A transfer claim has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur forward Lucas Moura and his future in North London…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that the Brazilian winger could seal an exit from Antonio Conte’s squad in the January transfer window.

The reporter has also claimed that he attracted interest from two other Premier League teams over the summer but a move was blocked by the club.

When asked about a January exit for the attacker, he told GIVEMESPORT: “Yes, there’s a real chance that he could possibly leave.

“Lucas Moura has been a good player for Tottenham in fits and bursts, but he has maybe not been as consistent as he possibly could be for some Tottenham fans.

“There was interest in him later on in the transfer window, with Aston Villa and Newcastle keen on him, but Tottenham blocked those loan moves.”

Antonio Conte should push him

The Spurs head coach should push for the 30-year-old to leave in January as Moura has not produced enough in front of goal to be a reliable option at the top end of the pitch.

He played in 34 of the club’s 38 Premier League matches last season and only found the back of the net twice. That came after he managed three goals in 30 games in 2020/21 and four strikes in 35 outings in 2019/20.

Among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, the former PSG man ranks in the 21st percentile for non-penalty goals and the 56th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 respectively. This shows that he is well below average in terms of goalscoring.

The winger has, therefore, not been consistent in front of goal in recent seasons and that makes him a liability when he is lining up in matches, as Conte knows that he is unlikely to produce a match-winning or point-earning strike for the team if a chance falls his way.

Moura, who has played 204 matches for Tottenham to date, only played 16 minutes of action in the top-flight this season and was an unused substitute against Wolves prior to suffering a calf injury.

This suggests that the signing of Richarlison has pushed him down the pecking order, as his compatriot has played five matches in the Premier League and chipped in with two assists since arriving from Everton in the summer.

Therefore, Moura is unreliable in front of goal and is now a reserve option for Tottenham, which is why Conte should push for him to leave. It could allow the Italian to bring in a signing of his own to compete with the likes of Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski, Harry Kane, and Heung-Min Son, or prompt the rise of a player from the academy.

Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici enjoyed an impressive summer window having secured eight major deals, although one figure who the Italian could not land was that of current Newcastle United star, Alexander Isak.

Reports as far back as May had suggested that the Sweden international was a player on the radar of the Lilywhites, following his impressive displays at former club Real Sociedad where he netted 44 goals in 132 games for the La Liga side.

As it proved, the north London outfit ultimately secured a £60m deal for Everton talisman Richarlison, with Isak instead opting to secure a late move to St James’ Park, with the Magpies forking out a reported, club-record fee of around £59m for the 22-year-old.

Although the decision to land the Brazilian from Goodison Park has paid off for Antonio Conte’s side – with the versatile forward having scored twice and registered two assists already this term – there may well be a sense of regret at not also splashing the cash on the promising Swede.

Conte himself has only recently voiced his frustration at not having made further investment over the summer, with the serial-winning coach suggesting that a gulf still remains between his side and the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The addition of Isak could well have helped to provide even greater competition for places in the forward ranks at N17, with there likely to still be concern if leading man Harry Kane is struck down by injury in the near future.

The highly-rated youngster has already caught the eye in his early stint with the Tynesiders, having scored twice in just three league outings under Eddie Howe, including firing in from the penalty spot in the recent draw with Bournemouth.

The £45m-rated asset had notably impressed on debut in the narrow defeat at Anfield, lashing in a devastating effort past a helpless Alisson to give the visitors a shock early lead, before showing remarkable composure to fire in another clinical finish after the break, only to see the goal subsequently chalked off for offside.

Such a display showcased just why the 37-cap menace has been lauded as “unplayable” by ESPN’s David Cartlidge, having also been dubbed an “exceptional talent” by pundit and former Spurs striker Gary Lineker last year.

The 6 foot 4 powerhouse looks likely to go on to play a pivotal role for the northeast side both this season and beyond, with those back in the capital likely to be left ruing their failure not get him in the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy recently suggested, he could well go on to be worth £100m in the near future.

Manchester United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka has suffered an international break injury with Slovakia, The Mirror report.

The Lowdown: Summer move

The Red Devils secured Dubravka’s services late in the summer window on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy from Newcastle United.

The 33-year-old, labelled as ‘top class’ by journalist Josh Bunting and dubbed a leader by The Chronicle’s Mick Quinn, has been on the bench twice for United, missing a Europa League game with FC Sheriff last time out.

Dubravka’s absence didn’t prevent him from linking up with his national side, but it looks as if he has suffered an issue with Slovakia.

The Latest: Dubravka injury

The Mirror shared a story regarding Dubravka on Thursday afternoon.

They claimed that the goalkeeper has suffered an injury in training with Slovakia and has returned to Carrington for further tests, labelling it as a ‘concern’ for Ten Hag.

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The Verdict: Not ideal

Dubravka was seemingly brought in to provide competition and cover for David de Gea, so this injury update isn’t ideal.

You’d expect that he could well be a doubt for the trip to Manchester City next weekend as a result of this news, which could mean that Tom Heaton will be required to take a place on the bench, as he did against FC Sheriff.

Hopefully, Dubravka’s issue isn’t too serious and he’ll be back sooner rather than later, as he could be needed when the games come thick and fast prior to the break for the World Cup.

Nottingham Forest are now ‘beginning to think’ about potential alternatives for manager Steve Cooper, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Battling relegation

Evangelos Marinakis fully backed his boss in the summer, spending over £140m on 22 new signings, but he’s had an underwhelming start to life back in the Premier League.

The Reds suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Fulham last week, and after securing just one win and a draw, find themselves second from bottom heading into the international break.

The Latest: Jones’ shock reveal

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones revealed that Cooper’s job is now in danger, with the club considering other suitable candidates for the role behind the scenes.

“Steve Cooper might be under threat sooner than most people would expect. I’ve heard murmurs about the club beginning to think about what they could do next, how big they could go if they did look for a new boss.

“I think it would be very harsh but I also think this situation is one we need to look out for after the international break.”

The Verdict: Keep the faith

Cooper will be out of contract at the City Ground next year so Marinakis will have to soon make a decision over his future, and we feel he deserves to stay despite the poor start to the new campaign.

The Welshman has won 29, drawn 12 and lost 12 of his 53 games in charge at Forest (23-year absence.

The manager needs time to integrate all of his new signings into his original squad to really start seeing a difference on the pitch, so he should be given the chance to prove himself and see if he can turn things around before it’s too late.

Liverpool’s interest in Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo is ‘long-standing’, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, with a future move to Anfield possible.

The Lowdown: Caicedo linked with Liverpool

The 20-year-old is already a key performer for the Seagulls, starting each of their Premier League games so far this term and looking like a hugely exciting prospect.

With Liverpool on the lookout for new players in the middle of the park, Caicedo is one player who has been linked with coming in and aiding Jurgen Klopp’s rebuild.

For now, the youngster is content at Brighton, but a move away from the Amex Stadium could easily materialise in the near future.

The Latest: Ben Jacobs on Caicedo’s future

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Jacobs confirmed Liverpool’s interest in Caicedo, adding that a decision will likely be made by the player after the World Cup.

In a succession of tweets, the journalist stated:

“Liverpool’s interest in Moises Caicedo is long-standing dating back to his time at Independiente del Valle. The challenge back then was a complicated representation situation with a number agencies (including Kancha and PSM) claiming to act on his behalf.

“Although the fee Brighton eventually paid was low (£4.5million) the agent fees were high. That put off Liverpool and Manchester United, too. Told Caicedo is now very relaxed about his future and will reassess after the World Cup.

“Offers are expected in January with several Premier League clubs keeping tabs on situation including #LFC and #CFC. Chelsea’s current midfield priority is Ajax’s Edson Alvarez but it remains to seen whether Graham Potter and Kyle Macaulay change that.”

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The Verdict: Superb long-term option

Caicedo could be exactly what Liverpool are seeking in midfield in terms of young legs, great quality and enormous long-term potential.

At just 20 years of age, the Brighton gem already looks such a dominant footballer, not only averaging 2.7 tackles per game in the Premier League this season (substantially more than anyone in the Reds’ squad) but also chipping in with one goal.

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With James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago now in their 30s and Fabinho about to turn 29, fresh legs are required in Liverpool’s midfield, and Caicedo should be seen as a primary target.

Jurgen Klopp will have the opportunity to witness the youngster up close next weekend when Brighton visit Anfield, a venue where they have had some joy in recent visits.

Southampton have a fine record of signing players for a cut price and selling on for astronomical profits in the future.

It therefore is unsurprising to see only five teams (who have been in the Premier League for longer than two seasons) with a lower net spend than them.

Virgil van Dijk was signed for £13m and later bought for £75m by Liverpool. Luke Shaw was brought through the academy, and Manchester United were forced to unload £27m for his services.

Another example, also purchased by the Red Devils, is Morgan Schneiderlin.

Having signed for the Saints whilst in the Championship for just £1.5m, to mould him into a fine Premier League midfielder before again selling for £24m marks incredible business from a club run sensationally well.

He featured 261 times for the south coast outfit and was widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the league. A 7.00 average SofaScore rating supported this. However, upon his move to Old Trafford, his career seemingly faltered.

This average quickly dropped to a career-low (at the time) of 6.68. Manchester had not suited him, so a trip down the M6 brought him to Everton, where he would once again struggle to recapture the form he had at Southampton.

It seemed like they had offloaded the Frenchman at the perfect time, as they never had to suffer from their sale to someone within the league.

Journalist Tom McDermott wondered whether he might have thrived under a new manager but claimed that he had been “terrible” regardless.

The 32-year-old now plays his football back in Ligue 1, for OGC Nice. This season has once again started poorly, however, as his current SofaScore rating of 6.64 suggests he is still floundering to recapture any semblance of his old self.

Southampton played a blinder to sell him when they did, as his dramatic career nosedive following suggests.

At the time it seemed like a huge blow, but as always happens with this efficient machine, his output was quickly replaced by another figure in Victor Wanyama.

Southampton have seldom made huge transfer blunders in the last few years, so it makes their £15m outlay for Wesley Hoedt all the more baffling a decision.

The Dutch defender was coming off the back of a solid season at Lazio, having featured 23 times for the Italian outfit in Serie A. His impressive 6.99 average SofaScore rating suggested an impressive campaign, worthy of Premier League interest.

However, even the White and Sky Blues must have been shocked to see such a large sum touted.

He featured heavily throughout his first season for the Saints, in which his side narrowly avoided relegation. A 17th-place finish and three points from the drop, Hoedt featured 28 times and to be fair, did record a SofaScore rating of 6.96.

The season following saw his play time drop along with his quality, as just 13 league games and a 6.81 rating marked the downturn in his career.

Two unsuccessful loan spells saw the £60k-per-week earner finally freed up from the wage bill, when Lazio agreed to re-sign him with an option to buy. Even they did not want him permanently, and only last summer could they finally shift this deadweight onto Anderlecht with the player leaving on a free transfer.

A grand total of 45 appearances across four years upon St Mary’s marks a terrible investment, especially considering the initial outlay plus the wages.

For his 208 weeks at the club, in total, he has drained them of £27.5m discounting any loan fees.

He has certainly been a “useless” – as dubbed by one source – acquisition for Southampton, but they can afford these mistakes due to the huge profit they often make on other deals. It was a risk worth taking, that ultimately did not pay off.

Virgil van Dijk would sign for Liverpool just months after this deal was announced, bringing in a huge £75m to downplay the significance of Hoedt’s price tag.

However, he cannot be looked at as anything other than another huge flop on the south coast. He struggled defensively to cope with the league, with multiple managers opting to ship him off at every opportunity.

North East reporter for The Daily Mail Craig Hope has revealed that Graeme Murty is ‘in talks’ to take over as the new Sunderland U21 manager.

The Lowdown: Left Rangers

Murty left Glasgow Rangers as their Head of Elite Academy Development back in November of last year, as the club hailed him for his ‘outstanding’ service over five years in Scotland.

He had played a leading role in the development of their Academy players and practices, leading their development squad to success in the SPFL Reserve League as well as managing their first steps into the UEFA Youth League in 2019.

The Latest: Sunderland talks

Taking to Twitter, Hope has revealed that Murty is now ‘in talks’ to take over as U21 boss at the Stadium of Light:

“Understand Graeme Murty, the former Rangers manager, is in talks to take over as Sunderland Under-21s boss.”

The Verdict: Smart appointment

Given Murty’s previous success at a big club like Rangers, this seems like a very smart appointment by the Black Cats.

He had a six-month spell as Gers manager in the 2017/18 season, accumulating 1.9 points per game, while for their B team, he managed an even more impressive 2.14 points per match (Transfermarkt).

As a player, Murty made over 80 appearances in the Championship, and so knows the league well.

Nonetheless, the 47-year-old could excel as manager of the U21’s, before potentially being promoted up to the first team’s backroom staff in the near future, or earning himself another significant job away from the club.

Journalist Mark Carruthers has been giving his reaction to some insight from Dan Burn into Eddie Howe’s ‘crazy’ Newcastle United training regime.

The Lowdown: ‘Crazy’ regime

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily (via Newcastle World), Burn gave some insight into Howe’s training methods at St. James’ Park, sharing that they are ‘intense’ and ‘a lot longer’ than what he was used to at Brighton and Hove Albion, adding that the ‘crazy’ thing is that Howe never seems to run the same session twice:

“I knew it was going to be intense. There are a lot of similarities between Graham Potter and Howe with the way they go about preparing for games. There are differences as well.

“With Eddie now, the way that we play demands a certain level of intensity, and it comes every single day. The sessions are a lot longer than what I was used to and I took a little while to get used to.

“What I find crazy about the gaffer’s training at the minute is that we never really seem to do the same session twice. He’s got so many sessions saved, and every single day it’s something completely new.”

The Latest: Carruthers reacts

Taking to Twitter, Carruthers was left gushing over Burn’s insight, claiming that it gave a ‘real indication’ of how much of an impact Howe and his coaching staff have made in the North East:
“Love this from Dan Burn and a real indication of how Eddie Howe and his coaching staff have made an impact.”

The Verdict: Interesting

The kind of level that Howe is pushing his players in training is certainly interesting to hear, and is no doubt reflected on the pitch.
Since the beginning of the year, his team have accumulated the fifth-most points in the Premier League, only behind Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
When Howe was appointed back in November, the Tynesiders were 19th in the table and five points off of safety (BBC), and now, after staying up last season, they sit comfortably in 11th spot.
It is clear that Howe’s training methods, however ‘crazy’, have helped the Magpies, and ultimately tuned them into a better footballing side.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Matt Doherty has been ‘struggling’ behind-the-scenes after his ‘serious’ injury last season, according to manager Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Doherty impresses…

The Republic of Ireland international showcased his true ability under Conte at Spurs last campaign, becoming a real fixture in the Lilywhites starting eleven before his season-ending injury.

Doherty was ruled out for the remainder of 2021/2022 after picking up a knee problem just 21 minutes into a 4-0 win away to Aston Villa in April, stunting his momentum and granting Emerson Royal a long run at right-wing-back.

As Spurs seek to finish in the Premier League top four again by the end of 22/23, whilst also potentially competing for silverware, there have been question marks surrounding Emerson’s suitability to the role.

The Latest: Conte provides Doherty context…

Now, Lilywhites boss Conte has provided some background as to why Doherty hasn’t been featuring over the Brazilian despite being deemed match fit.

The Italian explains that his defender has been ‘struggling’ behind-the-scenes after his ‘serious’ knee injury, but luckily for supporters, he is now ‘improving a lot’.

Conte said:

“Matthew [Doherty] had a serious injury and is struggling a bit to come back as the player I knew last season. Now he is improving a lot. He’ll have 2 national games and come back and I’ll have the possibility to have another player with rotation.”

The Verdict: Good news…

Having the former Wolves star back at 100 per cent after the next round of international fixtures will come as good news for Spurs.

Doherty has earned the praise of Conte for fighting his way back into Tottenham’s plans this year with Chelsea’s former head coach hailing his ‘improvement’.

You could make the debate that Spurs’ 2020 signing is arguably more suited to Conte’s wing-back role than Emerson given he shone in a similar system at Molineux.

That being said, Conte will want Doherty back to this best before this winter’s World Cup in Qatar.