Celtic could strike gold with Tengstedt

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has already made notable moves in the winter transfer market – with three new signings having been wrapped up – although the 57-year-old will likely be looking to strike gold again with the addition of a new centre-forward recruit this month.

With the future of Giorgos Giakoumakis still yet to be resolved, following reports that the Greek marksman is ‘unhappy’ with his current wage at Parkhead, the Scottish champions appear to have turned their attention towards signing a possible replacement.

One figure who has emerged as a potential option is Rosenborg striker, Casper Tengsedt, with Football Scotland reporting in the final week of 2022 that the Danish hotshot has caught the eye of the Old Firm outfit, as well as clubs across Europe.

The report suggested that the Norwegian outfit could demand in excess of £3.5m if they are to part ways with the 22-year-old any time soon, with the prolific asset still having three and a half years left to run on his existing deal at the club.

Transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now provided his verdict on that potential deal, with the respected journalist revealing that the Bhoys are keeping tabs on the forward, alongside other interested parties.

Jones stated: “I think he’s one of the names in the frame, but again, he’s someone that’s been talked about in terms of having potential in other countries too with some big clubs.

“So, the feeling is here that a lot is going to depend on the type of environment he sees himself fitting into for the next stage of his career. So, that might be key.”

The youngster has warranted such interest as a result of his “ridiculous” form in recent times – as per journalist Jacek Kulig – having scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in only 14 games for his current side to date.

That hot streak comes following what was a particularly fruitful spell for AC Horsens in his homeland, with Tengstedt scoring 20 goals and laying on ten assists in 57 games in all competitions.

Such ruthlessness in front of goal has seen the one-time Midtjylland man notably lauded by Portuguese coach Frederico Pereira Morais, who described him as a “born finisher” to illustrate his clinical nature.

A player who likes to “get the opponent out of the way” and is also “strong in the air” – according to Morais – Tengstedt appears to have a quality reminiscent of a fellow Nordic forward, Erling Haaland, with the Manchester City machine also a commanding focal point in attack and a lethal figure in the final third.

The 6 foot 5 monster – who has 27 goals in just 22 games for the Etihad outfit this season – also initially made his mark in Norwegian football, having scored 20 goals and laid on six assists in 50 games for Molde, after previously failing to fire in 16 games for Byrne.

Interestingly, however, the aforementioned Kulig has suggested that Tengstedt’s record in the Eliteserien is “way better” than that of Haaland, having provided 24 goal contributions in only 14 games thus far.

That no doubt bodes well as far as Postecoglou is concerned, with the manager set to strike gold if Celtic can secure a Haaland-esque talent before the end of the window.

Spurs tipped to persist with Porro deal

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has stated that he is sure Tottenham Hotspur will ‘try again’ as talks continue with over a possible Pedro Porro transfer.

What’s the word?

Spurs have been linked with a move for the Sporting CP all winter but unless they are will to pay his £40m release clause, it seems like a fairly complicated deal to complete.

However, that hasn’t stopped those at the club from working on the deal and contacts have been ongoing with the player’s agents and other intermediaries.

The good news for Spurs fans is that Porro is keen on a move to the Premier League side and Romano expects more efforts to be made over the coming weeks to complete a transfer.

When talking on his YouTube channel, the journalist said (17:31): “Top priority is a new right-back for Tottenham, it is Pedro Porro and he remains a top priority for Tottenham.

“Sporting want 45 million euros, the release clause. But Tottenham are in contact with these agents, with his intermediaries. The player wants to move and so I’m sure Tottenham will try again.”

Plenty to consider

If Spurs really want to complete this deal in January, so long as they are certain Porro will sign a contract, they could trigger his extension clause right at the last minute and get the transfer sorted.

This means the club can spend the next few weeks trying to negotiate the best deal possible with Sporting, knowing they can still sign him for £4om if all else fails.

As per WhoScored, when compared with other Tottenham wingbacks Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty, Porro makes and completes more crosses, key passes, and dribbles per 90 and has more assists this season.

With that in mind, it’s not hard to see why he’s being targeted so persistently.

West Ham contact Sevilla about En-Nesyri

West Ham United have now made an official bid for Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri on a loan with obligation to buy deal.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing En-Nesyri

West Ham’s interest in En-Nesyri dates back to the January transfer window of 2021, making a formal bid of an initial £22.5m for the forward, but this proved to not be enough to tempt Sevilla into a sale.

David Moyes is a keen admirer of the Moroccan, describing him as an ‘incredible good runner’ in an article for the Times during the World Cup, and he has now come back to the table with another offer.

The Latest: Bid made…

According to a report from The Daily Mail, the Hammers want the 25-year-old on loan for the rest of the season, with an obligation to buy him for £25m in the summer.

However, Sevilla are believed to be holding out for a fee in the region of £35m, so there is still some way to go in the negotiations between the two clubs.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Moyes will be hoping that Gianluca Scamacca has now found his feet in the Premier League, after scoring in the last match against Leeds United, however another attacking reinforcement would be helpful, given that the Italian and Michail Antonio have scored just five between them this season.

En-Nesyri has a fantastic scoring record for national side Morocco, netting 17 in 57 caps for his country, including two at the World Cup, one of which coming in the form of a remarkable headed goal against Portugal in the quarter-final.

However, the 6 foot 2 marksman is not only strong in the air, but he is also good with the ball at his feet, being lauded as ‘skilful’ by Kevin Campbell on the Highbury Squad Podcast. (via TransferMarketWeb)

Both dominant on the air and comfortable in possession, the forward would be a fantastic signing, capable of playing a big part in turning around the Hammers’ poor form.

Manchester United hold secret meeting with Marco Reus’ agent

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has personally met for talks with Dirk Hebel, the agent of Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus.

The Lowdown: Attackers wanted

The Red Devils are certainly lacking a bit of firepower up front to really cement the impressive turnaround in form over the last few months.

Ten Hag’s side have conceded just twice in their last five Premier League matches while their last six top flight fixtures at Old Trafford have brought five clean sheets, but the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has left them a little light at the other end of the pitch.

Wout Weghorst is surely no more than a stop-gap option while Anthony Martial has scored just three league goals this season. It is then perhaps no surprise to see the boss eyeing up an extra dose of end product for his attacking ranks.

The Latest: Reus meeting

According to Sport Bild’s Head of Football, Christian Falk, the Manchester United manager has held a ‘secret meeting’ with Reus’ agent.

Expanding in his column for Caught Offside, Falk writes that the Dutchman is keen on Reus and that the Dortmund fan favourite currently earns €12m-a-year (about £202k-per-week) on a contract that expires this summer.

Just last weekend, another of Reus’ representatives, Darren Freeman, was spotted alongside Hebel at Old Trafford during the Manchester derby, so this rumour certainly appears to have some legs.

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The Verdict: Risky…

Whether this would be a cut-price January switch or a pre-agreement for when Reus becomes a free agent is not yet clear, but there is no doubting the 33 year-old’s talent.

The 48-cap Germany international, who has 15 goals for his national side, has racked up 156 goals and 118 assists in 368 games for Dortmund, with seven of those goal contributions coming in 12 appearances this season. His best spell actually came under Jurgen Klopp, directly contributing to 97 goals in 121 games for the Liverpool boss, once calling the former Dortmund coach “an animal”.

He sits in the 76th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 amongst positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, while perhaps more impressively also ranking highly in terms of assists (93rd percentile) and tackles (90th percentile), showing he still brings much more to a team than just end product (FBRef).

However, his career list of injury issues spans more than four pages on Transfermarkt’s database, missing 11 games this season alone with an ongoing ankle problem.

Given his status as a soon-to-be free agent, he would no doubt be commanding an improvement on or at the very least equivalent of his current salary, and the Red Devils should not be shelling out huge wages for an injury-prone player who turns 34 this summer.

Ivan Fresneda: Arsenal eye next Zinchenko

Arsenal could sign another Oleksandr Zinchenko, with Gunners chief Edu Gaspar keen on Ivan Fresneda…

What’s the word?

In recent weeks, the north London outfit have been linked with a move for the Real Valladolid CF gem, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano providing the latest on the situation. He told Caught Offside:

“Arsenal, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle have been monitoring Fresneda but at the moment there’s still no official bid on Valladolid’s table.”

It’s thought that the Premier League leaders are prepared to pay around €20m (£18m) to get the deal done, as per reports in Spain.

The 18-year-old talent could be the next January signing on the club’s radar as they accelerate interest in Brighton and Hove Albion winger Leandro Trossard – also according to Romano – having missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk just last week.

The next Oleksandr Zinchenko

Just as football.london writer Tom Canton has suggested, manager Mikel Arteta is on the lookout for “his next Oleksandr Zinchenko” and Fresneda fits the bill immensely.

Once part of Real Madrid’s famed La Fábrica academy, the Spain U19 international is enjoying a breakthrough campaign at the LaLiga outfit – in which he’s already put himself amongst the very best in his role, ranking inside the top 1% for tackles, the top 4% for clearances and the top 9% for interceptions when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s elite five divisions, via FBref.

From his nine league appearances this term, we can see that he likes to come inside rather than hit the byline, as per his seasonal Sofascore heat map – very much in the style of Zinchenko – whilst he has created two big chances, averages 64 touches per game for a struggling side and rarely offers a cross.

Indeed, according to ESPNUK editor David Cartlidge, he’s “like a CM dropped in at full-back” due to his 6-foot frame, “athletic” ability and is “excellent” with the ball at his feet.

Such form and quality has seen the teenager dubbed as “one of the revelations of the season” by LaLiga expert Matt Clark, who further added:

“He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.

“He has that coveted combination of physicality and technical ability. Tall but agile, quick and athletic, he is also strong in the tackle and reads the game very well for someone so green when it comes to first-team football.”

Unlike the Ukraine star though, Fresneda is a natural right-sided option, so Arteta could well have two inverted sensations on either flank if Edu were to win the race for his signature.

Having averaged a 7.2 rating against LaLiga frontrunners Real Madrid, it does appear as if the young wonderkid is ready for the leap to a much bigger side, perhaps that should already be known given Fresneda has been also dubbed as a “very special talent” by Cartlidge.

As such, Arsenal must look to hand Arteta his new right-sided Zinchenko by signing Fresneda before deadline day on January 31st.

AND in other news, Contact made: Arsenal eye “fearless” £52m-rated “demon”, he’d be better than Raphinha…

Rangers could form duo with Cho & Whittaker

Glasgow Rangers are looking at ending the January transfer window with a bang as Michael Beale aims to add a few new faces to his first-team squad at Ibrox.

The likes of Todd Cantwell, Nicolas Raskin and Morgan Whittaker could well arrive in Glasgow before the end of the week, and the 42-year-old will be keen on pushing a few more deals through to give his Light Blue squad a boost.

Another attacking option could be of priority due to Kemar Roofe’s ongoing injury issues and the fact  that Alfredo Morelos will be out of contract come the summer

To that effect, the Gers have been linked with Cho Gue-sung according to Alan Nixon, and they are battling Celtic for the South Korean’s signature.

Indeed, the Hoops reportedly submitted a £3m bid for the striker according to Anthony Joseph, while 90min understands that there is also Premier League interest in the player, and Beale faces tough competition to land the 24-year-old.

Cho is in high demand following on from his performances at the World Cup with South Korea, where he scored two goals in four matches as his nation reached the last 16 for the first time since 2010, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.03/10 in the process.

He has also been on fire domestically, netting 17 goals in 31 league matches for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2022. He has plundered a goal every 145 minutes while also registering five assists, and his goalscoring talents would allow him to thrive for Rangers.

Beale could forge a new attacking duo at Rangers comprised of Whittaker and the 24-year-old, and together they could create chaos.

This season, the Swansea City winger scored nine goals and grabbed seven assists while on loan at Plymouth Argyle in League One, offering a constant threat on the right wing.

The 22-year-old delivered a staggering 66 crosses for Argyle in 25 matches and this could benefit Cho, who scored 14 of his 17 goals inside the penalty box, so he would almost certainly receive good service from the young winger.

Both are obvious attacking threats, and while Ryan Kent has been a mainstay on the left wing at Ibrox over the past few seasons, accruing 205 appearances, the club has struggled to have someone command a regular spot on the right flank.

Whittaker could be that man, and having someone alongside him in Cho who is clearly in excellent form and dubbed a “real handful” by journalist Pete O’Rourke could be a dream duo for the Light Blues.

Wolves could ditch Guedes with Tete signing

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing Tete from Shakhtar Donetsk this month and his potential arrival at Molineux could allow Julen Lopetegui to ditch summer addition, Goncalo Guedes.

According to recent reports from talkSPORT, the Old Gold, Nottingham Forest and Everton are all keen on signing the 22-year-old winger, who has been on loan with Olympique Lyon this season.

The piece from talkSPORT claims that the Brazilian wide man is keen on a move to the Premier League this month, while other reports have suggested that he could cost around £21m.

Wolves already look set to sign Pablo Sarabia from Paris Saint-Germain this week but if Lopetegui feels he still needs another winger at Molineux, then he may look towards Tete, who has impressed in Ligue 1 so far this campaign, living up to his reputation as a “hurricane” in France.

The young winger boasts six goals and two assists in 17 league appearances for Les Gones, earning an impressive 6.92 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

By comparison, Guedes has managed just one goal and one assist in 13 Premier League appearances, averaging a shocking 6.38 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which suggests that if Tete were to arrive, he could be the one to lose his spot.

Recent reports have suggested that the Portugal international is keen on a move back to Valencia having failed to cut it since his move to the Old Gold in the summer, with journalist Liam Keen particularly critical of his attitude and performances on the Express and Star podcast earlier in the season.

He said (via This Is Futbol):

“We’ve given Guedes a lot of stick, and unfortunately, rightly so.

“And this is just another, in the grand scheme of things, fairly small thing.

“But unfortunately, it all builds up to this narrative around him and this almost character he’s creating for himself where he’s letting himself and the club and the fans down on a weekly basis at the moment.

“I think it’s so, so poor.”

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The arrival of Sarabia will already limit Guedes’ chances further and if Lopetegui does feel the need to add another attacking player in the shape of Tete this month, then it will surely be curtains for the 26-year-old Wolves flop.

Aston Villa could make summer move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Aston Villa could look at a move for Chelsea forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer, according to Gregg Evans.

The Lowdown: Ings’ exit

Villa recently sold their top scorer Dany Ings to West Ham, which leaves Unai Emery with only Ollie Watkins and teenage signing Jhon Duran as his only central options.

Watkins and Leon Bailey are now the club’s top scorers this season with five goals each, as Villa netted 23 times in 20 games, but it looks as if NSWE and Johan Lange are still on the search for a marquee attacking addition.

The Latest: Aubameyang linked

Villa correspondent Evans shared a story for The Athletic on Wednesday, looking at the club’s search for a striker. He claimed that those at Villa Park may be happy to wait until the summer to bolster their options, with Aubameyang name-checked as a possible target.

Emery is thought to be fond of the forward after working together at Arsenal, a transfer could be explored in the summer.

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The Verdict: A risk?

Villa actually tried to sign Aubameyang when he was with Borussia Dortmund, according to former manager Paul Lambert. However, the Gabon record goalscorer is now 33 years of age and appears to be on the decline, scoring just three times in 18 appearances in 2022/23.

He was once called ‘phenomenal’ by Mikel Arteta, so clearly has talent, but his Transfermarkt valuation has plummeted from €75m to €12m in the space of five years, so there is no guarantee Aubameyang, on £170,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge, would be a success in the Midlands.

Chelsea: Chalobah the villain vs Fulham

Chelsea’s sorry run of form continued on Thursday evening having suffered a 2-1 defeat to west London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage, with that dismal loss ensuring that the Blues have now won just one of their last nine Premier League games.

On a night in which little went right for the under-pressure, Graham Potter, the visitors were undone midway through the first half by a familiar face, as former Stamford Bridge gem Willian fired in for his second top-flight goal of the season.

The away side did eventually draw themselves level just after the interval as summer signing Kalidou Koulibaly turned home in scrappy fashion, with the struggling outfit having made the perfect response after a limp first-half display.

Any real hopes of going on to secure a much-needed victory were then dashed, however, as recent arrival, Joao Felix spoiled what had been an otherwise “lively” debut, as per CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, after seeing red for a horror challenge on Kenny Tete.

That dismissal ultimately proved costly as former Tottenham Hotspur loanee Carlos Vinicius then nodded home at the back post with just over 15 minutes left to play, ensuring that the Blues are now languishing in mid-table and ten points off fourth spot.

For all the blame that may well be attributed to the aforementioned Felix, the main villain for Potter on the night was seemingly that of Trevoh Chalobah, with the academy graduate having produced arguably his “worst performance in a Chelsea shirt to date”, as per sports writer Gabe Henderson.

That defensive “horror show” – in the words of journalist Joe Krishnan – saw the young Englishman play his part in both of the Cottagers’ goals, having somewhat inadvertently deflected Willian’s effort beyond teammate, Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The 23-year-old was then culpable for what proved to be the game’s winning goal having simply gone to sleep at the back post as Vinicius headed in, with the centre-back offering little in the way of a challenge to try and disrupt the leaping Brazilian.

Those two moments encapsulated what was a frankly dismal outing for the £50k-per-week man, in truth, having simply been unable to do “anything right”, as per The Athletic’s Liam Twomey, following what was a “nightmare” first half for the backline.

The statistics are also rather damning as far as Chalobah is concerned as the 6 foot 4 brute won just two of his seven total duels, while also proving a liability in possession after squandering the ball on 12 occasions from his 58 touches.

That grim showing ensured that the former Lorient loanee was hooked in the closing stages, having recorded a match rating of just 6.3, as per Sofascore – the worst of any player for his side.

On a night in which Potter no doubt needed his side to step up and get back to winning ways, the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss was simply let down by Chalobah and his teammates.

Chelsea could land Ziyech heir in Gordon

Chelsea are considering a move for Everton’s Anthony Gordon this winter, and could clinch the winger’s signature after failing in a bid last year…

What’s the talk?

Last summer, the Blues were reportedly willing to pay up to £60m for the Toffees star, having seen an initial bid of £40m-£45m rejected by the Merseyside outfit.

Since then, Everton have been attempting to tie their ace down to a new deal, but a snag in negotiations has left owner Farhad Moshiri resigned to allowing suitors to return with offers, with the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle United interested in a potential £30m deal.

But now, the Blues indeed seek further firepower to bolster the flanks despite the lucrative fees spent over the past year, with the Telegraph’s Matt Law hinting at a “frantic” end to the window for the Blues, stating that the club could reignite their interest in the Liverpudlian, who would be permitted to return to Goodison Park on loan until the end of the campaign.

Dream Ziyech heir

Chelsea, led by manager Graham Potter, have been unrelenting in the transfer market this winter, making a raft of signings to bolster the squad after the lucrative summer spending spree.

After completing the signings of wide players Mykhaylo Mudryk for £88.5m and Noni Madueke for £29m this month, technical director Christopher Vivell could land Boehly a dream addition in Gordon, who could fit like a glove into Potter’s system.

Having made 78 appearances for the Toffees, the 21-year-old has only scored seven goals and served eight assists, although he has largely been plying his trade across the maiden period of his career with a wayward outfit offering little sign of life.

Hakim Ziyech has been repeatedly linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge; having signed for Chelsea for £33.3m in 2020, the Moroccan whiz has made 98 appearances, plundering 14 goals and 11 assists, often failing to earn a regular starting berth and consequently seeking pastures new.

And with the likes of Everton and AS Roma interested in his services, Chelsea could look to recuperate a portion of the fee used to land the gem and in turn throw at a deal for a new wide player.

And with Gordon, who is Everton’s second-highest goalscorer this season, averaging 1.6 shots and 0.5 key passes per game in a lowly outfit who have outscored only Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this season, the platform is ready for expansion as he seeks clarity over the trajectory of his development.

Dubbed “frightening” by Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard, the former England U21 intenrational would also bring a wealth of defensive experience to provide a multi-dimensional approach to his play with the blues, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks and the best 3% for tackles, as per FBref.

With the west London outfit undergoing a systematic restructure, signing a young star of Gordon’s ilk could encapsulate the changing of the winds; while not expected to start every fixture right from the off, the Everton phenom could continue to nurture and develop his skills and finally emerge as a spearhead at the centre of an exciting new chapter at a club looking to win it all.

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