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Tottenham Hotspur are the latest club to be linked to Florian Wirtz ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to Sport Bild, Spurs have entered the race to sign the 18-year-old Bayer Leverkusen sensation, who has also been intensely scouted by Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.

It’s thought that the 5 foot 9 attacking midfielder would command a fee in excess of €100m (£90m) as he’s under contract at the BayArena until 2026.

Transfermarkt currently value the four-cap German international at £58.5m, whilst some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, are also keen.

No.10 solution

Wirtz has emerged as a real star of the future over in Germany and he has certainly helped fill the void left behind at Leverkusen by Kai Havertz, who left for Chelsea over a year ago.

Whilst Bayer head coach Gerardo Seoane has found a solution from within, Nuno Santo is still looking for a man to step up and take aboard the creative burden of his inconsistent Spurs side.

Indeed, the north Londoners have not sufficiently replaced Christian Eriksen, who left the club in January 2020. Neither Tanguy Ndombele (18 goal contributions in 83 games) nor Giovani Lo Celso (13 contributions in 76 games) have regularly stepped up to the plate since their arrivals in summer 2019.

Similarly, Dele Alli’s fall from grace makes it hard to imagine that he is the man either, especially as the Lilywhites’ hierarchy now seem open to selling him in January, per The Athletic.

Spurs rank amongst the lowest in the Premier League for average number of shots per game (10.4, second-worst) and expected goals (9.48, third-worst), so that only goes to show how much they have struggled in the final third. Harry Kane is bereft of proper service – if the Danish playmaker were here, he’d be looking a whole lot better, that’s for sure.

Eriksen delivered a goal or assist every 151.6 minutes during his time in N17.

Wirtz could hold the keys to this problem.

The teenage wonderkid has already provided six goals and six assists in only 11 appearances across the Bundesliga and Europa League this term, which means that he’s well on course to usurp last season’s already impressive exploits of eight goals and eight assists, as per Transfermarkt.

His end product isn’t the only key attribute – for example, in just 30 minutes for Germany against Armenia, he created four key chances, whilst ESPN have noted that his passing is near-perfect in every match.

“Florian is one of the most impressive talents in Germany,” said Stefan Kuntz, the Germany U21 coach who handed Wirtz his debut.

Also dubbed a “special player” by teammate Julian Baumgartlinger and an “elite talent” by scout Jacek Kulig, Wirtz could be exactly what Spurs need to resolve their problems in attack, so Fabio Paratici and co must look to complete a move for him at all costs.

He’s a player who, on the above evidence, would really excite the Lilywhites faithful.

AND in other news, Spurs could seal huge Winks upgrade in “dangerous” 27-cap gem, won’t cost ENIC a penny…

Phil Hay has admitted that Leeds United star Raphinha could attract bids from clubs, but said that an exit in the January transfer window would be a surprise.

The Lowdown: Raphinha shines yet again

Marcelo Bielsa’s side picked up a massive 2-1 win away to Norwich City on Sunday afternoon, climbing to 17th place in the Premier League. It was Raphinha who again stood out for Leeds, scoring the opening goal and receiving a seven-out-of-10 rating from Leeds Live’s Beren Cross. SofaScore went one better, giving him an 8.0 rating, by far the highest of anyone to feature at Carrow Road.

The 24-year-old has been a wonderful signing but his form has inevitably seen him linked with a move away from Elland Road in the near future, with Liverpool among those interested.

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The Latest: Hay answers Raphinha query

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic after Sunday’s match, Hay gave a telling update regarding Raphinha’s future, admitting there is sure to be interest in the Brazil international.

When asked by a Leeds supporter how long the club would likely be able to keep hold of the 24-year-old, the journalist replied: “Very hard to say. He’s bound to attract bids. All a case of what they are and when they arrive. Needless to say, no way in the world that Leeds would want to lose him in January.”

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The Verdict: Raphinha exit seems probable

Raphinha is a wonderful footballer and has excelled for Leeds, scoring 10 goals and registering nine assists in 40 appearances for the Whites. His reputation is growing rapidly, however, especially after a flying start to his Brazil career, and it would be no surprise if he seeks a fresh challenge soon.

As Hay has said, a January exit would come as a shock, not to mention a big blow midway through a season which is already proving difficult for Leeds, but it is easy to see him moving on next summer, potentially wanting the challenge of playing in the Champions League. The Elland Road faithful should enjoy Raphinha while they can.

In other news, one pundit has commented on Leeds’ potential January transfer business. Read more here.

BBC Sport journalist Adam Pope has delivered an update on why Leeds United’s pursuit of Lewis O’Brien didn’t come to fruition over the course of the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

Huddersfield Town chairman Phil Hodgkinson recently opened up about why he didn’t let the midfielder go this summer, explaining: “To be honest with you, it wasn’t anything to do with the valuation. The fourth offer we rejected was £13m.

“From my perspective, it’s about how much of that £13m is guaranteed, it’s about how much of it is add-ons and what those add-ons are made up of. It didn’t work for us as a football club, and my concern was the fact Leeds wouldn’t go up to a structure we wanted, which was a reasonable one. Even the player’s agent said so.

“We weren’t that far apart on the guaranteed amount and the structure of the add-ons, we weren’t that far apart, it was a million pounds in reality.”

Responding to a question from a fan on Twitter, Pope said: “It sounds like the structure of the deal rather than the valuation – how much up front/add ons etc – was the issue for Town.”

Bielsa will be gutted

As is the case with most modern transfers, not all of a transfer fee is paid up front, instead being divided up into instalments and potential bonuses.

What will have Marcelo Bielsa most gutted is Hodgkinson’s admission that the two clubs weren’t far apart in coming to terms on a deal, and he would have secured the midfielder he has seemingly been after all summer given what Alan Nixon said.

In even more gutting news, Yorkshire Live recently revealed that O’Brien is now actually in talks with the Terriers over extending his contract at the club, making it that much more difficult to sign him.

Huddersfield Town writer Steven Chicken has previously talked about the midfielder having the potential to be Premier League player, and he sounds like the kind of all-action star Bielsa would have loved at Elland Road.

He said: “O’Brien is a left-footed, tough-tackling central midfielder. Former Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley often praised O’Brien as being ‘like having two players’, with the midfielder receiving particular praise from his manager and fans alike for his ability and willingness to rush back and win the ball with a clean sliding tackle whenever his side were caught on the counter-attack.

“He certainly has the potential to be (a Premier League player), if he’s not already.”

This latest update on the O’Brien saga is sure to leave Bielsa gutted.

Meanwhile, Leeds are battling Real Madrid for this starlet…

A worrying Rangers transfer claim has been made regarding Glen Kamara amid speculation over his Ibrox future…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has dropped an ominous update ahead of the January transfer window by stating that Steven Gerrard is a ‘big, big fan’ of the Gers gem.

When asked about the potential of Villa swooping for a Rangers player, he told GIVEMESPORT:

“He’s a big fan of Kamara, a big, big fan of Kamara.”

Concern

Aston Villa have been linked with a deal for the Finland international in recent weeks and this claim from Bridge could leave fans feeling concerned about what could be to come next month.

His comment appears to imply that Gerrard, out of the players currently at Ibrox, would like to sign Kamara for his new team, although it remains to be seen whether or not they will come in with a firm offer for his services.

At this point, though, supporters may begin to worry about whether or not the ex-Gers chief will want to swoop for one of his former players and offer them the chance to play Premier League football.

They are facing the prospect of losing one of their best players midway through the season, which could be a brutal blow to Gio van Bronckhorst’s side. Kamara has been in fine form this term and his departure could weaken the side on paper.

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.00 in the Premiership, with Joe Aribo (7.18) the only central midfielder with a higher average rating than the ex-Arsenal man. Kamara has chipped in with one goal and three assists in the league, whilst completing an impressive 90% of his attempted passes and winning 52% of his duels.

This shows that he has been able to perform to a high standard consistently throughout the campaign, starting 15 of the 17 games. Therefore, his departure would leave a sizeable hole to be filled in the middle of the park, with Kamara a proven talent who can run games from midfield with his accurate passing and ability to dictate the tempo of matches.

Rangers fans would surely not want to see a player of his calibre depart midway through the season and that is why this claim from Bridge will leave them feeling worried. Hopefully, Ross Wilson will be able to keep any interested parties at bay and hold onto Kamara for the rest of the season, at least.

AND in other news, “Will be speaking” – Big Rangers claim made on Sky Sports that’ll leave fans delighted…

Phil Foden has provided an update on his injury situation at Manchester City, and it’s not good news for Pep Guardiola as he prepares for the start of the new Premier League season.

What’s the word?

Foden picked up a foot injury on international duty with England with summer, helping Gareth Southgate’s side to the final of the European Championship, although he was forced to sit out the game against Italy after the injury in training.

The 21-year-old has subsequently missed the entire of City’s pre-season and was absent as they lost 1-0 to Leicester City in the Community Shield last weekend.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the City academy graduate provided an update on his injury situation, saying: “It was such a shame to do it just before the Euro final. It was really unfortunate but I am working hard in the gym and hopefully, I can get back as soon as possible. I would say [it will be] around three to four weeks. Hopefully, it flies by and I can just get back on the pitch.”

A blow for Guardiola?

Foden was one of the standout performers in Guardiola’s side last season as they won the Premier League title, so it is undoubtedly a blow to have him missing when you consider that five of Man City’s first seven top-flight fixtures are against Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Leicester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Last season saw the England international make 28 appearances in the Premier League, contributing nine goals and five assists, which helped him average an impressive 7.14 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Guardiola made a bold prediction about the youngster’s future at City last season, saying: “He loves to play football, he lives for that and that’s why he’s so nice to coach. And I’m pretty sure he will become an incredible legend of this club. We’re going to take care of him and the rest he will do it.”

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Therefore, whilst City have a lot of squad depth, the manager will surely be worried about how his team might cope without a player of Foden’s talent given their tough start to the new Premier League season.

In other news… Man City dealt decisive transfer blow with “world-class” beast, Pep will be fuming

Manchester United remain interested in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez this summer, according to reports.

What’s the story?

The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to United and their fierce rivals Liverpool in recent weeks, with both Premier League giants desperate to strengthen their engine room options ahead of the upcoming campaign.

However, according to The Mirror, the Red Devils have move ahead in the race for Saul’s signature after his representatives jetted into the UK to talk with the Old Trafford outfit about a move.

The report states that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s charges are still keen to do a deal following the negotiations but will likely need to offload some fringe players before they can make a formal offer for the Spain international.

Paul Pogba’s future is also expected to have a significant say in how the situation plays out. If the World Cup winner departs, Saul is viewed as an ideal replacement for him, but he now looks set to stay at his boyhood club.

Solskjaer would love him

Saul has developed into one of football’s most complete midfielders after coming through the ranks with Atleti, scoring 43 goals and providing 19 assists in 337 appearances for the Rojiblancos, winning one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey and two Europe League crowns in the process.

His outstanding performances saw the £36m-rated dynamo attract the attention of United as recently as 12 months ago when Pogba was once again linked with a move away from Old Trafford.

Former United defender and BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand lauded the Spaniard following the transfer talk, praising his ability on the ball and tactical awareness.

“I don’t want Pogba to go, but if he does go, I’d take Saul Niguez all day long. Not like-for-like but still a top player,” Ferdinand said.

“What a player. I’ve been harping on about Saul Niguez for a few years now. I think he’s a major player. He’s composed, calm, great left foot, lovely conductor, he can score goals, tactically he’s very aware.

“You can see (Diego) Simeone, he gets his teams really well set up, and he’s in the middle orchestrating and dictating things.”

Nevertheless, last season proved to be a tricky campaign for Saul. The emergence of Marcos Llorente limited him to just 22 league starts as Simeone’s men claimed the La Liga title.

His restricted contribution to the capital club’s success saw national team manager Luis Enrique leave the Atleti ace out of his 24-man squad for Euro 2020 in the summer, leading to the player become eager for a new challenge.

It remains to be seen whether United make a move for Saul this summer, but with only a year remaining on his current contract, he could be a real bargain for whoever takes an interest and Solskjaer would love to have such a quality and experienced player in his ranks as he looks to end United’s wait for a league title.

And, in other news…John Murtough plots Man Utd move for “technically savvy” £35m gem, he has “everything” 

Kieran Maguire has dropped a promising claim on Financial Fair Play (FFP) if the proposed takeover of Newcastle United does end up going through.

The Lowdown: Claims launched

Mike Ashley has launched two separate claims against the Premier League over the failed takeover deal between him and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

One is the main arbitration case, which is set to take place over the coming months, and the other is an anti-competition lawsuit over the English top flight’s decision-making process over the failed bid.

The Latest: FFP claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire, who is an expert in football finance, has claimed that the St. James’ Park faithful would not be ‘shackled’ by FFP initially if the takeover did go through, and added that they would ‘be able to put their foot on the gas’ in terms of spending:

“I don’t think Newcastle would be shackled (by financial fair play) initially. That’s because, for all his faults, Mike Ashley will leave behind a company that has a lot of wiggle room in terms of FFP.

“If somebody does take over at Newcastle, they will be able to put their foot on the gas in terms of spending.

“They have that flexibility because you’re allowed that loss of £105million under FFP over three years.”

The Verdict: Promising

It is certainly promising to hear that the North East club would not have to worry too much about FFP initially if they were to get taken over by the KSA consortium.

The new owners will want to climb up the table in the Premier League as soon as possible and mix it up with the division’s elite in terms of financial power, and so while it is important for them to keep within FFP, they will still want to flex their muscles in terms of spending.

Nonetheless, a positive result in the arbitration hearing for the Tyneside club could accelerate the takeover process, but due to the timing, it is likely that any changes in financial strength would not be seen until the January transfer window, assuming that a deal could then be completed after proceedings.

In other news, find out why NUFC’s hopes of signing one top-flight target have been boosted here!

Nottingham Forest manager Chris Hughton has been relieved of his duties at the City Ground following the Reds’ lastest defeat.

What’s the talk?

In a short statement posted on the Nottingham Forest website, the club confirmed that they have parted company with the 62-year-old manager, with Steven Reid taking over as interim head coach.

The statement continued to reveal that the club’s search for Hughton’s successor has already begun, as well as claiming that they will provide fans with an update on any developments regarding their appointment of a new manager.

Fans will be buzzing

Having taken over from Sabri Lamouchi at the start of last season, after the Frenchman had suffered a similarly bad run of early-season form, it would be a difficult argument to make that Hughton has been a success in his role at Forest.

Indeed, while he did guide the team to safety, something that was sure to be the very minimum expectation the Forest board would have been demanding upon his appointment, the Irishman hardly blew fans away with the results achieved in the Championship last term – winning 12, drawing 16 and losing 14 of his 42 league fixtures.

And, rather than the team improving after his first summer transfer window, things have actually gotten worse for the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager this season, with Forest having picked up a single point over their opening seven games of the 2021/22 Championship campaign, with the Reds being the only second-tier side yet to have won a league fixture.

As such, the news that Hughton has left his role at the City Ground is sure to have left fans of the club buzzing, as it is abundantly clear that the Garibaldi are very much in need of a new direction.

In other news: Dane Murphy must sanction Forest swoop for “outstanding” 53 y/o, he’d be a major coup

Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips is reportedly being watched closely by Real Madrid, following a superb start to his Euro 2020 campaign with England.

The Lowdown: Phillips excels for England

The 25-year-old started for the Three Lions in their opener against Croatia on Sunday afternoon, producing a Man of the Match performance and providing the assist for Raheem Sterling’s winning goal.

It was the type of display that Leeds fans have become accustomed to, but it was pleasing to see him shine on the big stage, in front of a huge worldwide audience.

The Latest: Real Madrid linked with shock move

Phillips’ brilliance for England seemingly hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Defensa Central claiming that European giants Madrid are reportedly keeping an eye on him as they look for summer recruits.

Carlo Ancelotti has recently taken charge at the Santiago Bernabeu and it may be that he was an admirer of the midfielder during his time at Everton in the Premier League.

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The Verdict: Unlikely to happen

It sums up Phillips’ quality that a team of Madrid’s stature are reportedly eyeing him up, having been such an influential player for Leeds during a glorious period in their history.

In truth, it is hard to see the La Liga side actually signing him – they are more known for signing world-renowned ‘Galacticos’ – so Marcelo Bielsa is unlikely to be losing any sleep.

That being said, should Phillips continue to improve as a player, it could be increasingly difficult for the Whites to keep hold of him for the long-term future.

In other news, a former Leeds man has failed to rule out one current Whites player leaving this summer. Find out who it is here.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has provided an update regarding the future of Tottenham Hotspur full-back Sergio Reguilon. 

The lowdown: Spanish links

Recently reputable transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed Barcelona were among a host of European clubs interested in the 25-year-old, whilst Real Madrid could also trigger a clause involved in the deal that saw the left wing-back move to N17 for £32million in 2020 (Sky Sports).

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Meanwhile, Spurs have recently been linked with a number of alternative left-back options including Genoa ace Andrea Cambiaso as Antonio Conte attempts to put his own stamp on the squad in north London.

Now O’Rourke has shed some light on the situation from a Spurs perspective…

The latest: Changes afoot…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist has stated that Conte and transfer chief Fabio Paratici will be in the market for reinforcements in the position.

He explained: “There’s a real possibility that Reguilon could return to Spain this summer. Real Madrid have a buy-back clause and there’s interest from Barcelona, so I think Conte will be in the market for a left wing-back to try and improve the squad.”

The verdict: Improvement needed

So far this season Reguilon has provided five direct goal contributions from 31 outings across all competitions from a combination of a favoured wing-back role and as a conventional left-back.

Hailed as ‘absolutely pivotal’ to Conte’s plans by pundit Noel Whelan and ‘quality’ following a Man of the Match display against Leeds United earlier this season, the Spanish full-back missed out as 21-year-old Ryan Sessegnon started the goalless draw with Brentford on Saturday.

As the Italian head coach attempts to build a squad capable of successfully operating in a preferred 3-5-2 formation, the end could well be nigh for the six-cap ace at Tottenham.

Despite links to Cambiaso and Besiktas starlet Ridvan Yilmaz, when using the Fbref comparison tool the closes match to the marauding wideman return as Chelsea ace Ben Chilwell, Borussia Monchengladbach defender Stefan Lainer and Villarreal’s Alfonso Pedraza – all of whom would represent a worthwhile replacement for Reguilon.

In other news: Tottenham officials dispatched to club as they allegedly eye ‘unbelievable’ £33m man for Conte! Find out more here.