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Wolverhampton Wanderers have been urged to be ‘cautious’ in their pursuit of Isco by transfer insider Dean Jones, in light of the midfielder’s situation at Sevilla.

The Lowdown: Isco’s Wolves links

According to Spanish sources, via Sports Mole, Julen Lopetegui is keen on bringing the 30-year-old to Molineux, with the manager hoping to capitalise on a falling out between the player and Sevilla director of football Monchi.

It would not be the first time that the two men linked up, with Lopetegui being the man who brought the former Real Madrid star to the Rojiblancos in the summer, and now the boss has identified him as someone who could fix his side’s goal scoring woes.

Given that no Wolves player has created more than two big chances this season, a creative spark is needed in the midfield, but Jones believes that Isco may not be the answer to their problems…

The Latest: Jones reacts

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones highlights the Spaniard’s inability to rediscover his previous form as a reason why Wolves should think twice about moving for him in January, saying:

“It’s been some time now since Isco was playing at his best level and with that in mind, I think Wolves will need to be cautious over how he fits in here and why he is even available right now.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Jones is right to point out that the 38-time Spain international has not managed to reach his previous lofty heights in recent seasons, but in truth, Wolves would not be in contention for his signature if he was still playing as he did in his early days with Real Madrid.

Former Barcelona star Andres Iniesta hailed the midfielder as ‘incredible’ in the 2016/17 season, in which he amassed ten goals and eight assists in 30 La Liga appearances, and while there was a dip in form after that, he has started to display some promising signs this term with four goal contributions, two of which coming in the Champions League.

Given Wolves’ aforementioned lack of a creative outlet in midfield, a playmaker with Isco’s proven ability, albeit not in recent times, could be the solution to Lopetegui’s attacking issues.

Liverpool have now ‘started first contacts’ with Morocco star Sofyan Amrabat as the Fiorentina midfielder eyes a move to Anfield, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reds linked…

After his phenomenal World Cup campaign in Qatar, where he helped Morocco become the first ever African nation to reach a semi-final, Amrabat’s stock has risen significantly – leading to the Reds’ interest.

A host of Premier League clubs, like Tottenham, have also taken an interest in the 26-year-old who played a starring role under Morocco manager Walid Regragui in the Middle East.

Amrabat was indispensable for his national team on their brilliant World Cup run, playing more minutes than any of his teammates whilst proving a colossal presence in front of their back four.

The Latest: Journalist shares promising Amrabat to Liverpool update…

Writing on Twitter, reporter Rudy Galetti claims that Jurgen Klopp’s side are attempting to get ahead of the competition and have already ‘started contacts’ with Amrabat.

It’s added that the midfield dynamo wants a move to Merseyside, at least according to close ‘sources’ of his entourage.

He explained:

“According to sources close to Sofyan #Amrabat’s entourage, the player would like to play for #Liverpool.

#LFC have already started first contacts with the #Fiorentina player, followed – as told – by #Tottenham and by some 🇪🇦 and 🇫🇷 clubs as well.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Shoring up Liverpool’s midfield will undoubtedly be a priority for Fenway Sports Group, and while other targets like Enzo Fernandez could cost a marquee fee, Amrabat may be more reasonable.

Reports suggest that Fiorentina want €50 million (£44m) to agree a transfer for the player and that fee is surely worth it after Amrabat’s brilliant World Cup campaign.

Called ‘sensational’ by professional footballer Jamie Smith, the player’s move to Anfield may well be one to watch in the coming month.

Crystal Palace’s midfield is an ongoing issue which ‘needs to be fixed’ after the 3-0 defeat at home to Fulham, according to journalist Matt Woosnam.

The Lowdown: Bad day for Crystal Palace

The Eagles returned to Premier League action on Boxing Day, welcoming the Cottagers to Selhurst Park, but they suffered an awful afternoon at the office.

Palace found themselves reduced to nine men after Tyrick Mitchell and James Tomkins were both sent off, and the visitors eased their way to a 3-0 win.

It was a game which once again highlighted some of the flaws in Patrick Vieira’s squad, and with the January transfer window on the horizon, new additions could be required.

The Latest: Woosnam wants midfield ‘fixed’

In a Q&A for The Athletic after the game, Woosnam pinpointed the midfield as a problem area at Palace currently, with reinforcements required in his view.

The reporter stated:

“The squad has no leadership on the pitch. That’s not entirely Vieira’s fault. The players recruited are done through the recruitment team, albeit with some input from the manager. It’s clear the midfield needs to be fixed, without that player to replace Gallagher’s or McArthur’s tenacity there’s not enough there. Sure there’s alternatives to the current preferred midfield but they’re not game changers.”

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The Verdict: January signings needed

Woosnam is spot-on in his assessment, with Palace’s midfield a shadow of what it was last season when Conor Gallagher proved to be such an influential loan signing from Chelsea, posting the highest WhoScored rating at Selhurst Park and scoring eight league goals.

The statistics from this term don’t make for great reading. As per WhoScored, only three goals have come from the Eagles’ midfield, while Vieira’s side ranked 14th in the Premier League for possession and tackles made and 17th for shots taken.

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It appears that there is now a dearth of genuine quality in that area and it is essential that Vieira is able to bring in at least one new midfield signing – ideally someone in the “game changers” category that Woosnam mentioned.

Failing to sign a midfielder next month could have the potential to put Palace in trouble during the second half of the season, and while they are still six points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand, it might not take much to find themselves in a battle to avoid the drop if yesterday’s performance is repeated in the weeks ahead.

Julen Lopetegui is reportedly eyeing up a Wolves move for Stoke City central defender Harry Souttar in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Impressive World Cup

Souttar has come off the back of an impressive FIFA World Cup with Australia, where he ranked as their best-performing player and helped them qualify for the knockout stages of the competition, before they were lost to eventual winners Argentina.

Lauded as ‘huge, quick’ and an ‘absolute monster’ of a defender by The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell after his heroics in Qatar, and ‘like superman’ by pundit Danny Murphy after a stunning late challenge in a 1-0 win over Tunisia in the group stages, Souttar is now concentrating in firing Stoke up the league table in the Championship, although he may have just earned himself a move to the Premier League come January.

The Latest: Lopetegui interest

As per TEAMtalk, Lopetegui is eyeing a January move for Souttar in order to bolster his team’s defensive options.

The report outlines his ‘remarkable’ performances at the World Cup, considering that he only recently recovered from a serious knee injury, which ruled him out for over a year.

Souttar was attracting interest from clubs in the top flight prior to his injury, and Stoke are bracing themselves for interest again in January.

West Ham United are also thought to be eying up a deal, and Stoke would find it hard to resist any sizeable offers.

The Verdict: Get it done

After letting the likes of Conor Coady, Willy Boly, Romain Saiss and Leander Dendoncker go in the summer, the Old Gold have left themselves fairly short in the centre-back area.

Souttar would surely relish the opportunity of the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, where he has excelled as Stoke’s best performer, despite missing a large chunk of the campaign through injury.

Nonetheless, the six-foot-six colossus has been a standout performer for both club and country, and at 24 years of age, deserves a chance to prove himself in the top flight.

Southampton want to bring former striker Danny Ings back to the club in January, Alex Crook has claimed.

What’s the word?

The England international left Southampton for Aston Villa for around £25m in 2021, and has scored 14 times in 50 games for the club.

Ings was sensational at Southampton, scoring 46 and assisting ten times in 100 games before his move, and could make a return to the club, with Villa wanting to generate extra funds for Unai Emery to spend.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Crook claimed that Southampton are interested in a move, as they desperately seek to add goals to their team.

“They want a forward as well. Danny Ings is one to keep an eye on,” he stated.

The key to staying up?

Southampton are currently bottom of the Premier League with 15 goals in 18 games and desperately need a reliable forward who can help keep them up.

Ings would arrive as someone familiar with the club and proven in the league, who could hit the ground running instantly and help save Nathan Jones’ side from relegation.

If he is available in the winter window, there may be other interest in the 30-year-old, but given his allegiance to the club he may choose to return to Saint Mary’s, and he could help decide the relegation battle on his own.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Khephren Thuram over the last few weeks and now an update from a reliable source has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Jacque Talbot, Liverpool have held talks over signing the Nice midfielder this month.

Talbot tweeted: “Exc: Told Atalanta will refuse to sell reported Liverpool target Teun Koopmeiners this window. Aiming for Europa and have already sold off Ruslan Malinovskyi to Marseille. Hear been talks between Reds and Khephren Thuram of Nice – and Kouadio Kone of Borussia Monchengladbach tho.”

Ward can get Anfield rocking

Jurgen Klopp will be feeling the pressure after a disappointing start for Liverpool in their 2022/23 campaign, with the side not only being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester City but also falling behind in the Premier League too.

The Reds are currently sixth in the league table ahead of their clash with Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend and despite being a constant threat for the title challenge in previous campaigns are now 16 points behind leaders Arsenal as they head into the second half of the season.

The January transfer window offers a golden opportunity to strengthen the squad in their weakest positions to spark an ambitious effort to climb back up the table and in contention for at the very least a Champions League qualification position inside the top four.

One of the most critiqued areas of the pitch for Liverpool this season has been the midfield with the Anfield faithful simply crying out for reinforcements to be captured in order to get their beloved club back on track and competing for trophies.

In fact, the Merseyside giants are losing the majority of their duels (52.5%), as well as losing possession of the ball 158.1 times and conceding 1.3 goals per game in the Premier League this season, which is much worse than last season with only 0.7 goals conceded and a duel success rate of 49.1%.

As a result, the signing of Thuram – who has a transfer valuation of  €20m (£17m)- could be a solution that gets the Kop bouncing again, with the talented ace undoubtedly possessing the tools to improve the ferocity and composure of the team in the centre of the pitch.

When comparing the 21-year-old – hailed “hard-working” by Nice’s technical director Gilles Grimandi –  to Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott over this season alone, he has outperformed his three positional peers at Liverpool in many attributes.

That includes assists (2), pass completion rate (86.7%), tackles won (13), interceptions (13), tackles won vs dribblers (47.4%) and aerial duels won (7).

With that being said, the signing of Thuram could instantly improve the quality of play in midfield for Liverpool, with the youngster bringing better passing, tenacity and a greater reading of the play based on the numbers above.

Thus, if Julian Ward could seal a deal in January it could just be the addition that gets Anfield rocking again over the second half of the season. Indeed, the acquisition of a new central midfielder is an absolute must.

Manchester United are willing to offer Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford a wage of around £200,000 per week, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Pickford transfer speculation

The Red Devils have recently bolstered their goalkeeping ranks by bringing in Jack Butland on loan from Crystal Palace after Martin Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle.

David de Gea and Tom Heaton are still on the books at Old Trafford, bit as it stands the pair will both be out of contract at the end of the current campaign.

Hailed as a ‘real leader’ by members of the media, Pickford has been linked with a move to United in recent months, with reports suggesting that the club have been alerted to his potential availability.

The Latest: Pickford pay increase?

The Sun provided an update regarding Pickford’s future in the last 48 hours.

They reported early on Monday morning that the Red Devils and Premier League rivals Tottenham are ‘willing to nearly double his £100,000 wages to secure his signature’, although the player wants to remain at Goodison Park with the Toffees.

The Verdict: De Gea contract a priority?

United are currently at risk of heading into the 2023/24 season without a recognised senior goalkeeper, so it could be wise for the club to focus on extending De Gea’s deal, with the Spaniard hopeful of penning new terms.

Erik ten Hag and his staff can then analyse whether or not the 32-year-old will still be first choice, or if they want to target someone like Pickford, but from this update it appears as if a move to Old Trafford for the England international isn’t likely.

Aston Villa bounced back from their disappointing defeat to Stevenage in the FA Cup by beating Leeds United 2-1 in the Premier League on Friday night.

The Villans took the lead in the third minute as they brilliantly counterattacked from a Whites corner. Boubacar Kamara travelled half the length of the pitch and teed up Leon Bailey to cut inside and curl into the far top corner of Illan Meslier’s net to make it 1-0.

New signing Alex Moreno was then the hero just before half-time as he raced around on the cover to superbly block Rodrigo’s shot after the striker took the ball past Emiliano Martinez.

Villa’s Argentine goalkeeper then produced a moment of magic of his own as he spread himself to deny Jack Harrison from point-blank range after Luke Ayling played the ball across the six-yard box.

Emiliano Buendia eventually made it 2-0 in the 64th minute as excellent work from Bailey on the right forced Meslier into a parry straight into the path of the former Norwich man to head into an almost empty net.

Wilfried Gnonto’s brilliance down the left flank later allowed Patrick Bamford to smash in a goal with just under ten minutes left to play but Villa were able to hold on for all three points.

Whilst Bailey scored the opener and had a big hand in the second goal, the real hero for Unai Emery’s team on the night at Villa Park was defensive midfielder Kamara, who dominated the Whites.

The Frenchman put in an outstanding display in the middle of the park as he showcased his quality in and out of possession throughout the match.

As per Sofascore, the former Marseille machine won eight of his nine individual battles on the pitch (89%), whilst also making two blocks, two clearances and three tackles for his team to cut out opposition attacks.

This shows that he dominated the Leeds midfield and attack by winning the vast majority of his duels and putting his body on the line to stop Martinez from needing to make saves at times.

Kamara also played a key role for Villa in possession as he set up the opening goal for Bailey with his composed play on the counterattack and completed 81% of his attempted passes over the course of the 90 minutes.

Ahead of the match, FFC published an article explaining why the £150k-per-week midfielder deserved to start as he had the potential to dominate the game and make the difference, which is exactly how it turned out for Villa on the night.

Therefore, Kamara was the real hero for Emery and Villa due to the value he provided at both ends of the pitch from minute one until the final whistle, and he dominated the game in the middle of the park.

Chelsea have been linked to a transfer move for high-flying Brentford’s impressive shot-stopper David Raya, who could be available for an affordable price to bolster hopes of cementing success in the Premier League.

What’s the word?

According to the Evening Standard, the Blues are set to rival Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign the Bees goalkeeper, who is approaching the final year of his contract and has been fantastic for the London outfit in clinching promotion to the English top-flight and paving the way to prominence within the division.

This follows news from journalist Jacob Steinberg, who stated that Chelsea manager Graham Potter indeed holds a vested interest in the Spanish shot-stopper, who’s been distinguished as a prime successor to the role that Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy currently hold at Stamford Bridge.

With Raya reportedly available for as little as £20m, a swoop might just be forthcoming, with sales for either of the aforementioned keepers perhaps even balancing the books.

He’s Pickford 2.0

Chelsea are indeed on the prowl for fresh faces, with owner Todd Boehly seemingly issuing a comprehensive reconstruction for the outfit, who currently languish in tenth place in the Premier League and have tasted defeat across seven of the past 11 matches across all competitions.

This season, with Brentford currently eighth in the league and defying expectations with the arresting philosophy of their play and consistency in clinching victory against even the hottest prospects in the division – with victories over Liverpool, Manchester City and Man United already – Raya has indeed been the unflinching bedrock erected tall in front of the Bees’ goal.

Having played in all 19 league fixtures this term, keeping six clean sheets, the 27-year-old has recorded an average Sofascore rating of 7.13, saving 74% of his shots faced and ever-present in the thick of the action with an average of 48.8 touches per outing.

The Brentford man’s security in the face of the adversity is one of the most striking elements of his game, ranking among the top 12% of goalkeepers for save percentage and the top 6% for touches, as per FBref, indeed illustrating the assurance that he would instil through the ranks at Stamford Bridge.

The site also ranks him as a comparable player to fellow Chelsea transfer interest Jordan Pickford, with the Everton gem recently linked with a move to Potter’s team, with the Daily Mail stating several weeks ago that the England no.1 faces a contract standoff with the Toffees, leaving Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell on red alert.

Pickford has been a stalwart for the Merseyside outfit, but with FBref ranking the 50-cap ace among only the top 38% of positional peers for save percentage, it appears that Raya might be the more prudent and resilient option, especially given the fact that Everton signed the star from Sunderland for £30m, and might be reluctant to part with one of their most coveted assets for much less.

With Potter indeed looking to continue the replenishment at Stamford Bridge, Raya, who’s been described as “one of the best” could prove to be a shrewd and worthwhile investment; Kepa Arrizabalaga has fought his way back into the starting berth at the west London outfit, but he is evidently not viewed as the long-term solution to the role, and Raya must be signed.

Newcastle United have reportedly ‘shown their interest’ in signing Everton central midfielder Amadou Onana.

The Lowdown: Shelvey out of contract

Jonjo Shelvey is one of three midfielders out of contract at St. James’ Park in the summer, alongside Matt Ritchie and Matty Longstaff.

Thus, they may look to bolster the midfield area in this window, in preparation for when them players leave at the end of the season.

The Latest: Onana interest

Taking to Twitter, Belgian football journalist Sacha Tavolieri says that the North East club have ‘shown their interest’ in signing Onana, as Everton have found themselves needing cash after the departure of Frank Lampard:

“Initially unthinkable, the departure of Frank #Lampard coupled with the urgent cash needs at #EvertonFC opens the door to a departure from Amadou #Onana this winter. #ChelseaFC & #ArsenalFC who are looking for a similar profile + #NUFC shown their interest. To be continued.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Despite Everton’s struggles in the Premier League this season, which has seen Lampard lose his job, Onana has been one of their standouts performers.

The six-foot-five colossus ranks highly among his team-mates for average aerial duels won, as well as average tackles, interceptions, shots, dribbles and pass success per game (WhoScored).

Sharing a similar playing style to Newcastle’s own Joelinton, Onana ranks in the 92nd percentile for tackles, 89th for non penalty xG and 88th for aerials won per game of all midfielders in Europe’s top leagues over the past year (FBRef), and at just 21 years of age, still has a lot of potential.

Nonetheless, this would be a smart deal for the Magpies not just for this season, but for the future as well, if they can pull it off.