Tottenham Hotspur are ready to make an offer for Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar, according to a report from TEAMtalk on Saturday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Skriniar links

Spurs’ links to Skriniar are nothing new, with Football Insider reporting in April 2021 that the club’s then-manager Jose Mourinho was eyeing him for a summer transfer swoop.

However, the move did not transpire, with Calciomercato claiming that the defender had no interest in a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and instead wanted to commit his future to Inter.

It was recently reported by the same news outlet that Spurs are again in the running to sign the Slovakian, and it now looks as though Antonio Conte is going to take that interest one step further by making an official offer…

The Latest: Skriniar in Conte’s sights

According to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, who spoke to TEAMtalk, the Lilywhites are now ‘ready’ to make an offer for the 27-year-old, whose contract is set to expire in 2023 and will therefore be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January.

There will be stiff competition for his signature, though, with several top Premier League clubs and Paris Saint-Germain all interested, while Inter still believe that they can convince him to stay.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Conte has been presented with a fantastic opportunity to bolster his defence with the signing of a player in his peak years, without the sizeable transfer fee which would usually be attached, with Skriniar having previously been valued at just under €60m (£53m).

Furthermore, the 6 foot 2 enforcer is used to playing in a three-man defence with that system being deployed by Simone Inzaghi at Inter in every match so far this season, so he would not take long to adapt to Conte’s chosen style of play.

Lauded as a ‘monster’ by Serie A analyst Marco Messina and ‘one of the best free agents who could ever become available’ by Bailey, the Slovakian specialises in his ability on the ball. That is highlighted by an average pass completion percentage of 92.1% per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

With Tottenham struggling defensively this season, conceding the most goals of any team in the top eight of the Premier League, Skriniar would be an ideal signing for Conte.

Six European clubs have been named with an interest in young Celtic attacker Rocco Vata by journalist Antonello Gioia.

The Lowdown: Hoops debut

Vata, who can play as an attacking midfielder, right winger or second striker, recently made his senior Hoops debut. The 17-year-old has impressed for the club’s B side, contributing to 11 goals in 22 games during the current campaign.

Ange Postecoglou then decided to take the youngster in the travelling squad against Hibernian on Wednesday and brought him on as a late substitute in a 4-0 win.

The Latest: Catching the eye

Gioia shared a story for the Italian outlet Milan News on Thursday afternoon regarding Vata.

He revealed that Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, AS Roma, Juventus and AC Milan are all interested in the player following his impressive displays at youth level.

The Verdict: Another one?

Celtic have lost plenty of their teenage talents over recent years, with Bayern themselves landing Liam Morrison and Barry Hepburn from Glasgow.

Vata could well be the next promising player to leave the club, and with so many big clubs seemingly keen, it could just be a matter of time until he departs.

You’d expect that everyone at Celtic will be hoping he remains at Parkhead in 2023 and beyond, with his current deal running until 2024.

Aston Villaare transitioning since the autumn managerial appointment of Unai Emery, with the Spaniard targeting his former starlet Nicolas Jackson to bolster the forward ranks. 

Having enjoyed a fruitful few years with Villarreal, winning the 2020/21 Europa League final against Manchester United, Emery is seemingly desperate to sprinkle some of the talent from the Spanish club over Villa Park, with Jackson viewed as an heir to the talismanic throne in the Midlands.

The Mirrorreported earlier this month that the Senegal forward was accompanied by Yellow Submarine team-mate Arnaut Danjuma in being of interest to Villa, with the wide attacking positions identified by NSWE as areas in need of swift reinforcement.

Reportedly possessing a£27mrelease clause, Jackson could be a shrewd signing should the pieces fall into place over the coming weeks, with his technical prowess hinting at a promising future at the top level. 

Emery’s next Aubameyang

A budding phenomenon who Emery already knows well, having promoted him to the Villarreal first-team, Jackson could prove to be a star-studded predator wreaking havoc on Premier League defences for years to come. 

Currently thriving in his breakout season, the 21-year-old has scored three goals and two assists fromtenstarts (and 21 appearances in total) this term, having had just a handful of games in 2021/22. 

As perFBref, the dynamic forward has started to earn his stripes with some impressive metrics which belie his inexperience; he ranks within the top 22% for rate of assists, the top 18% for progressive passes and 17% for blocks when compared to forwards across Europe’s top five leagues this past year. 

He is at the outset of a potentially impressive career, and he could soar under Emery’s wing if he comes to Aston Villa.. 

Indeed, under the tutelage of his former boss, the 21-year-old could emulate the success of a former Premier League star in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who enjoyed much success while playing for Arsenal under Emery.

Aubameyang scored 41 goals from67appearances under the 51-year-old’s management and stood out as perhaps one of Europe’s most formidable forwards during that time. 

The Villa boss has nurtured an abundance of attacking talent over his career and can back up his man management with a CV boasting plenty of silverware, something that the Villa faithful will be desperately hoping will rub off on their club. 

Lauded as “exciting” by journalist Josh Bunting, Jackson can continue his rise, building on his striking skills, and using the likes of the veteran Aubamaeyang as an inspiration for the trajectory of his own career. 

Aston Villa must strike a deal for the Senegalese prodigy possessing “bags of potential”, as branded by journalist Ashley Preece, and unleash a refined and devastating young talent on their opposition.

Manchester United have been linked with a flourishing titan, with one pundit urging the club to swoop and replace one established star at the Theatre of Dreams.

What’s the word?

Former Premier League striker Jay Bothroyd recently told Sky Sports News (via The Express) that United should launch an assault on Aston Villa for their World Cup-winning shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez.

And The Mirror reports that floundering No. 1 David de Gea is set to hold talks with the Old Trafford hierarchy regarding his future, with his contract up for expiry at the end of the season. 

Speaking of De Gea, Bothroyd said: “He is a top keeper, he had a good season last year. But he’s on a lot of money, he’s one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

“I think he’s on about £350,000 a week, that’s a lot for a goalkeeper. Now, for example, if I was Man United, I’d be looking at other options, like you would.

“You would have to look around, Martinez being one of them. Yes he’s at Aston Villa but that could potentially be an option for them.”

Ditch De Gea

De Gea has been a stalwart for United, and while the four-time club Player of the Year will go down as one of the outfit’s greatest goalkeepers, it is time for change following the arrival of Erik ten Hag at the helm in the summer, and that starts from the bedrock.

On a reported £375,000 a week, the Spaniard occupies a sizable chunk of the Red Devils’ resources regarding player pay, and his departure would signify a shifting of the pillars that support the weight of this prestigious club.

Not to mention his wayward displays that have crept into greater frequency over the past several years, furthering the claim that United could find better value for less money should they move for someone of Martinez’s ilk.

De Gea has made 20 appearances under Ten Hag this term, but failed to impress and earn a call-up to the Spanish national squad ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

In the Premier League this term, Martinez is better than his positional peer across a number of metrics, recording an average rating of 6.91 to De Gea’s 6.79, a 69% save percentage to the United ace’s 66%, conceding goals at a rate of 1.2 per match to 1.4, and saving one penalty to his rival’s zero. 

It’s worth noting, however, that the Argentine would not come cheap with the stopper valued at £45m-valued having signed a new contract with Villa at the start of the year, stemming until 2027, and seeing his stock sky-rocket following his monumental triumph in Qatar – the hero in two penalty shootouts. 

Hailed as “unbelievable” and “one of the best goalkeepers in the world” by Villa teammate Matty Cash, Martinez would represent a major statement of intent from Ten Hag, who will be seeking to rewrite the blueprint at Old Trafford after so many years of languishing below the high standards.

It might be time to cast the “woeful” – as once branded by Dominic Booth – De Gea aside, and usher in a new colossus between the sticks to cement the foundations of the new era at Man United. 

Arsenal are currently leading the race to sign Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that Arsenal’s ‘interest is confirmed’ in the SS Lazio central midfielder, with Edu said to have already held ‘talks with the agent’ of the 27-year-old.

The report goes on to suggest that the Gunners are ‘considered in pole position in the race’ to sign the Serbia international this winter, before adding that, if a deal cannot be struck with the Serie A side in January, Edu is likely to return in the summer.

Finally, it is claimed that, while Milinkovic-Savic did reject Arsenal in the past, Mikel Arteta’s side have now been ‘reconsidered’ by the playmaker, with Lazio said to be looking for a figure in the region of €50m (£44m) in order to part with the midfielder.

He’s the “same level as Kevin De Bruyne”

Considering the quite incredible returns Milinkovic-Savic has achieved during his time with Lazio, coupled with central midfield undoubtedly being one area of the pitch in which Arsenal are lacking any real strength in depth, the argument that the 27-year-old would make a fantastic addition to Arteta’s table-topping side this winter is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 14 Serie A appearances so far this season, the £53m-rated talent has been in astonishing attacking form, having already scored three goals, registered seven assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 0.9 dribbles per game.

The £101k-per-week midfielder has also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.8 tackles, one interception, 1.6 clearances and winning 7.1 duels – at a success rate of 55% – per match, in addition to playing an average of 2.7 long balls and completing 39.9 passes – at a success rate of 79% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the Spain-born playmaker average a quite breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.40, not only ranking him as Maurizio Sarri’s best performer in the league but also as the second-best player in the top flight of Italian football as a whole – playing a key role in fourth-placed Lazio get off to an exceptional start to the 2022/23 campaign.

Furthermore, according to FBref, Milinkovic-Savic currently ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 5% for shots, the top 2% for assists, the top 3% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 6% for aerials won – demonstrating just how deadly the 27-year-old is going forwards.

So impressive has the Serbian star been this year that Ciro Immobile – the midfielder’s teammate at Lazio – went as far as to compare Milinkovic-Savic to Manchester City maestro Kevin De Bruyne, with the Italy international stating earlier this season:

“Trust me, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is magic. He’s on the same level as Kevin de Bruyne.”

And, considering the extraordinary returns the Lazio talisman has achieved in 2022/23, this comparison will not come as a surprise to anyone with a half-decent knowledge of the game, while the prospect of Arsenal landing their own version of De Bruyne for just £44m this winter will undoubtedly be an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with the club.

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch has been dealt a notable headache ahead of this evening’s Premier League clash at home to champions Manchester City, with the Elland Road outfit set to have to make do without summer signing Tyler Adams due to suspension.

The USA international – who joined from RB Leipzig on a £20m deal in the recent window – was dismissed late on in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Whites’ last competitive outing prior to the World Cup break, ensuring he will be absent for the visit of Pep Guardiola’s men.

The 23-year-old has already emerged as a leading figure for the Yorkshire side in the early months of the current campaign, with pundit Noel Whelan having claimed that the 5-foot-9 ace has “stepped right into” the shoes of former talisman Kalvin Phillips.

As such, the loss of the American in the centre of the park will be a notable blow for Marsch and co, with the club currently short of options to play alongside Marc Roca in that role with Adam Forshaw somewhat unreliable due to his injury record, while Mateusz Klich appears destined for an exit next month.

The former Red Bull Salzburg boss could well be better served turning to another recent addition to fill the void in the form of Darko Gyabi, with the 18-year-old no doubt chomping at the bit to feature against his previous employers.

The highly-rated teenager – who reportedly cost in the region of £5m during the summer – is yet to feature in the Premier League this season, with his only senior outing for Leeds having come in the Carabao Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That outing showcased just a flavour of what the youngster can bring to the table as he won three tackles and recorded one interception in his 90-minute showing, having been particularly combative at the base of the midfield.

The former Etihad starlet is clearly something of a relentless midfield presence, having been praised for his hard-working nature by U21’s boss Michael Skubala earlier this season:

“He works hard, Darko works really hard. You can probably see in his performances that he’s working really hard.

“I think we have a really good, young, competitive midfield group at the moment within the 21s and you’ve seen Darko get good minutes in there. I think his performances are getting better and better and I thought against Forest he was really strong.

“When you look at the way we want to play, he’s learning that a little bit and he’s still on that learning curve. He needs to keep his head down, working hard, progressing and keep putting in good consistent performances.

“One thing with youth players is they can have really good performances and then not so good, but the challenging thing is consistency in performance for these types of players and Darko has shown some really good consistency within his performances.”

Also lauded as “very impressive” by Bolton Wanderers boss Ian Evatt following the EFL Trophy meeting back in October, Gyabi is beginning to show signs of just why Victor Orta was so keen to sign him over the summer.

The aim is now for the England U19 international to truly establish himself at first-team level, with the absence of Adams seemingly offering the ideal chance for him to prove his worth in the senior ranks.

The player himself admitted that he is ready should such an opportunity arise, with the London-born gem stating earlier this month: “Football is weird. Anything can happen. You could be training and then maybe an injury or illness and you’re in it.”

It would no doubt be a bold call for Marsch to hand a league debut to the teen starlet against such ferocious opposition, although it could well prove something of a masterstroke.

Reliable journalist Ashley Preece has not ruled out the idea of Aston Villa completing a move for Spain and Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres.

The Lowdown: Torres linked with Villa

The 25-year-old has arguably stood out as one of the best defenders in La Liga in recent years, making 151 appearances for Villarreal and winning 23 caps for the Spanish national team.

Torres has been linked with an exciting move to Villa recently, having worked under Unai Emery before the 51-year-old replaced Steven Gerrard, winning the Europa League together with the Yellow Submarine in 2021.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, it is a rumour which is not going away.

The Latest: Preece hints at Torres move

In a Q&A for Birmingham Mail, Preece delivered a teasing four-word verdict regarding Torres, having been asked about centre-back signings.

When one Villa fan name-checked the Villarreal defender as someone he wants to see in the Midlands, the journalist replied:

“Pau Torres, let’s see.”

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The Verdict: Ideal centre-back upgrade

Torres could be an outstanding swoop by Villa if they manage to get a deal over the line, although their lack of European football could end up working against them.

The Spaniard has been described as a ‘fabulous’ player by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves, while WhoScored’s performance metrics suggest that he would be an upgrade on Villa’s current centre-back options.

Torres has averaged a rating of 6.64 in La Liga this season, which exceeds Tyrone Mings (6.50) and Ezri Konsa (6.42) in the Premier League.

The lure of the English top flight could possibly work in Villa’s favour, as could his relationship with Emery, but they may still need quite a convincing sales pitch in order to land his signature.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been strongly linked with a move for Atletico Madrid forward Matheus Cunha, and journalist Pete O’Rourke believes he could be the perfect Diogo Jota replacement.

The Lowdown: Wolves target Cunha

According to a report from Goal, Wolves are leading the way in the race to sign Cunha, but Julen Lopetegui will still have to fend off interest from the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Leeds United if he wants to bring the Brazilian to Molineux.

The same report details that the player knows he will be leaving the Rojiblancos in the near future, it’s now just a matter of which club he goes to, and O’Rourke has now delivered his verdict on why he would be a good acquisition for Wolves this January.

The Latest: O’Rourke reacts

O’Rourke believes that the 23-year-old could take on the responsibilities of two players who have been vital for Wolves in recent years.

In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said:

“He’d be a great option, I think, not just as a long-term replacement for Diogo Jota, but it looks like he could be a long-term replacement for Raul Jimenez.

“It does seem like he is coming to the end of his time at Molineux, it seems like he might not figure in the plans of the new manager of the club as well.”

The Verdict: Jota replacement?

Journalist Alan Rzepa has previously hailed the forward as an ‘absolute baller’, and while he has only exhibited this sporadically during his spell in La Liga, there is undeniable quality there, akin to the raw ability possessed by Jota upon his arrival at Molineux.

Both players flourish in laying on their teammates with assists, with the Portugal international averaging 0.44 per 90 minutes in the past year, while Cunha is just shy of this mark on a figure of 0.36 in the same timeframe, with both players in the top two per cent compared to other forwards.

The 23-year-old actually has the edge in non-penalty expected goals, averaging 0.49, while this figure stands at 0.42 for Jota, indicating that he has the ability to alleviate some of Wolves’ issues in front of goal.

With the £65k-per-week earner still at quite a young age, he has time to fulfil the ‘enormous potential’ he was deemed to have by former Hertha Berlin sporting director Michael Preetz, and would be an astute signing for Lopetegui this January.

Journalist and Sunderland supporter Josh Bunting is thrilled by a report claiming that the Black Cats will hold out for £10m for Ross Stewart in January.

The Lowdown: £10m price tag

As per Football Insider, Glasgow Rangers and Middlesbrough have been told that they will have to pay £10m to sign Stewart in the January transfer window.

His current deal at the Stadium of Light expires in the summer, and although the club have the option to extend his contract by another 12 months, there have been no successful talks to activate that option as of yet.

The Latest: Bunting thrilled

Taking to Twitter, Bunting was left thrilled by the news of a £10m price tag put on Stewart, as he claims that he is ‘certainly worth’ that amount of money:

“If that 10 million price tag on Ross Stewart is true then that’s brilliant news. Actually great to see us fight to keep a key asset, he’s certainly worth that with what he offers. More than a goal-scorer but he links play, he takes players away with his hold up play and flick-ons.”

The Verdict: Push for more?

Even though Stewart only has a few months left on his contract, Tony Mowbray’s side could even look to push for a bit more than £10m.

Hailed as ‘unbelievable‘ by Black Cats journalist James Copley, the striker played a big part in their promotion from League One last season, scoring a mammoth 26 goals and making a further five assists, including two strikes in the play-offs (Transfermarkt).

Before picking up a nasty injury, he went on an impressive run of five goals and three assists in his opening seven Championship matches this term (Transfermarkt), showing that he belongs at this level.

Selling him not only to a fellow Championship rival in Middlesbrough, but a rival from the North East, would be detrimental, while such a huge Scottish club in Rangers may be too much of a pull for Scotland international Stewart.

Thus, Sunderland should be looking to get the maximum price for the 26-year-old in January if they are resigned to selling him, or better still, try to negotiate a new and improved contract.

Leeds United have submitted an official enquiry to sign Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres in January, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Gyokeres profiled

The Sweden international initially joined the Sky Blues on loan before making his switch from Brighton and Hove Albion permanent at the start of last season, and it’s fair to say he’s made quite the impression.

The Championship forward is currently the joint-highest goalscorer in the second tier this season, and despite his contract in the Midlands not expiring until 2024, he could be set to make the jump up to the Premier League.

The Latest: Leeds make contact

According to 90min, Leeds, alongside Brentford, Crystal Palace, Everton and Wolves, have all ‘asked about Gyokeres’ availability’ ahead of the New Year.

Coventry have received ‘several enquiries’ regarding their prolific attacker and are reportedly willing to let him go should they receive an offer in the region of £16m.

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The Verdict: Absolute bargain

Leeds are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements given their position in the league table, and landing Gyokeres for £16m would be an absolute bargain looking at his numbers.

The 6 foot 1 bagsman has 12 goals and one assist to his name in 23 league appearances this term and currently averages an outstanding three shots per game (WhoScored).

Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta will know they’ll have to splash the cash should they want to escape relegation, and having been hailed as a ‘strong’ player by Slaven Bilic, Gyokeres would make an focal point up front for the Whites.