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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Pierre Kalulu to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet CalcioMercatoWeb (via the Daily Mail), who claim that, despite the France U21 international attracting the interest of clubs such as Newcastle United and Real Madrid, it is Tottenham who are currently leading the race to sign the AC Milan centre-back this winter.

The report goes on to state that the reigning Serie A champions would be willing to part with the 22-year-old for a figure in the region of £44m in the January transfer window, while it is also suggested that Fabio Paratici could offer the Italian outfit Japhet Tanganga as part of a deal – with the Rossoneri believed to be keen on the 23-year-old.

Bin Tanganga, sign Kalulu

Considering just how exciting a talent Kalulu undoubtedly is, and with Tanganga’s days at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium very much looking to be numbered, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici would be keen to include the former England U21 international in a swap deal for the AC Milan starlet.

Indeed, over his 28 Serie A appearances in Milan’s title-winning campaign last time out, the £30.5m-rated talent was an absolute rock in the heart of Stefano Pioli’s side, helping the Rossoneri keep 13 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.2 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 1.8 clearances and winning 3.4 duels – at a success rate of 57% – per game.

The £42k-per-week starlet also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.3 key passes, playing 1.8 long balls and completing 34.9 total passes – at a success rate of 90% – per match.

These returns saw the player who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “one of 21/22’s biggest revelations” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.13, not only ranking him as Milan’s seventh-best performer in the league but also as the joint 30th-best player in the Italian top flight as a whole last time out.

Furthermore, with the £25k-per-week Tanganga having played just 17 minutes of first-team football under Antonio Conte so far this season, it is evident that the Italian is not the centre-back’s biggest fan.

That leads us to believe that Paratici simply must ship out the Englishman in order to bring in the much more promising Kalulu this winter.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has potentially been handed another crushing injury blow following the news that Gabriel Jesus faces an extensive spell on the sidelines after having surgery following a knee injury sustained against Cameroon at the World Cup.

What’s the word?

With concerns at the fore over Arsenal’s forward approach now that Jesus will be sidelined for the restart of the Premier League season, with the Gunners currently sitting atop the table after 14 matches played, dynamic ace Oleksandr Zinchenko might have deepened the dismay.

Having returned to training during Arsenal’s midseason break in Dubai, with the side competing in the Dubai Super Cup, Zinchenko was not seen during the 3-0 victory over Olympique Lyonnais.

With no official word on his absence at present, supporters of the club are undoubtedly left concerned over his fitness, and whether the Ukrainian ace will be fit and raring to go when Arsenal return to Premier League action on Boxing Day, at home to West Ham United.

It would be a big blow

Zinchenko made a fantastic start to life in north London, playing a pivotal role for Arsenal since joining from Premier League champions Manchester City in a £32m deal this summer.

However, following injuries sustained that have excluded the £27.4m-rated phenom from 12 competitive fixtures for his club, there will indeed be worries arising over the fact that he has missed a sterling opportunity against Lyon to get some minutes on the pitch ahead of the return of competitive football.

Making just nine appearances for Arsenal, the 25-year-old will himself be desperate to ride a wave of stability and vitality when regarding his ability to string minutes together on the pitch.

As per Sofascore, the “heroic” dynamo – as dubbed by former FRANCE 24 editor Dan Levy – has recorded an average pass accuracy of 89% in the Premier League for the Gunners, making 2.0 tackles per match, 0.9 interceptions and 1.1 clearances.

He has also exhibited his ability with the ball by succeeding with 67% of his dribbles and winning 61% of his total duels, both aerial and on the ground.

Zinchenko is an integral cog in Arteta’s Arsenal machine, and his absence, if that is the case, over the coming period of club football could well be detrimental to the club’s pursuit of silverware and thus, leave the Spaniard worried.

As per FBref, the left-sided full-back ranks within the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 3% for passes attempted and pass completion when compared to positional peers across Europe’s major five leagues over the past year, illustrating the importance of his ball-playing prowess for the Gunners.

Fans will await the verdict over his availability over the coming period, and with club football roaring back into life swiftly, his fitness would provide bounteous results for Arsenal, who might just cross the finish line if they can keep his composed, slick aura on the pitch over the business end of the campaign.

Leeds United will have gone into this World Cup break frustrated that their play has been halted.

Despite their most recent game being a loss against Tottenham Hotspur, it was yet another spirited display in what has been something of a resurgence of late under Jesse Marsch.

Although it seemed like the American might have been on his last legs, suffering an eight-game winless run with six of those being losses, the Whites had slumped into the relegation zone.

It, therefore, made their sensational win at Anfield all the more impressive, as they would beat Liverpool and score a further seven in the two games following.

As if to highlight the tightness throughout the table, these two wins have propelled them to 15th and highlighted the spirit within the side.

Although the goals have been free-flowing, that has been without their top marksman Patrick Bamford, who once again picked up an injury before their trip to Spurs.

It marked his first injury of the season, suggesting that he had not yet exorcised the demons of last campaign, where he was out of action for a total of 250 days.

This only stands to reinforce the notion that they need another striker, with the Englishman wholly unreliable through no fault of his own.

Therefore, the solution might be found in their reported pursuit of Brazilian striker Pedro.

However, boasting a €100m (£86m) release clause, the marksman will not leave Flamengo for a cut-price.

The 25-year-old has excelled this past year in front of goal, with his 29 goals and ten assists earning him a call-up to his national team for the World Cup.

Once lauded as an “excellent finisher” by Guy Mowbray, this cutting-edge and extra influx of goals is exactly what is needed at Elland Road. His arrival would surely spell safety but could also signpost the end of the line for Bamford.

With just nine games to his name last season, he struggled to live up to the 17-goal haul of his 2020/21 campaign.

There is clearly a clinical striker in there, but he is hidden behind this blockade of injuries.

Therefore, Marsch must ditch him in favour of this exciting talent who is set to star in Qatar.

Liverpool are reportedly in ‘pole position’ to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo next summer.

The Lowdown: Standout season

The 23-year-old is having an incredible season at PSV, for whom he has managed a staggering 13 goals and 17 assists in just 24 games across all competitions (crazy numbers’ by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig.

The winger is in the Netherlands squad for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, and will be one for Reds supporters to keep an eye on as the tournament progresses.

The Latest: Liverpool in pole for Gakpo

As per Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool are in ‘pole position’ to sign Gakpo, who will ‘leave’ PSV in the summer.

Leeds United, who offered €50m (£43.7m) for him in the summer transfer window, have interest more ‘secluded’ in the 23-year-old.

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The Verdict: Mane replacement?

If Gakpo were to join Liverpool, the Reds could finally fill in the void created by Sadio Mane’s departure from Anfield this year.

The left winger joined Bayern Munich in the summer and was a superstar for Jurgen Klopp’s team, scoring 120 goals and supplying 48 assists over six seasons for Jurgen Klopp’s side (Transfermarkt).

He won both the Premier League and Champions League on Merseyside and is greatly missed, with Liverpool sitting outside of the Champions League spots going into the World Cup break.

They did sign Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho in the summer to try and cover for Mane’s loss, but as a natural left winger, the ‘electric’ Gakpo (as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting) would slot in perfectly in that position, so the Reds must do everything that they can to try and bring him to Anfield.

Holders Celtic take on Motherwell in the League Cup this evening at Fir Park, with the quarter-final clash likely to provide manager Ange Postecoglou with the chance to shuffle his pack, amid this current frantic fixture schedule.

One fringe asset who will likely be handed a rare chance to impress is summer signing Benjamin Siegrist, with the 30-year-old having perhaps unsurprisingly been a mere understudy to first-choice ‘keeper Joe Hart since arriving at Parkhead from Dundee United.

The free transfer acquisition has featured only once in all competitions since joining the Old Firm giants in the recent window, with that solitary outing having come in this competition in the 4-1 win over Ross County in the previous round.

The former Switzerland youth international will be hoping to stake his claim for more regular involvement with a positive outing against Steven Hammell’s side later today, with the chance to potentially apply pressure on the experienced Hart.

While the latter man no doubt deserves to keep his regular place in the side as a result of his fine form over the past year or so – having kept 31 clean sheets in just 68 appearances – the Englishman has been under scrutiny of late, particularly following his “embarrassing” error away to RB Leipzig in the Champions League, as described by pundit Frank McAvennie.

The ex-Hoops striker had stated that Postecoglou has a “damn good keeper in the wings” in the form of Siegrist, with it perhaps not set in stone that the former Manchester City stopper will keep his starting berth indefinitely.

McAvennie also stated prior to the new man’s arrival in Glasgow this summer that it would be a “no-brainer” to bring the 6 foot 4 titan to the club, with the £720k-rated man able to offer a “seamless” change when Hart afforded a rest.

The one-time Aston Villa youth product had showcased his quality during his impressive four-year stint at Tannadice, enjoying a rather respectable record as he kept 52 clean sheets in his 145 appearances in all competitions for the Tangerines.

It was those performances that earned him a great deal of praise with Micky Mellon dubbing the impressive stopper a “monster”.

As such, there should be no concerns about giving Siegrist – who was handed a four-year deal by the champions – another opportunity between the sticks against the Steelmen, with this rare chance one that the Therwil-born giant must, quite literally, take with both hands.

West Ham United could well be ruing their decision to allow promising defender Aji Alese to leave the club this summer, with the 21-year-old having made an impressive start to life in the second tier with Sunderland.

The imposing centre-back had risen up through the Hammers’ youth ranks to enjoy a brief taste of life at senior level under David Moyes in recent years, making two appearances for the Premier League side in total.

One of those rare outings had come in the Europa League last season in the group stage clash with Dinamo Zagreb, with the 6 foot 4 centre-back earning praise from now-retired West Ham skipper Mark Noble for his “fantastic” defensive display.

The Islington-born starlet – who also enjoyed brief stints on loan at Accrington and Cambridge United during his time at the London Stadium – was unable to build upon that European performance, however, having struggled to force his way back into contention for the remainder of the campaign.

That lack of game time ultimately saw the youngster seal a move to the Black Cats in the recent window, joining the newly-promoted Championship outfit for a reported fee of around £500k.

That figure appears something of a bargain following an impressive string of displays for the former England U20 international at the Stadium of Light, having begun to showcase his quality after an initial slow start in his new surroundings.

The £450k-rated ace has been restricted to just two substitute appearances totalling only six minutes in the first eight league games of the season, although he has since played the full 90 minutes in each of the last three games, with the arrival of new boss Tony Mowbray seeing him take on a more prominent role.

While typically a centre-back, Alese has shown his ability to feature at left-back in recent weeks, notably bagging a fine goal against Watford in the 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road prior to the international break.

The highly-rated ace has followed that up with another standout performance in the goalless draw with Preston North End last time out, with his match rating of 8.1, as per SofaScore, by far the highest of any player on the day.

That was no doubt a deserved rating as the former Irons starlet completed two tackles and an impressive seven clearances on what was his home debut, including a stunning goalline clearance to brilliantly deny opposition midfielder, Benjamin Whiteman.

That remarkable piece of defending was notably lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, who stated that it was “actually scary how easy he made that look”, having prevented what looked like a certain goal for the visitors.

If the recent evidence is anything to go by, Alese is only set to go from strength to strength as the season progresses, with Moyes and co potentially set to be left to regret their decision to let him depart, particularly for what was a relatively small fee.

West Brom’s move for Josh Onomah ‘can still be done’ according to journalist Alan Nixon, despite the transfer failing to go through on time on deadline day.

The Lowdown: Onomah deal collapses

It looked as though the Englishman was certain to complete a move from Fulham to the Baggies at some on Thursday, with talks going smoothly throughout the day.

In a cruel twist, however, the transfer collapsed at the eleventh hour, with paperwork not signed in time and Onomah left in complete limbo.

It appears as though all hope is not lose, though, and after reports earlier tipped the Baggies to submit and official appeal, Nixon has provided his own update on the saga.

The Latest: Journalist offers hope

Taking to Twitter to respond to a question from a West Brom fan, Nixon claimed Onomah could still join the Baggies because the stage that the transfer was at:

“Would need to know far more details … but if they were ‘in process’ they can still be done … does sound like one that will have to be explained all the same.”

The Verdict: Much-needed signing

Not signing Onomah now would feel like a real blow for West Brom, considering they appeared to have acquired the signature of someone with 24 and 99 Premier League and Championship appearances to his name, respectively.

The 25-year-old would have added quality and stability to Steve Bruce’s midfield, having been described as a ‘special player’ by Mauricio Pochettino during his time at Tottenham.

This update is undoubtedly positive, however, and if West Brom appeal the decision and successfully sign Onomah, it could make a big difference to their promotion challenge.

Celtic are reportedly not plotting a move to bring Jani Atanasov to Parkhead this summer, despite rampant speculation in recent days.

What’s the word?

According to Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry, the Hoops are not believed to be eyeing a swoop for the Hajduk Split midfielder this summer, amid suggestion that the 22-year-old is a player of interest for the Scottish champions.

Writing on Twitter about the North Macedonia international, the transfer insider stated: “As for Jani Atanasov, nothing in pipeline, as far as we understand.”

A deal is, however, believed to be imminent for 23-year-old winger, Sead Haksabanovic, with the former West Ham United starlet closing in on a move to Glasgow.

Postecoglou frustrated

It will seemingly come as a blow that the Old Firm giants are not in for the 6 foot 2 menace, with manager Ange Postecoglou likely to be frustrated at potentially not being able to bolster his midfield ranks again before the September deadline.

While the title-winning coach has already brought in compatriot Aaron Mooy so far this summer – having also signed the likes of James McCarthy, Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate last season – further depth could well be needed this season, particularly in a holding role.

The Scottish Premiership outfit are still lacking in that department after seeing long-serving gem Nir Bitton depart the club – alongside playmaker Tom Rogic – while Ismaila Soro has been shipped out on loan to Portuguese side, FC Arouca.

That has left Callum McGregor as the first-choice option at the base of the midfield, albeit with the Scotland international also adept in a more advanced starting berth, with the lack of a viable alternative in the pivot role likely to be of concern.

A defensive midfielder by trade, Atanasov would seemingly have been able to help plug that gap having impressed in Croatia of late, scoring five goals and recording two assists in 59 games in all competitions for his current side thus far.

An imposing presence in front of the back four, the one-cap warrior notably averaged 1.6 tackles and won 65% of his aerial duels from his 21 league games last term, with that record similar to that of the aforementioned McGregor, for instance, who averaged 1.5 tackles per game and won 71% of his aerial duels in the 2021/22 campaign.

It would seemingly make sense to have a figure who can slot in for the ever-reliable skipper on occasion, particularly with Celtic competing on a number of fronts this season, hence Postecoglou’s potential frustration that a deal for Atanasov may not be in the works.

Newcastle United could be in line to add to their summer spend in the coming weeks, with further additions said to be on the cards.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the Magpies are said to be chasing two more signings before the September deadline to help strengthen the attack, having already brought in three new additions thus far.

The club insider stated: “Whether it’s a permanent deal or a loan we’ll have to wait and see. I’ve been saying this all window long, but I still fully expect them to bring in a striker and a winger before the window’s out.

“I would be amazed if both of them are permanent signings, unless they’re able to keep the prices down. I still would expect one to be permanent and one to be a loan.”

The northeast side have recently been linked with a move for Leeds United winger Jack Harrison, while Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak and Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby had been forward targets prior to the Premier League side walking away from the deals due to the hefty asking prices.

End the window with a bang

Despite securing the notable marquee arrival of Sven Botman – as well as completing deals for Nick Pope and Matt Targett – the current window has perhaps not delivered the excitement that was expected for those of a Newcastle persuasion, with Financial Fair Play restrictions seemingly taking their toll.

Unable, or rather unwilling, to dish out vast sums of cash to land potential targets, the St James’ Park outfit have thus far been left frustrated in their attempts to bolster Eddie Howe’s forward line, with the former Bournemouth boss left with the same attacking options as he had last term.

That fact mattered little as the 44-year-old oversaw a commanding 2-0 victory over newly-promoted Nottingham Forest on Saturday, although in the long run, the lack of further acquisitions could well come at a cost, with increased depth needed to help support the likes of Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin.

Downie’s claim, however, should inspire hope that the club can end the window with a bang and get a couple of forward players through the door, with anticipation among supporters only set to build as deadline day draws closer.

Having recruited so astutely back in January, it is proving a far trickier window this time around for PIF, albeit with the new owners seemingly taking the wise approach of not being lulled into paying over the odds, even if it means Howe’s squad being left somewhat short.

That said, a new forward is evidently needed with Wilson’s injury problems last term well documented and Chris Wood’s move failing to bear fruit with the New Zealand international scoring just twice. Therefore, any upgrade would surely delight the Toon Army and ensure they end the window in a thrilling, swashbuckling fashion. After all, the addition of a shiny new striker never fails to get pulses racing within the footballing world.

Whether the calm, level-headed strategy of before continues as the weeks progress remains to be seen, however, with the growing desperation for further additions potentially set to lead to late fireworks in the market.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United have a ‘deal in place’ to sign Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez.

The Lowdown: Busy few weeks

Erik ten Hag is just weeks away from his first competitive game as United boss but could be about to welcome plenty of new faces to the club.

Left-back Tyrell Malacia was the first signing of the Ten Hag era earlier this month and United appear to be closing in on more business.

Free agent Christian Eriksen looks set to finally pen Old Trafford terms, while a fee has also been agreed with Barcelona for priority target Frenkie de Jong, and it looks as if a move for the ‘dominating’ (Josh Bunting) Martinez is also on the cards.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano took to Twitter late overnight to provide an update on United and Martinez.

He revealed that the Red Devils are ‘on the verge of signing’ Martinez, with a ‘deal in place between all parties’. The transfer expert stated that there are ‘final details to be discussed’ between United and Ajax today before a ‘here we go’.

The Verdict: Good move

Ten Hag will know all about Martinez and how to get the best out of him, with the Argentine a regular for Ajax over the last three years. He’s primarily a centre-back but will also be able to provide cover at full-back or as a defensive midfielder, something that could be extremely handy as the season goes on.

However, you’d expect he’ll be mainly used at the heart of the defence as United look to tighten up after a leaky 2021/22 campaign, and Martinez, who played his part as Ajax conceded just 19 goals in 34 Eredivisie games last season, could help do just that.