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Tottenham are one of the Premier League sides 'ready to swoop' for Fulham star Joao Palhinha with an offer being lined up, according to reports.

What's the latest Spurs transfer news?

The hot topic dominating Spurs right now is who could replace Antonio Conte, with chairman Daniel Levy reliably believed to be on the search for his next manager.

Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, Arne Slot, Vincent Kompany and Ange Postecoglou have been mentioned as potential candidates this week alone. Levy, after the departure of former sporting director Fabio Paratici, is tasked with head-hunting Tottenham's contenders.

His next move will be absolutely crucial in that regard, especially with the mood around Spurs appearing very bleak right now. Indeed, their latest 6-1 humiliation at the hands of top four rivals Newcastle United has put a serious dent in Tottenham's hopes of Champions League qualification.

Amid this saga, the north Londoners are apparently working on transfer targets for the summer, even despite their lack of a first team coach right now. The likes of James Maddison, for instance, have been heavily linked with joining Spurs – and reports suggest they're in pole position to sign the Leicester City star.

As per Football Insider, it appears Palhinha of Fulham is another player seriously attracting the club's interest. According to their information, Spurs, and by extension Levy, are lining up an offer to sign the Portugal international.

They're apparently one of the top flight sides 'ready to swoop' for Palhinha amid his brilliant season at Fulham, with Chelsea and Man United also gearing up to launch moves. He is described as one of the Premier League's 'standout' performers and Fulham are aware of growing interest in their star.

Palhinha is described as an ever-present in Fulham's starting line up – having only missed games through suspensions and accumulations of yellow cards.

What could bring Palhinha to Spurs?

The midfielder has been a star in west London, ranking among Silva's best-performers overall and in their top three (WhoScored).

Indeed, Palhinha has been a rock in the centre of Fulham's midfield – averaging more tackles per 90 than any player in their squad – all while contributing three goals and the Whites' fourth-highest rate of shots at goal (WhoScored).

Called 'absolutely sensational' for his form this season, Palhinha is also the best in the Premier League for tackles – with no other player in the division averaging a higher rate than the 27-year-old.

كشفت تقارير صحفية أن نادي فالنسيا يتواصل مع منتخب المغرب بشأن أحد لاعبي الفريق، قبل بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

وتنطلق منافسات البطولة الإفريقية في كوت ديفوار، في الفترة بين 13 يناير و11 فبراير 2024.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، فإن نادي فالنسيا يتطلع إلى الإبقاء على اللاعب سليم أملاح خلال مواجهة فياريال.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي فالنسيا مع فياريال يوم 2 يناير المقبل، بالتزامن مع المعسكر التدريبي الخاص بمنتخب المغرب استعدادًا لخوض منافسات أمم إفريقيا.

اقرأ أيضًا | كيف تؤثر أمم إفريقيا على الدوري الإنجليزي.. غياب 44 لاعبًا أبرزهم محمد صلاح

وأوضحت الصحيفة أن فالنسيا أجرى اتصالات مع مسؤولي منتخب المغرب للحصول على إذن للاحتفاظ بخدمات سليم أملاح خلال مباراة فياريال المذكورة.

ومن المنتظر أن يتواجد لاعبو منتخب المغرب في المعسكر قبل 11 يومًا من انطلاق البطولة من أجل الاستعدادت.

ويأمل فالنسيا موافقة منتخب المغرب على مطلبهم، رغم أن ذلك قد يعطل خطط المدير الفني لأسود الأطلس وليد الركراكي. 

Tottenham Hotspur have ‘another talented’ unseen youngster in their ranks as members of the media heap praise on Jamie Donley.

The Lowdown: Spurs academy line…

In the last few years, Spurs’ N17 academy has produced gem after gem with the likes of Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett drawing praise in particular.

The former has been called a ‘future Spurs captain’ and the latter was handed his debut by ex-Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho – who likened the player to Marcus Rashford.

Elsewhere, the likes of Japhet Tanganga and Troy Parrott have turned heads at various points.

In recent weeks, the north Londoners have been rewarding their best and brightest with fresh terms – including promising young shot-stopper Alfie Whiteman.

The likes of Mikey Moore and Donley, who are yet to make first team appearances, remain unseen as far as Antonio Conte is concerned but the media are convinced Tottenham have a real gem in the latter man.

The Latest: Media praise Donley…

After Spurs rewarded the 18-year-old with a new deal, members of the media heaped praise on Donley, claiming he is a real one to watch.

They explained:

“Can either play as a forward or a number 10 type. Has excellent movement, ability to pick a pass and read the game and fantastic finishing ability.” – Spurs pundit John Wenham, via his Lilywhite Rose account.

“Another talented forward off the N17 production line… Donley has been a key part of the U18s and U21s this season.” – George Session, PA Media.

“There’s that new three-and-a-half year Spurs contract for Jamie Donley, with an option for another year. He’s got plenty of potential.” – Alasdair Gold, football.london.

The Verdict: Exciting player…

The England Under-18 international has been seriously impressing at youth level for Spurs.

As per Transfermarkt, Donley racked up a pretty incredible 16 goals and six assists in 18 appearances for the Under-18s last season.

The teenage talent has continued that form into 2022/2023, scoring three goals and assisting three others in five Premier League Under-18 appearances this term.

That form resulted in a promotion to Tottenham’s Under-21s, where he has 14 appearances under his belt this campaign.

Indeed, going by the numbers, he could well be one to watch in the next few seasons.

Sky Sports have shared a new name in the frame to replace Antonio Conte as Tottenham shortlist Fulham boss Marco Silva.

The Lowdown: Conte exit looms?

The Italian looks set to leave at the end of this Premier League season with reports suggesting Spurs are not eager to negotiate an extension.

They do have the option to prolong his stay by an additional 12 months, but according to recent claims, there is currently zero appetite for that either.

Many managerial candidates have been mentioned in the last week, including former fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino and other big names like Luis Enrique.

The Latest: Spurs eye Silva…

As per Sky Sports (via Football Daily), ‘it’s understood’ that Whites boss Silva is on their list of managerial candidates with the former Hull City head coach now ‘in the equation’ to succeed Conte.

This comes amid mounting pressure to re-appoint Pochettino, and while the north Londoners will consider their ex-boss, there are also other targets on the agenda.

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The Verdict: Magic Marco?

Called ‘magic’ by members of the media for his work at Craven Cottage, it’s quite safe to suggest that Silva could be a silent contender for manager of the season.

Fulham are currently contending for Europe after earning promotion back to the top flight last campaign, putting past failed Premier League seasons behind them.

They’ve won an impressive 11 games this season whilst boasting a better defensive record than the likes of Man United and, of course, Spurs.

Losing just once in their last five, Fulham are in brilliant form, leaving little surprise Silva has turned heads in north London.

As well as this, beyond his work in west London, Silva also has experience winning silverware – having clinched a Greek Super League title with Olympiacos in 2016.

Chelsea’s fondness for extravagant transfer fees, especially during the January transfer window, has seen them create a squad which, on paper, could be one of the most talented in the Premier League.

On the pitch, however, it is a totally different story. Of course, it takes time for players to gel into a new team and environment, and with the Blues securing eight new signings last month, it might take longer than most, but their form under Graham Potter has been poor.

The Blues have won just once in the league this year, and although he will be aiming to be at the club for the long haul, the 47-year-old will need to inspire an improvement from his players – and fast.

If he does make it to the summer with his job intact, Potter must then turn to the club’s academy for future talent instead of splashing the cash in the transfer market. With Conor Gallagher emerging from the youth system to become a member of the first-team squad, it’s evident there is more than enough potential to satisfy the Chelsea manager.

How much is Conor Gallagher worth now?

Under Frank Lampard, Mason Mount was given his chance in the first-team due to the transfer embargo which was placed on Chelsea at the time, and his success will have given many youngsters confidence that they could replicate it, Gallagher included.

Having impressed in the club’s youth academy, registering 30 goal contributions across 92 matches for the U21s and U18s, he gained some much-needed senior experience on loan at Charlton, Swansea, and West Bromwich Albion in the years which followed.

However, it wasn’t until he joined Crystal Palace on loan for the 2021/22 season that he really broke through into the public eye on the biggest stage of them all.

The 23-year-old played 39 times for the Eagles across all competitions, scoring eight goals and recording five assists, which from a central midfield role was even more impressive.

His league displays were of particular interest, earning a Sofascore rating of 7.08/10 while creating five big chances and averaging 1.1 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles per game, with his attacking abilities made him stand out for the south Londoners.

The 5 foot 11 gem was lauded by journalist and analytics expert Patrick Rowe, who described the midfielder’s best traits to be his “relentless work rate” and “threat in the final third”, which suggests that he can be of great use to Potter.

Indeed, Gallagher has featured 20 times for Chelsea in the league this season, and although his scoring rate has dropped (netting just once), he has still managed to create five big chances and make 0.8 key passes per game.

With his continued improvement comes greater responsibility in this Chelsea team. According to Football Transfers, his market value is now €44m (£39m), and this should only rise as time goes on.

Chelsea have struck gold on Gallagher, and if he somehow falls out of favour at the club, then Potter could make a lavish profit on the midfielder, who came up from the Blues’ academy and therefore didn’t cost them a penny in transfer fees.

Wolverhampton Wanderers struggled under their former manager Bruno Lage during the early stages of the 2022/23 campaign, winning just once in the Premier League before he was sacked at the beginning of October.

It could have been so different for the Old Gold had the club managed to pull off a transfer which would have undoubtedly improved their midfield and sent a big statement of intent to their top-flight rivals, and the Molineux club are now seeing just how big a mistake it was to let the opportunity slip.

Last summer, the club were linked with Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who was then playing for River Plate. However, he eventually made the move to Benfica for €10m (£9m), which is now looking like the bargain of the century.

The 22-year-old excelled for the Portuguese club, registering six goal contributions across 17 league matches, taking 109.8 touches and making 1.8 key passes per match, while creating nine big chances. He blossomed into one of the finest young talents on the continent before the World Cup – a tournament which would thrust him into the stratosphere.

Fernandez didn’t start the first game against Saudi Arabia, with Argentina suffering an embarrassing 2-1 defeat, but he was brought in for the must-win clash against Mexico four days later and made a huge impact. He displayed the maturity of a veteran, scoring the second goal a few minutes from the end to secure a 2-0 win which proved to be the catalyst in Argentina’s revival.

Overall the midfielder was incredible in Qatar, achieving an average Sofascore rating of 7.1/10 as he made 0.9 key passes and 3.1 tackles per match and recorded a pass success rate of 88%, showcasing his all-round effectiveness and powering Argentina to their third World Cup triumph – 36 years after their second.

He was named the Young Player of the Tournament and the list of potential suitors grew overnight, although Benfica were in no mood to sell.

The 22-year-old was hailed as a “cheat code” by Kwadwo Sheldon following his wonderful performances last year, and it was Chelsea who eventually won his signature, securing the player for a Premier League record fee of £107m.

Wolves must be kicking themselves for missing out on a player of Fernandez’s quality, especially after his recent meteoric rise. His move to the Premier League will certainly bolster the Chelsea midfield, but in an alternative reality, he should have been wearing old gold instead of royal blue.

Everton are having a week to forget at Goodison Park with the sacking of Frank Lampard being followed by Tottenham Hotspur’s hijacking of the Arnaut Danjuma deal. Sadly, another disaster could be about to unfold.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Jacque Talbot, Everton are “ready” to agree a deal with Newcastle United to allow winger Anthony Gordon to make a move to St James’ Park.

Talbot tweeted: “Understand Everton look ready to accept Newcastle’s opening bid for 21-year-old Anthony Gordon and that personal terms are not expected to be a problem ahead of a move to the northeast.

“The two clubs have been locked in negotiations over a possible switch, and as we exclusively revealed yesterday, Newcastle made an offer of £35m rising to £50m with add-ons for the winger.”

Moshiri heading for disaster

There is no doubt that Farhad Moshiri is heading for yet another Goodison disaster by letting go of boyhood Evertonian Gordon this month, as the vulnerable position the squad has found themselves in this season could only further worsen with his departure.

The Toffees are two points deep into the Premier League relegation zone after 20 outings with the second-worst goal tally in the entire league – registering just 15 goals so far which has heavily contributed to their downfall.

Following Richarlison’s move to Spurs in the summer alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury issues, the attacking threat has been unable to recover even with the signings of Dwight McNeil and Neal Maupay, however, Gordon has been one of the most consistent performers in the forward line.

The 21-year-old winger rose through the ranks of the Everton youth academy from U18s to U21s, polishing his skills until he was finally called up to the senior team by Carlo Ancelotti when he earned his top flight debut in January 2020.

Over 78 appearances so far, Gordon has scored seven goals and delivered eight assists for the Toffees, however, the youngster offers much more than goal contributions to his game.

The winger is renowned for his aggressive presence on the right flank, ranking in the top 16% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for tackles, interceptions and clearances – proving that he is prolific in winning possession of the ball and is capable of working hard defensively.

This season the situation at Everton has become increasingly worse and Gordon has fallen out of favour on many occasions due to the lack of goal contributions across the front line, with former manager Lampard desperately trying to find a way to unlock an attacking formula that results in goals scored.

Nevertheless, losing Gordon this week will only further reduce the attacking depth for the new manager who is set to be appointed imminently, so Everton will need to have transfer targets lined up to either replace or upgrade on the winger in the next few days, depending on the budget that will be generated from his potential move away.

Arsenal could well be considering making a move for Crystal Palace starlet Michael Olise this summer, with the high-flying Gunners having been named as a potential suitor for the promising youngster.

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Daily Mail, with journalist Sami Mokbel reporting that the north Londoners are one of the clubs currently ‘monitoring’ the 21-year-old, ahead of a potential swoop at the end of the season.

The report suggests, however, that the Eagles will ‘not entertain’ the notion of losing both the French youth international and teammate Wilfried Zaha this summer, with the latter man yet to commit his future to the club with just six months remaining on his existing deal.

The piece also adds that Palace removed a £35m buy-out clause from Olise’s contract last year, ensuring that prising the playmaker from Selhurst Park could prove far tougher for Gunners sporting director, Edu.

Fabio Vieira upgrade

The former Reading ace has made a rather smooth transition to life in the Premier League since his £8m switch back in the summer of 2021, having already chipped in with 18 goals and assists in 52 games across all fronts for his current side to date.

That includes a haul of two goals and four assists in the top flight in the 2022/23 campaign thus far, with the highly-rated “baller” – as described by journalist Muhammad Butt – having notably produced a moment of magic in the draw at home to Manchester United earlier this week.

The £45k-per-week maestro stepped up in stoppage time to equalise for Patrick Vieira’s men, doing so in stunning fashion with a sensational, dipping free-kick that evaded the sprawling David De Gea.

Not only did that masterful set piece catch the eye, but so too did Olise’s nonchalant celebration in the aftermath, having arguably showcased just why he could well be destined to “play at the very highest levels of the game”, according to Butt.

Should Edu and co opt to bring the London-born dynamo to the Emirates any time soon, he could well prove a notable upgrade on summer arrival, Fabio Vieira, with the Portuguese midfielder currently struggling to make his mark in English football.

The 23-year-old has thus far failed to warrant his rather hefty £34m price tag after scoring just once and laying on only one assist in the league this term, having notably endured an “absolute howler” of a performance in the Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, in the words of GOAL’s Charles Watts.

The former Porto man’s woes are also laid bare by his struggles in possession of late as he ranks in just the bottom 27% in Europe among those in his position for dribbles completed, while that man Olise ranks in the top 19% in that regard.

Equally, the Palace sensation also appears to offer far more defensively as he ranks in the top 3% for blocks made and the top 14% for tackles made, while Vieira only ranks in the bottom 1% and the bottom 11% for the same two metrics respectively.

That should indicate that even though the new addition has only been in the door for a matter of months, Mikel Arteta’s side could secure a playmaking upgrade by winning the race for Olise this summer.

Manchester United are desperately in need of a new talisman; following the club’s mutual termination of Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract in November, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are the only established players capable of adopting the role.

And with the January transfer window now open, the Red Devils are inevitably going to leave a trail of rumours with every slight movement, but there is one prominent forward that could alight the club’s silverware-chasing aspirations.

Reports from the closing months of 2022 stated that United manager Erik ten Hag has held an interest in Juventus’ prolific striker Dusan Vlahovic since before the departure of Ronaldo, despite the Serbian sensation only arriving in Turin last January, agreeing a £66.6m transfer from Fiorentina.

His value has risen a great deal since then with it likely to take a fee of around €100m (£88m) to see him don the famous red shirt in the Premier League.

And with United recently failing to complete the signing of Cody Gakpo, who had been of interest to the Old Trafford outfit since the summer but ended up joining Liverpool in a £35m deal, there are doubts around the likelihood of a concrete move this winter.

Van Persie 2.0

Vlahovic, still only 22 years old, burst onto the scene in the Italian Serie A and captivated La Viola faithful with his devastating strikes of the ball and innate goal-scoring movement in-and-around the penalty area.

For Fiorentina, he scored 49 goals and provided eight assists from only 108 outings, remarkable figures for an ace plying his trade throughout the maiden period of his professional career.

And last year, in the campaign that saw him swap Florence for the Old Lady at the midpoint, the 19-cap gem completed a stunning return of 29 goals and six assists from 45 total outings – etching his name into the book of the globe’s very elite forwards.

If United were able to forge a transfer, they would finally have an out-and-out striker to lead the line for years to come, a destructive offensive presence with a proven track record for club and country of bypassing the opposing goal with regularity.

The “monster” – as hailed by Carlo Garganese – could emulate the success of one Robin van Persie, who signed for the Red Devils in 2012 for £24m from divisional rivals Arsenal in a move that sparked an incensed wave of anger from the Gunners ranks.

Van Persie won the league during his debut season at the Theatre of Dreams, plundering 58 goals and 21 assists from only 105 appearances – including a tally of 30 goals and 15 assists during his first term at the club.

With both phenoms wielding a ferocious left foot, predators instincts within the box and a physicality that allows them to bully defenders with ease, it’s no wonder that Ten Hag wants to bring Vlahovic to Manchester, with hopes that he can indeed replicate the feats of one of English football’s greatest ever strikers.

And with immense praise from Nenad Bjekovic, the president of the Serbian FA, who said he’s “more complete than [Erling] Haaland” he might just be the diamond the Red Devils are seeking to return the club to former glory.

Leeds United remain linked to an exciting young contract rebel, although face impending danger due to the emergence of a powerhouse rival…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, which claims that Barcelona have entered the picture for Nicolas Raskin.

With the young Belgian having reached an impasse in his contract talks, he now seems set to depart given he is entering into the final six months of his current deal.

The Whites are mentioned in the report as a viable option alongside other European clubs, but it is actually claimed that Club Brugge KV are the best-placed team to take him.

Imagine him & Adams

With the recent success of their summer signings, Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch just be moving for Raskin to partner with the likes of Tyler Adams rather than replace him.

Both defensive monsters and under the age of 24, they could hold down the engine room at Elland Road for the next decade.

The American has earned more widespread praise of late for his displays at the World Cup, as his midfield exploits helped the United States get out of the group before their loss to the Netherlands.

Earning a 7.10 average rating, he would record 80 touches per game alongside a 90% pass accuracy.

He would underpin this consistent influence with 1.0 interceptions, 2.8 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game too, via Sofascore.

To pair this with the success of the 21-year-old in the Belgian league, where he too has been handed an impressive 7.01 average rating despite his youth, could be instrumental in their survival bid.

Having shipped 26 goals in just 14 games this season, it is clear that defensive frailties could be their undoing as the Yorkshire outfit hope to avoid another relegation scrap.

As such, adding the 3.3 tackles per game to their midfield alongside 1.1 key passes could revolutionise them at both ends of the field. He boasts characteristics akin to a “pitbull”, as dubbed by Belgian journalist Bob Faesen, as he continued with his praise:

“He is still only 19, but he has really shone.

“He is a box-to-box midfielder. He can play in every position in the middle of the park… He can run a lot, is powerful and has a good shot. He has been one of the big surprises in Belgium football this season and will be a key player for Liege…”

What will please Marsch too is that he boasts insane character, with his head coach Ronny Delia having labelled him a “leader” earlier in the year.

Perhaps this addition could be instrumental in turning around their form once and for all, before being a catalyst for long-term success at the club.