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Everton are seemingly eyeing a January swoop for Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada…

What’s the latest?

As per journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to Football FanCast, the Toffees could be set to move in on the contract rebel whose £33k-per-week deal is set to expire this summer.

He said:

“It’s a hard signing I think for Everton to do.

“The price tag will be pretty high and Frankfurt won’t be that keen to sell now they’re through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

“But he’s a skilful player a real playmaker as well and somebody who would definitely be somebody who can maybe improve Everton in the midfield.”

Other Premier League clubs have also registered an interest, with Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United likely to fight for his services.

He can be Iwobi 2.0

One of Frank Lampard’s biggest success stories in his nine months in charge has been the revival of Alex Iwobi’s career.

Having been signed for a fee rising to £34m, he disappointed with his lack of attacking output from out wide, despite admitting: “For my national team, it’s completely different and I do like playing in the midfield as a number 8 or number 10.”

Clearly taking heed of this, the new manager opted to play him through the middle and has since reaped the rewards to great effect.

The Nigerian international is a man reborn and has also upped his offensive numbers too despite also averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.1 clearances per game.

In this campaign alone he already boasts one goal and five assists in the league.

With Kamada, Lampard could be set to repeat this feat, by signing a tricky attacking midfielder who is also willing to work back and defend.

The 21-cap Japan international has started this season in an even more impressive fashion than the last, having already scored 12 goals and assisted four across all competitions including the Champions League.

He also played a vital role in his side’s Europe League triumph last season, with five goals across that campaign.

What makes him akin to Iwobi is the fact that he also ranks in the top 11% for tackles, meaning that perhaps the two could be worked into a system that allows them both to shine creatively, but relies on their relentless defensive work too.

Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich is heading for a departure from Elland Road this January.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by TEAMtalk, who claim that Jesse Marsch’s side are facing an uphill battle to retain the services of the central midfielder in the winter transfer window, with the 32-year-old believed to be eager to secure an exit from the Whites in January.

The report goes on to state that, while Marsch is eager to keep hold of the Poland international for at least the remainder of the season, with interest in the former FC Twente star from clubs in France, Italy and Germany, it would appear unlikely Klich will be in LS11 come February.

Blessing in disguise

While it is true that Klich is an extremely popular member of the Whites first team squad, as well as being a useful squad player for Marsch to be able to call upon, considering just how rapidly the 32-year-old appears to have fallen off this season, the Pole’s departure may actually be good news for Leeds.

Indeed, over his 11 Premier League appearances – none of which have come as starts – in 2022/23, the £4.3m-rated talent has failed to impress, scoring no goals, registering no assists and creating no big chances, as well as making an average of just 7.4 passes, no interceptions, 0.1 clearances and losing the majority of his duels per game.

These returns have seen the £34k-per-week midfielder who Joe Wainman dubbed “lacklustre” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of a mere 6.55, currently ranking him as Marsch’s joint fifth-worst performer in the top flight of English football.

Furthermore, with youngsters such as Darko Gyabi and Sam Greenwood currently breaking into the Leeds first-team, both of whom have impressed when given opportunities this season, the removal of a blockage in the duo’s path to senior football could well see both prospects handed significantly more game time in the second half of the campaign.

As such, while waving goodbye to a player as popular as Klich in January may be a sad day in the lives of many a Leeds supporter, considering his extremely poor returns this season, coupled with the emergence of two natural successors to the Poland international, the departure of the 32-year-old could well be a blessing in disguise for the Whites.

Newcastle United are enjoying a fantastic Premier League campaign so far and there is no doubt Eddie Howe will be hoping the World Cup break won’t negatively affect his team’s phenomenal momentum when they return to action after Christmas.

The Magpies have only suffered one defeat this season and currently match Manchester City for the fewest goals conceded in the entire league whilst occupying a spot inside the top four in 3rd.

As a result, the Newcastle manager will be looking to the January transfer window to strengthen his squad to make sure that they can retain their position in the league table and get ahead in their project by qualifying for the Champions League much sooner than imagined.

One player who has been linked with a move to Tyneside and could be the perfect signing to help the team achieve their dreams of a return to European football is Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans.

The talented player will likely attract the attention of the powers at St James’ Park during his World Cup campaign with Belgium in Qatar after already displaying his quality in the league despite the Foxes’ struggles during their Premier League campaign so far.

Over 15 appearances, the £25m ace – who was hailed a “wonderful talent” by Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers – has scored three goals, registered one assist and created five big chances, as well as averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.3 tackles and winning 4.1 duels per game.

In fact, Howe could sign his very own Thiago Alcantara with the Liverpool star one of the most comparable players to Tielemans according to FBref, which has been proven in their output this season so far.

The similarities the two midfielders possess closely include their pass completion rate (84.5% v 86.6%), tackles and interceptions completed (46 v 32) and dribble success rate (53.8% v 60%), as per FBref.

Tielemans’ ability to be effective in both defensive and attacking play makes him the perfect fit to occupy a role in the centre of the pitch at St James’ Park alongside the likes Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff two players who have been thriving in Howe’s team this season.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Tielemans would be a great signing for Newcastle and could be a valuable asset in the club’s pursuit to bring success and trophies to the club over the coming seasons ahead.

West Ham expect to lose Declan Rice to a Champions League side next year, regardless of where they place this season.

The Lowdown: Constant improvement

Having earned the role as the Irons’ skipper at the tender age of 23, Rice is clearly valued in more ways than one. His emergence into stardom has been sensational, and he has continually improved specific parts of his game.

For instance, last season, he struggled to create chances from midfield and was arguably too conservative in his approach play.

He ended the season with just 24 chances created, and has almost matched that with just 15 games played, ranking as the Hammers’ second-most creative attacking threat this season with 19 chances created, leading the charge for most assists with two.

The latest: Expected to leave

According to a report from Football Insider, sources expect West Ham’s £62k-per-week talisman to depart the London Stadium, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2024.

Whilst the Hammers have the option of another 12-month extension according to the report, as the piece states, the next couple of windows represent the last realistic chance of securing a favourable fee for the England World Cup star.

The Verdict: True sentiment

Whilst West Ham will be doing everything they can to keep hold of Rice, ultimately he is destined to depart the side in search of Champions League football, having stated his goals in an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap.

He may not achieve that at the London Stadium, which is why he will inevitably seek pastures new. Ultimately, West Ham will want to keep him as long as possible, but the report reflects true sentiment in the fact that his price tag will dwindle down with each window that passes by.

Next year could well be the year.

Arsenal could make a push for Inter Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu, according to reports out of Italy.

The Lowdown: Arteta’s men flying…

Mikel Arteta’s side are currently Premier League title contenders and top the table as England’s most in-form side, even above current champions Manchester City.

The Gunners have been stern in defence, conceding the joint-fewest league goals so far this term alongside Newcastle United (11). Meanwhile, only City have scored more goals at the other end, with no team winning more games or losing fewer than Arsenal.

On paper, they appear to be in brilliant stead, but it’s the job of sporting director Edu to improve Arteta’s squad when given an opportunity.

The Latest: Arsenal could push for Calhanoglu…

According to Italian sources, Edu and Arsenal could make a move for Calhanoglu.

Inter Live reported on Tuesday that the 74-cap Turkey international’s ‘armoury’ could in fact ‘push some rich clubs’ to opt for his signing, specifically naming the north Londoners and top-flight rivals Aston Villa.

The report adds that Calhanoglu could be sold if an offer of €30m (£26m) comes in for him, even if he is one of Inter’s ‘big names’.

The Verdict: Make the move?

£26m is arguably a very fair price considering that the attacker is currently in his prime at 28 years of age.

Furthermore, Calhanoglu is also demonstrating very good form at club level right now, standing out as Inter’s second-best performing player by average match rating from WhoScored.

The midfielder’s creative influence cannot be understated, having made more key passes per 90 on average than any Nerazzurri player over 2022/23.

Calhanoglu could provide an extra dimension of attacking threat for Arteta if Edu does indeed decide to press ahead with this prospective move.

QPR look to have finally settled on their successor to Michael Beale, as reports suggest that Neil Critchley is now in pole position to take over at Loftus Road.

According to Football League World, the former Blackpool boss is now closing in on the job with the west London side, after they decided against paying Coventry City a compensation fee in order to prise Mark Robins away from the Sky Blues.

The report claims that a definitive decision will be made in the next 24 hours, as the Hoops look to announce their new boss ahead of this weekend’s fixture against Burnley, when Championship football returns following a month’s break.

Critchley made the somewhat controversial decision to swap a managerial position at Blackpool for an assistant manager position at Aston Villa during the summer but was sacked alongside Steven Gerrard after a disappointing start to the campaign.

During his time at Bloomfield Road, the 44-year-old would earn promotion to the Championship in his first season, going up via the playoffs after a third-place finish in League One, before leading the Tangerines to a solid 16th-placed finish the following campaign.

In total, Critchley would average an impressive 1.52 points per game with Blackpool, compared to Beale’s 1.41 points per game with QPR, which suggests that he could be an upgrade on the new Rangers boss.

Before his strange summer move, the former Liverpool academy coach was highly regarded by his players at the Lancashire club, with Chris Maxwell particularly complimentary last season.

He said: “His work ethic is second to none… hours and hours of endless drills… he will work behind the scenes and prepare sessions as well.

“I go back to a conversation I had with Gary Madine, and we said we feel like we’ve been taught how to play football wrong for the whole of our careers.”

The “fantastic” manager – as dubbed by Gerrard – was always likely to earn another job in the Championship after things went sour at Villa Park and if he can replicate his performance at Blackpool, with an arguably higher standard of squad at Loftus Road, then his appointment could prove to be a managerial masterclass.

Manchester United are eyeing a move for a player who has dazzled at the World Cup as Erik ten Hag aims to bolster his squad in January…

What’s the news?

According to TEAMtalk, United are ready to ramp up their efforts to sign Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann during the January transfer window.

With Diego Simeone’s men knocked out of the Champions League, they could potentially need to cash in on their prized assets, which includes the 31-year-old Frenchman.

His contract expires in 2026, which means that any potential transfer could cost United a significant fee. However, with a Cristiano Ronaldo-shaped void to fill, Ten Hag might just splash the cash.

Griezmann has lit up the World Cup

Following Ronaldo’s controversial exit from the club last month, Ten Hag will need to reassess his squad and add a couple more attacking reinforcements next month.

Greizmann’s versatility could be a big advantage for the Dutch manager, with the 31-year-old playing in a slightly deeper role for France during the World Cup to excellent effect, although he can also operate as a number nine or on the wing if so desired.

His performances in Qatar have been crucial in his country reaching a second successive World Cup final. With a rating of 7.8/10 from Sofascore, he ranks as France’s second-best performer throughout the tournament, and deploying him in a number ten role has been a masterstroke by Didier Deschamps.

He has been one of the standout players in Qatar, ranking first for key passes made per match (3.5) and joint-top for assists (three), proving just how instrumental he has been for his country.

The £206k-per-week sensation could become just the second player after Vava of Brazil (1958 and 1962) to score in consecutive World Cup finals, and with the way he has been playing, it would be the icing on the cake.

Former United player Ander Herrera once dubbed Griezmann a “phenomenon” and it’s evident that he can adapt and play a variety of different roles to devasting effect, as the world has seen in Qatar.

Ten Hag is spoilt for choice in the role in which the 31-year-old is starring, with Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen able to perform there. However, a chance to sign someone of the Frenchman’s talent doesn’t come along too often, and doing so could be the catalyst which spurs the club towards a much-improved second half of the season.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a potential move in the January transfer window for Angers and Morocco central midfielder Azzedine Ounahi.

The Lowdown: World Cup breakthrough

Ounahi has seen his profile rise at an alarming rate following his exploits for Morocco at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

He was a mainstay in the side that remarkably went all the way to the semi-finals of the tournament, knocking out European heavyweights Spain and Portugal along the way before eventually losing out 2-0 to reigning world champions France on Wednesday night.

Despite the defeat, Ounahi was hailed as the ‘best player on the pitch’ by The Evening Standard journalist Simon Collings, as the 22-year-old ranked top of many key metrics for midfielders in the game, including distance covered (11.74km) and line breaks attempted (23).

The Latest: Newcastle interest

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that Ounahi’s performances at the World Cup have been ‘digested’ by the St. James’ Park outfit, as well as Leicester City, Southampton, West Ham United and Wolves, while Atalanta have also kept an eye on his development.

FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Lyon and PSG have all sent scouts to watch him over the past 12 months, in what looks to be an almighty tussle for his signature in January.

Ounahi is under contract with Angers until 2026, so the Ligue 1 side will be able to demand a premium for him once the window opens.

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The Verdict: Get it done

There will be no better opportunity for the Magpies to snap up Ounahi then in January, as his impressive World Cup performances are likely to attract plenty of interest from some top European clubs in the near future, and Angers, currently bottom of the Ligue 1 table, may be helpless in their attempts to keep him.

Lauded as a ‘superstar’ by The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons, he has received plenty of plaudits in France at club level as well as for his performances in Qatar, as only PSG and Argentina star Lionel Messi (47) has out-dribbled him (37) in Ligue 1 so far this season, despite his team being bottom of the league and Messi’s being at the top.

In fact, Ounahi ranks in the 99th percentile for dribbles completed for all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues in the last year, and is also in the 95th for progressive passes received, 92nd for touches and 88th for total shots per game (FBRef).

Nonetheless, the 22-year-old is shaping up to be one of Europe’s best midfielders, and Eddie Howe’s side could really take advantage of that.

Celtic defender Stephen Welsh could well be in line for an exit from Parkhead in the New Year, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke…

What’s the word?

The Scottish Daily Express reported earlier this week that the 22-year-old is facing an uncertain future in Glasgow, with clubs across Europe believed to be monitoring his situation ahead of a possible swoop in the winter window.

The Scotland U21 international was notably the subject of interest from Ligue outfit Toulouse during the summer, while Serie A side Udinese also reportedly saw an offer rebuffed back in January.

O’Rourke has now offered his thoughts on that potential departure in an interview with Football FanCast, with the transfer insider stating that it could well be hard for the centre-back to get game time in the coming months, particularly following the addition of Japanese star, Yuki Kobayashi.

Asked about Welsh’s future, the respected source stated: “Yeah, it’s going to be hard for Stephen Welsh to break into that Celtic team right now. He’s well down the pecking order and I think the arrival of Kobayashi from Vissel Kobe in January will then increase competition for places even more.

“So he’s not going to get many first-team opportunities between now and the end of the season if he remains at Celtic – I think he’s only made six appearances this season.”

Finally ditch

It could well prove time for manager Ange Postecoglou to finally ditch the peripheral figure amid this interest in his services, with the Hoops academy graduate having hardly had a look in so far this term.

The one-time Greenock Morton loanee had enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign last season after making 24 appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys, although the youngster was unable to truly threaten the “immense” centre-back pairing of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers, as described by Chris Sutton.

That has also been the case this time around with Welsh having been restricted to just six appearances across all fronts to date, with only four of those having come in the top flight for the Scottish champions.

Having already seemingly been fighting a losing battle to dislodge the aforementioned duo of Starfelt and Carter-Vickers, the arrival of Moritz Jenz over the summer further shunted the Scotsman down the pecking order, with the on-loan Lorient man having featured 19 times this season by contrast.

Although the Coatbridge-born dud has been impacted by injury of late, the £4.6k-per-week man has hardly helped his cause after struggling when he has had a chance to shine, having been branded “weak” by pundit Michael Stewart following the loss to St Mirren back in September – the club’s only league defeat of the season.

There may well be a sense that Postecoglou simply can’t trust the 6 foot 3 brute, with pundit Frank McAvennie having only recently suggested that the player could do with a loan exit in order to “toughen him up”.

With Welsh’s existing deal set to run until 2025, it is yet to be seen if a temporary or permanent exit will occur, although at present it is no good to anyone to have him merely languishing on the bench.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is continuing to issue in the new era at the prestigious club by signing a host of first-team players, but attention is now turning to the next batch of talent to rise up the ranks.

That’s according to Tutto Salernitana, the Red Devils are set to rival Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain to sign promising SL Benfica starlet Cher Ndour, who has emerged as one of the hottest prospects in Portugal.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, United might be prudent to snap him up in January for a cut-price fee, before the inevitable shark tank of suitors look to clinch his services on a pre-contract deal.

The young Italian prodigy certainly has high expectations surrounding the trajectory of his professional career, and if he earned a move to United he might just emerge as the Premier League’s next big thing.

Toure 2.0

Currently playing his football in the Portuguese second division with Benfica’s B team, Ndour is well on the way to rising up the ranks and earning a regular spot in Benfica’s senior squad, despite still only being 18-years-old.

Having made 19 appearances this term, scoring three goals and providing one assist, the Brescia-born ace is striking all the right moves to make his senior debut soon, which Benfica might indeed grant him before the end of the campaign – regardless of whether he pens a new long-term contract.

He is blossoming into a vigorous and all-encompassing midfielder in the mould of Yaya Toure, who, like Ndour, yields formidable strength and supreme technicality.

The Ivory Coast native made 316 appearances for City, clinching 79 goals and a further 49 assists, notably playing a sensational season in 2013/14 where he plundered 20 goals and nine assists from 35 Premier League matches en-route to a monumental Premier League title.

If Ndour can emulate even half of the powers that Toure possessed on the football pitch, he will forge a respectable career indeed, although with brimming talent and a sturdy foundation, he might be able to ascend to the very top of the deep pool of talent.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig also waxed lyrical about the budding star, saying he’s “tall & strong with great technique. Pogba-esque.”

High praise indeed, and with similarities to the likes of Paul Pogba and Toure, there is an evident physicality and imposing presence that wcould pave the way for a career as a central focal point; an integral cog at the very heart of a top European outfit, such as Man United.

The 6 foot 3 phenom has a decision to make, with attention from a growing list of prominent European clubs, and he will need to choose wisely when considering the starting point for his career on the major stage; the Red Devils, transitioning at the beginning of the Ten Hag era, might just be the perfect hosts to initiate success across the coming years.