven goalscorer at this level and could thrive off the service Mudryk could provide from out wide.

The Shakhtar winger has produced five goals and five assists in nine appearances in the Ukrainian top-flight this season and he has caught the eye in the Champions League, scoring three and assisting two in six matches.

RankFC podcaster Jack Collins once described him as “Bernardo-esque” and this is high praise for the 21-year-old as the Portuguese international is a four-time Premier League winner, who has racked up 106 goal contributions across 272 games for reigning champions Manchester City.

Mudryk has scored 10 goals and assisted 16 in 41 senior clashes for Shakhtar and has shown that he has the quality to score and assist goals.

His displays in Europe also indicate that he has the ability to play at the top level and this bodes well for his chances of adapting to life in the Premier League.

Therefore, he could form an exciting partnership with Wilson at the top end of the pitch as both players have showcased their immense talent at the top end of the pitch and they could punish teams by combining for goals at St. James’ Park.

Arsenal are set to make an ‘improved’ January bid for Palmeiras forward Danilo with reports sharing the latest transfer news out of north London.

The Lowdown: Gunners make summer move…

The Gunners were seriously interested in a move for Danilo over last summer and the Premier League leaders were even willing to shell out £22 million for his signature.

However, the 21-year-old’s move to north London wasn’t to be as his club refused to sanction an exit from Brazil – mainly due to his importance to their team in the Copa Libertadores.

Next month’s World Cup is now looming, though, with the Brazilian season ending before Qatar’s highly anticipated tournament at the end of November.

As such, Arsenal and technical director Edu now believe their is a chance Palmeiras will sell their star winger.

The Latest: Arsenal set for ‘improved’ Danilo bid…

Indeed, according to The Sun, there has been a promising update on Mikel Arteta’s interest in Danilo.

It is claimed Arsenal ‘will’ lodge an ‘improved’ bid for the South American ace after failing to sign him in the most recent transfer window – and there is much more optimism in terms of potentially securing a deal for the player.

The Emirates Stadium high-flyers think Palmeiras could be willing to ‘cash in’ and ultimately accept their offer for Danilo in January, which is said to be around £26m this time.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Arsenal already play host to a plethora of brilliant Brazilian talents, namely the three Gabriels – Magalhaes, Jesus and Martinelli – but adding Danilo to their ranks could be a brilliant move.

Called a potentially ‘shrewd’ Edu signing by scout writer Zach Lowy, another cross-Atlantic football expert in Tim Vickery has raved over the starlet – calling him ‘dynamic’ with an ‘interesting’ passing range.

It’s clear he is standing out among some of Brazil’s best up-and-coming talents and we believe Arsenal should waste no time in getting a winter deal done.

Saudi Arabian consortium PIF completed their takeover of Newcastle United in October of last year and have enjoyed just over a year in charge of the club.

The team has been successful on the pitch since they became owners as Eddie Howe led the team to survival in the Premier League after taking over from Steve Bruce last season.

Newcastle are now sitting sixth in the top-flight table after 11 matches in the current campaign and the success could be put down, in part, to PIF’s work in the transfer market.

They have not been afraid of splashing the cash since arriving in England, in either of their two windows in charge so far. Back in January, they brought in Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, and Chris Wood on permanent deals.

Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Matt Targett, who was on loan earlier in the year, and Nick Pope followed them in the summer to bolster Howe’s squad.

One player PIF have struck gold with is Dutch central defender Botman, who joined from Ligue 1 side Lille ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Newcastle reportedly paid an initial fee of £32m for the gem and Howe hailed his potential at the time of the move, saying:

“I’m delighted Sven is joining us. He is technically very good, physically very good and has a great attitude.

“At 22, he already has solid experience at the top level but he is at a great age to grow with this team.”

Chronicle journalist Charlie Bennett recently claimed that the machine has “scary potential” and his form in the Premier League this season, at the age of just 22, backs that claim up.

Botman has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 in the top-flight for the Magpies, winning 73% of his individual duels and completing 87% of his attempted passes. This shows that he has been dominant out of possession and comfortable on the ball, whilst providing consistently impressive performances.

Meanwhile, Harry Maguire, who cost Manchester United an eye-watering £80m, has averaged a rating of 6.91 or lower since the start of the 2021/22 season. His new teammate Lisandro Martinez, who reportedly cost them £57m, has averaged a score of 6.88 in his ten Premier League outings so far.

These statistics suggest that Botman, who Josh Bunting described as “colossal” only this week, has been incredible value for money for Newcastle as he has been outperforming two centre-backs who cost considerably more money than he did.

At the age of 22, he now has many years ahead of him to develop and hone his skills in order to improve his performances on the pitch for the Magpies. Now, imagine how good he can be in a few years if he is able to grow because of Howe’s coaching and his experience in the Premier League.

If Maguire and Martinez are worth £80m and £57m respectively, then Botman could end up being worth far more than £32m, which is why PIF have certainly struck gold by signing him.

Rafael Benitez is ‘ready’ to replace Steve Cooper as Nottingham Forest manager, according to The Telegraph’s Jason Burt.

The Lowdown: Cooper on the brink

The Reds suffered a woeful night at the office on Monday, losing 4-0 away to Leicester City in a bottom-of-the-table Premier League clash as their run of league defeats now stretches to five.

The result means that Forest have been leapfrogged by the Foxes and are now propping up the rest of the table, in what has been a worrying start to the season.

There is now a strong feeling that Cooper will be sacked imminently, despite taking them from bottom of the Championship when he assumed the job just over a year ago, and a replacement could already be in mind.

The Latest: Benitez eyed up by Forest

Taking to Twitter in sharing a report from his Telegraph colleague John Percy, Burt has claimed that Benitez looks like the man who will come in.

He tweeted:

“Am told Rafa Benitez is ready to take over if Steve Cooper goes.”

The Verdict: Proven winner

In truth, sacking Cooper feels extremely harsh, considering where Forest were when he took the job and getting them back into the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, but it looks as though that’s what will happen.

In Benitez, the Reds would be bringing in one of Europe’s most decorated coaches of the last 20 years, with the Spaniard winning the Champions League with Liverpool, the Europa League with Chelsea and the UEFA Cup and two La Liga titles with Valencia, among other successes.

An expert tactician who makes his teams hard to break down, his style could be very different from Cooper’s but he would be an inspired choice.

He is adored by the fan bases of several previous clubs, most notably Liverpool and Newcastle, getting to know the city and connecting with the supporters. If he does end up at the City Ground, there seems every chance of him doing the same with the Forest faithful.

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon has stated that Blackburn Rovers have moved to secure Adam Wharton to a new contract.

The Lowdown: Wharton’s professional deal

The younger brother of first-team defender Scott, the teenager signed his first professional deal at Ewood Park earlier this year.

The 18-year-old, who can play as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder, is under contract until 2024, with Rovers having the option of a further 12 months.

The Latest: Nixon’s update

Nixon took to Twitter on Sunday morning to reveal that Blackburn have made an in-house ‘move’.

He stated on his Patreon account, as relayed by The 72, that Wharton is ‘ready to commit his future’ to the Lancashire club despite ‘huge Premier League interest’ in his services.

The Verdict: Good news

It looks as if Wharton is keen to remain with Blackburn, which can only be seen as good news. The teenager has made his senior debut this season, making five appearances so far in all competitions.

His versatility and promising displays have seemingly caught the eye of Premier League clubs, so it is nice to see that the club are looking to tie him down to another new deal.

It is also brilliant to know that Wharton is happy to further his development with Rovers, so hopefully fresh terms can be agreed upon relatively soon.