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Wolves are reportedly keen on signing Middlesbrough right-back Isaiah Jones in January and the right-back’s potential arrival at Molineux could see Julen Lopetegui get rid of Nelson Semedo.

According to TEAMtalk, Wolves, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Leicester City are all keeping tabs on the versatile youngster, who is continuing to impress with his performances in the Championship.

So far this season, the 23-year-old has contributed an eye-catching three goals and three assists in 20 appearances in the second tier, which has helped him to a solid 6.85 rating from WhoScored.

Only Ruben Neves is ranked higher in Wolves’ squad for the current campaign, which emphasises how good Jones has been this season and the quality that he could add to Lopetegui’s squad.

The Middlesbrough man, who was dubbed “very talented” by former manager Chris Wilder, certainly caught the eye of Wayne Rooney after he starred in a win over Derby County last year.

He said: “He’s a very good player. The lad has a bright future ahead of him and it was because of Jones that we felt we had to set up differently.”

If we compare Jones to Semedo, who is the main right-back option at Molineux, it is clear that the Englishman would be a superior choice given their respective form.

The Portuguese full-back, who has been a “liability” from a defensive point of view on a number of occasions since his £36.8m switch from Barcelona in 2020, has averaged a shocking 6.31 rating from WhoScored so far this season.

His frailties at the back were emphasised in the recent defeat against Brighton, when he first lost Kaoru Mitoma for the Seagulls’ equaliser, before hauling down the Japanese winger to receive a red card.

Jones seems to have the edge on Semedo from both an attacking and a defensive point of view, as he has averaged more shots, key passes, dribbles and interceptions than the former Barcelona man.

Therefore, should Wolves complete a move for Jones, it would surely see Lopetegui ditch Semedo after his shocking performances of late, which can only be a good thing for the Old Gold’s hopes of avoiding relegation.

Everton are renowned for their transfer disasters and Moise Kean is certainly one player who could be considered as one of the worst signings made under Farhad Moshiri. However, a reliable source has provided an update on the striker’s future that could hugely benefit the club.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed more details about Kean’s future and prospective permanent move to Juventus.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast on November 24th, Romano claimed:

“For Moise Kean, the situation is pretty clear, Juventus will buy him on a permanent deal from Everton. It’s just a matter of time and everything will be completed in 2023. So for Everton, it’s also important news as they will make money with Moise Kean.”

Rare Moshiri masterclass

Indeed, Moshiri has rarely got it right over the last six years when it comes to transfer business but the latest development surrounding Kean’s future could be a masterclass for the Everton owner.

The Italian striker was signed for an initial fee of £25.1m back in 2019 but failed to hit the ground running at Goodison Park, scoring four goals and registering just two assists over 39 appearances before being shipped off on loan after just one full season with the Toffees.

Kean made a season-long loan move to Paris Saint-Germain and then returned to his former club Juventus for a two-year loan where he has scored four goals in 13 appearances so far this season.

It is reported that Juventus have a £24m obligation to buy Kean, something they have been keen to renegotiate in order to permanently sign the 22-year-old. However, Everton have stood strong on their opportunity to make a profit on the player.

Including wages covered over the last 18 months as well as the obligation to buy the total fee is expected to be around €38m (£33m), which means Everton have profited enormously from signing Kean which will surely delight Moshiri.

With that being said, the promise of some incoming cash will be a huge boost for Everton in the summer when they look to reinvest in the team. Moshiri will be thankful that not only the club has finally cut ties with the player but that Everton are able to recoup some money from the failed transfer.

Newcastle United may well be ruing their failure to sign Cameroon international Vincent Aboubakar in the recent past, with the experienced striker having only recently shown his quality on the World Cup stage.

The 6-foot machine was heavily linked with a move to St James’ Park back in the summer of 2017 following the Magpies’ return to the Premier League, with then-boss Rafa Benitez believed to have been close to wrapping up a £9m swoop for the Yaounde-born menace.

The dynamic forward had caught the attention after netting 19 goals in just 38 games the previous season while on loan at Besiktas from parent club Porto, although no move to England ever came to fruition as the striker ultimately returned to Portugal to star for the Primeira Liga side.

The 30-year-old – who now plies his trade for Saudi side Al Nassr – has left the Tynesiders somewhat ruing that missed opportunity as a result of his continual prolific form in recent years, boasting a total club career tally of 136 goals thus far, including 58 goals in 125 games during his time at the Estadio do Dragao.

It is the 94-cap gem’s form for his country that has particularly caught the eye of late, however, with the one-time Lorient man – who previously scored eight times at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year – having certainly made his mark in Qatar.

The “dangerous” ace, as described by Thomas Mlambo, seemingly changed the game in the recent draw with Serbia after entering the fray early in the second half, scoring just moments after his introduction with an exquisite, dinked lob to drag his side back into the match.

Such an absurd effort was described as “outrageous” by the BBC with the forward helping his nation to a remarkable turnaround.

With the Indomitable Lions having been 3-1 down before his substitution, Aboubakar then helped to drag the African nation level after again bursting through on goal to calmly tee up teammate Eric Maxim Choupo-Mouting with a brilliant pullback.

Despite only making 16 touches in his 35-minute outing, the £4.3m-rated man was truly integral to his side’s stunning comeback, notably recording 100% of total dribbles and enjoying an 88% pass-accuracy rate, while also showing his brilliant hold-up play after winning four of his five ground duels.

Such a dominant showing unsurprisingly saw the imposing marksman record an 8.5 match rating, as per Sofascore, with the one-time Valenciennes man having simply ’caused chaos’, in the words of 90min’s Kyle Picknell.

Although Eddie Howe’s side are currently well stocked in attack with the likes of Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, it may well have been handy to have Aboubakar’s presence in the side in previous years.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will only commit to a new deal if he is backed by the club in the transfer window, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Talks ongoing

The Athletic reported back in October that talks had already commenced between Daniel Levy and Conte regarding a new deal, which would extend the Italian’s stay in north London beyond June 2023, when his contract is set to expire.

A fourth-placed finish was overseen by the 53-year-old last season, securing Champions League football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and with them now qualifying for the last 16, the negotiations now appear set to continue.

The Latest: Conte’s demand

The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke has now broken the story that talks are set to start again from Monday, with the club having confidence that the former Inter boss will commit to a long-term deal with the club.

It is detailed, however, that any agreement will be determined not just by wages, duration and exit clauses, but by what the board are able to offer Conte in terms of new arrivals in the January transfer window, and they will need to show the manager that they have the same desire to win as he does.

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The Verdict: Back him!

Not only did the £288k-per-week earner secure qualification for Europe’s elite competition last season, but he is in a good position to do so again, with the Lilywhites currently sitting fourth in the Premier League standings.

With Harry Kane’s contract due to expire at the end of next season, the Italian extending his stay could prove crucial in the club’s bid to keep hold of their talisman, as he will want to have the assurance that an elite-level manager is in the dugout, given his desire to win trophies.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has described the tactician as a ‘serial winner’, as evidenced by him having nine trophies to his name in his managerial career, including two with Chelsea, highlighting his ability to compete for major honours in England.

As such, Conte being at the helm gives Tottenham their best chance of competing for the biggest trophies, and it is absolutely vital that Levy ties him down for years to come.

New Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale appears to be already plotting moves to strengthen his charges at Ibrox ahead of the January transfer window, with recent reports having claimed that the Ibrox outfit are keen on a move for Algerian sensation, Ahmed Kendouci.

According to Football Scotland’s Mark McDougall, the Old Firm outfit have “made contact” regarding a swoop for the ES Setif midfielder, with the Light Blues believed to be eyeing a loan deal for the 23-year-old next month.

While the Glasgow giants are expected to face competition for the player’s signature, there is believed to be confidence that a deal can be struck to bring the playmaker to Scotland, even if his current side would prefer a permanent move.

The fleet-footed gem has seemingly been a long-term target for the club – and rivals Celtic – having been touted as a possible option earlier this year, with the “complete midfielder”, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, having caught the eye with his form in his homeland of late.

The “elegant” ace – as also dubbed by Kulig – has provided 41 goal involvements in 107 games for his current side to date, having proven a truly creative asset in his attacking midfield role and as a makeshift left-back.

A player with a “left foot made of gold”, as per Kulig, the 5 foot 11 dynamo could well help to fill the void of former Gers star Joe Aribo in the current side, with the Nigeria international having left a sizeable hole following his £10m exit to Premier League side Southampton.

That is the verdict of pundit Frank McAvennie, who suggested that Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s “biggest problem” was failing to secure a replacement for the 26-year-old, with the former Charlton Athletic man having been one of the club’s “best players”.

That quality was illustrated last term as Aribo ended the campaign with an impressive haul of nine goals and ten assists form his advanced midfield role, notably scoring in the Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The “dynamic” gem – as described by Van Bronckhorst – had racked up a total tally of 51 goals and assists in 148 games following his arrival in 2019, memorably playing a pivotal role in the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, after recording ten goal involvements in the top-flight.

The left-footed menace has proven a hard act to follow since then, although the addition of another creative spark such as Kendouci could well prove the answer for Beale in 2023.

Michael Beale has shared ‘good news’ for Glasgow Rangers as both Tom Lawrence and John Souttar should return to Ibrox from injury ‘around mid-January’.

The Lowdown: Injury woes

Lawrence has not featured for the Gers since one appearance since joining from Hearts, after picking up an ankle problem.

In their absence, the Light Blues have crashed out of the UEFA Champions League, and have fallen nine points behind bitter rivals Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race.

The Latest: ‘Mid-January’ return

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match at home to Hibernian in the SPFL tonight, Beale has shared that Lawrence and Souttar should return ‘around mid-January’, which he described as ‘good news’ for the club:

“We are looking at around mid-January for Lawrence and Souttar to be returning which is good news. It is important we don’t push any player that is not quite ready, we want them back in a good place and give everyone an opportunity to improve.”

The Verdict: Big boost

It will certainly be a big boost to have both players back in the New Year, after so many months out injured between them.

Souttar was a standout performer for Hearts last season, and there is no doubt that Teddy Bears supporters will want to see more of him, while Lawrence showed early signs of promise with three goals and two assists in nine games in total over all competitions before his injury (Transfermarkt).

Beale also shared in his pre-game conference that Connor Goldson and Ben Davies have trained this week after spells out with injury, and could return to the team soon, which will be another huge boost for Beale and his squad going into the second part of the campaign.

Liverpool remain interested in signing the man who every elite club seems to be after…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who claims that the Reds will have full faith in their ability to tempt Jude Bellingham to Anfield after Dharmesh Sheth had claimed he was their “number one target”.

Despite the riches of Manchester City likely to put them ahead in the race, Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“Man City might consider themselves with the greatest chance of signing him right now in their eyes, but Liverpool believe that they should have a great chance, too, and that they just have to go all out and put in front of him why they think he should join Liverpool.”

Following his fine performances in Qatar, his price tag has since risen to a reported €150m (£130m).

Thiago upgrade

Although he has quickly captured the imagination of fans from the Merseyside club, Spanish maestro Thiago is not getting any younger.

Having only joined in 2020 at the age of 29, it was clear this deal was one to bring instant success rather than pin down their midfield for years.

That could not be more contrasted to a potential deal to sign Bellingham, with the 19-year-old sure to dominate in the engine room for at least the next decade.

Whilst the Spaniard offers a more calming presence in midfield, outlined in his tackles ranking in the top 9% as well as his pass completion rate in the top 7%, the England international has shown he is far more all-action.

Despite this, he can still occupy nearly any role needed of him, which is outlined in his varied skillset.

Whilst ranking in the top 6% for dribbles completed, he also records 2.39 tackles per game. In the same vein, whilst he ranks in the top 4% for non-penalty goals, his pass completion rate averaged out at 90% at the World Cup.

There is truly nothing he cannot do, and he has more than earned the title of “a generational talent” bestowed upon him by Rafael Honigstein.

What marks him as an upgrade on Thiago is not just his input, of which his 7.38 Sofascore rating from their domestic leagues dwarfs that of the 31-year-old’s 7.15, but due to his goalscoring nature, he can actually take games by the scruff of the neck and drag his team through.

This was no greater exemplified than in his four goals in consecutive Champions League games this season, as he has stepped up in the absence of Erling Haaland.

For all his talents, the former Bayern Munich midfielder simply cannot change a game as Bellingham can.

 As such, this transfer could mark a huge improvement that could lock down their midfield for years to come.

Mikel Arteta made arguably his finest signing for Arsenal back in January 2021 as the club announced they had signed Real Madrid player Martin Odegaard on loan for the rest of the season.

After a solid loan spell, the North London side made the deal permanent that summer and he hasn’t looked back since, becoming an integral part of the Arsenal midfield as they chase their first Premier League title in 19 years.

Are Arsenal about to sign their next Odegaard however?

Well, according to Jeunex Footex, the club are reportedly set to battle it out with Manchester United over Norwegian talent Sivert Mannsverk, who currently plays for Molde.

The report states that the young midfielder could be available for as little as £9m and with Arteta aiming to add more youth into the first-team squad, the 20-year-old Mannsverk could be a shrewd investment.

He started his career at Norweigan side Sogndal – managed by former Premier League striker Tore Andre Flo – making 54 appearances for them while registering 12 goal contributions, an excellent return for a young central midfielder making his way through the professional ranks.

These performances earned him the move to Molde, making 62 appearances so far while chipping in with five goals, with three coming in the Europa League Conference qualifiers earlier this season.

Over 25 league matches this season, Mannsverk has shown his class. He has an average rating of 7.02 and he clearly likes to control possession, taking 62.8 touches on average per match.

The 20-year-old has proved he can be a threat going forward, making 0.7 key passes, creating three big chances, and succeeding with an incredible 79% of his dribbles, offering an attacking threat from the heart of the midfield.

Although he plays slightly deeper than Odegaard, Mannsverk still has the capabilities that could allow him to create plenty of chances for teammates if he joined Arsenal. Arteta’s usual midfield of Odegaard, Thomas Partey, and Granit Xhaka has worked wonders this season, but there is a distinct lack of depth.

The Norwegian could certainly go on to have the same impact that Odegaard has had at the club over the previous 18 months and his influence may well be crucial in Arsenal completing a move for the Molde sensation next month.

Tottenham Hotspur may have already signed their wing-back of the future – even if he hasn’t played a single game for the club.

In the summer, sporting director Fabio Paratici sealed a £15m move for Udinese dynamo Destiny Udogie but loaned him back to the Serie A outfit for the season.

The Italy U21 international has continued the form that initially caught the Lilywhites’ eye, so he is surely in line to make his bow for the north Londoners upon his return in the summer.

Standing at a towering 6 foot 2 in stature, Udogie is an absolute animal, combining his brute strength with ‘devastating’ and ‘untouchable’ speed – in the words of Tuttomercatoweb.

That glowing review came from his recent league outing, where the Bianconeri drew 1-1 with Empoli but the 20-year-old was the standout star.

Udogie provided the assist for Roberto Pereyra’s all-important 70th-minute equaliser but on another day, he could’ve had a hat-trick of assists because he registered a whopping six key passes.

Also via FBref, the young talent provided eight progressive passes and was amongst the most influential players on the pitch with his 63 total touches, which highlights his attacking intent and thus would make him an ideal fit for Antonio Conte and his system at Hotspur Way.

That sort of threat in the final third could lend some comparison to Ivan Perisic, who was converted to a wing-back under the Italian tactician at Inter Milan. For his national side Croatia, he remains an attacking winger.

The summer signing, therefore, could be an ideal heir to the veteran’s throne as at 33, he’s not going to be around forever and what makes Udogie even more perfect for the role is the fact that he can defend too, having recorded four tackles at a success rate of 75% in the aforementioned encounter.

In fact, FBref also compare the Udinese loanee to Perisic in terms of statistical profile, whilst other names such Theo Hernandez and Achraf Hakimi are also mentioned, so he’s in glowing company.

Only one other player in the Little Zebras’ squad manages more tackles per game than Udogie, whilst he’s the third most creative member of the squad, via WhoScored, too.

As such, Conte could easily stumble on his left wing-back of the future when the £4.7k-per-week gem – who ex-Sky Sports man Adam Smithy dubbed a “serious talent” who is “tailor-made” for the 53-year-old – makes his permanent switch to north London in the summer.

AND in other news, Levy could match Conte’s lofty ambition with dream Spurs swoop for £44m “phenomenon”…

Everton have been linked with a move for Viktor Gyokeres this month and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player as they attempt to improve the squad at Goodison Park during the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to TEAMtalk, Everton are preparing a bid for the Coventry City striker that could include offering the Championship side one of their players too.

As per the report, the Toffees are prepared to offer their recently recalled striker Ellis Simms to sweeten a deal in order to secure the signing of Gyokeres over their Premier League competitors Leeds United and Brentford.

It is further claimed that although the opportunity to sign Gyokeres would more likely be a loan deal, Everton are willing to offer Simms and teammate Nathan Broadhead on permanent moves.

He could save their season

The Toffees have found themselves in a sticky situation once again with another Premier League relegation battle looming over the club due to a poor run of performances.

Frank Lampard’s side are currently 18th and in the relegation zone after picking up just 15 points from a possible 54 so far in the top flight, putting their Premier League status in a vulnerable position at present.

The January transfer window couldn’t have come soon enough and the golden opportunity to strengthen the attack is an opportunity that should not be ignored by the powers at Goodison Park as ultimately, the right profile of player could save their season.

As a result, the signing of Gyokeres could be exactly what Everton need in order to pick up crucial points and significantly increase the number of goal contributions at Goodison Park.

The Swedish striker, who has an asking price of £18m, has scored a whopping 111 goals and delivered 26 assists over 265 club appearances so far with a goal contribution every 136 minutes, proving that he is a consistent and reliable threat in the penalty area.

This term, he has continued to show glimpses of his talent as in 25 Championship outings, Gyokeres – who manager Mark Robins claimed is “gleaming” this season – has scored 12 times and registered one assist.

More than just a goal threat, he has produced three big chances, as well as averaging 1.7 successful dribbles and winning 5.8 duels per game.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Everton to swoop for Gyokeres this month and if he could emulate his goal-scoring form on the blue side of Merseyside it could be the season-changing signing that they desperately need.