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Transfer expert Dean Jones has said that Julen Lopetegui has been ‘promised’ funds by Wolves for the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Bottom at Christmas…

The Old Gold discovered that they will be bottom of the Premier League at Christmas after losing 2-0 at home to Arsenal in the last round of fixtures before the World Cup in Qatar.

Lopetegui officially takes charge today and will be at the helm once the league season resumes on Boxing Day, and he will no doubt be eyeing January as a time to potentially strengthen the squad in order to give his side the best possible chance of top-flight survival.

The Latest: ‘Promised’ funds

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has shared that Lopetegui has been ‘promised’ funds in January, as the Spaniard has already told the board that he needs signings.

The journalist said: “They have to back him, but they will back him as he’s told them that he needs signings. I’m told that they pretty much promised him that there will be money available.”

The Verdict: Exciting

It will certainly be exciting for Old Gold supporters to hear that their new manager will be backed straight away, as they look to claw themselves out of relegation trouble.

They had a net spend of over £70m in the summer, the eighth highest in the Premier League, but find themselves bottom after a poor start which has seen them score just eight goals, the lowest in the division.

They have not been helped by the long-term injuries to strikers Sasa Kalajdzic and Raul Jimenez, so Lopetegui could ask to sign another forward in January to help their goalscoring crisis.

Nonetheless, new signings will be needed in order to help push the Molineux outfit up the table.

Sunderland are currently sitting in 15th place in the Championship table after 20 matches as they head into the break for the 2022 World Cup.

The Black Cats are not in competitive action again until December and have under two months before the January transfer window opens, which is when they will have the opportunity to dip into the market to bolster the squad.

Kristjaan Speakman and Tony Mowbray may attempt to improve the team by bringing in reinforcements and The Sun recently claimed that Blackburn Rovers attacking midfielder Bradley Dack is a player they are interested in signing.

However, the Sunderland head coach described a move for the English gem as “very unlikely” because of his age, 28, and the finances that may need to be involved in any deal, when asked about the links.

Dack worked with Mowbray at Ewood Park and the pair enjoyed a fantastic time together, as the former scored 50 goals and provided 26 assists in 140 matches. Adam Armstrong (84) is the only player to score more goals for the Black Cats boss in his career and no one has assisted more goals for the boss than the 28-year-old.

The former Middlesbrough gaffer may, however, already have a player at the Stadium of Light who he can develop into being Dack 2.0 – Edouard Michut.

Sunderland signed the 19-year-old attacking midfielder from Paris Saint-Germain on loan, with an option to acquire him permanently next summer, and he is a promising young playmaker.

Mowbray described the teenager as a “real technician” and a “lovely” player, whilst admitting that he is not far away from breaking into the first team.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed him “highly technical and creative” and hailed the gem as being ‘press-resistant’ due to his excellent composure, ability and movement.

These comments suggest that the youngster has the potential to develop into a Dack-esque playmaker in midfield, by beating opposition presses and using his creativity on the ball to create chances for his teammates.

He has also shown signs of being able to score goals from midfield as he found the back of the net once in 66 minutes of Ligue 1 action for PSG last term and has scored once in three Premier League 2 outings for Sunderland.

Therefore, the teen talent has the scope to become a midfielder who can score and create goals from the middle of the park, just like Dack did for Mowbray at Blackburn over the course of a number of years.

It is now down to the Sunderland boss to help Michut fulfil his potential by working with him on the training pitch in the weeks, months and seasons to come.

Manchester City have promised Pep Guardiola that they will try and sign AC Milan talisman Rafael Leao after the manager committed to staying two more years at the Etihad.

The Lowdown: Talisman

Finishing as the top scorer last season for the Rossoneri with 11 goals in the Serie A, Leao is at it again this season, having contributed to 10 returns in the form of six goals and four assists from 14 appearances.

The Portugal international, hailed by Jacek Kulig as a ‘difference-maker’, has also made an impact in Qatar, scoring in a 3-2 win over Ghana on Thursday. He has become a genuine talisman, and it looks as if a move to the Etihad could be on the cards.

The Latest: Pep was promised…

According to one Spanish outlet, Guardiola has been promised by the club that they will look to sign Leao in 2023 before the manager signed a new two-year deal at the Etihad.

The same piece reiterates that Leao’s contract expires in 2024, with a host of clubs said to be in for him at the end of the season.

The Verdict: A promise is a promise…

The lure of Leao may have been used as a persuasive factor in City’s bid to tie Guardiola down to a new deal, so the club will need to stick to their word.

And with how well the club is run, you would feel as though Sheikh Mansour and co will keep to their promise. As mentioned above, next summer could be the most likely time that the star may make the switch to Manchester, so this could be one to watch closely heading into 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a potential setback in their bid to bring Piero Hincapie to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Mirror, who claim that Chelsea have now made the ‘first move’ in a bid to land the Bayer 04 Leverkusen centre-back this winter, with Graham Potter and his technical team at Stamford Bridge believed to have been keeping a close eye on the 20-year-old during his outings at the Qatar World Cup for Ecuador.

This is sure to have come as a blow to Fabio Paratici and Spurs, as the Italian sporting director in the last week is also reported to be keen on a deal to bring the defender to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the winter window, with the Bundesliga side believed to be demanding a figure in the region of €40m (£34.5m) in order to part with the youngster in January.

Romero reincarnate

With Hincapie himself revealing in an interview with Scouted Football earlier this year that his brother believes he is “a lot like” Tottenham’s own Cristian Romero, coupled with just how impressive the centre-back has been for Ecuador at the World Cup thus far, it is not difficult to see why Paratci would be interested in a move for the 20-year-old in January.

Indeed, over his two appearances in Qatar, the £34.5m-rated talent has been a rock in the heart of the La Tri defence, helping his county keep one clean sheet, as well as making an average of 2.0 tackles, one interception, 2.5 clearances and winning 3.5 duels – at a success rate of 64% – per game.

The £19.5k-per-week defender has also impressed in possession, enjoying an average of 66.5 touches per match, in addition to playing 4.5 long balls, 3.0 chipped passes and completing 47 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who David Cartlidge dubbed a “big talent” average an eye-catching SofaScore match rating of 7.00, currently ranking him as Gustavo Alfaro’s joint third-best performer in the World Cup – playing a key role in Ecuador’s 2-0 win over Qatar and their impressive 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.

Furthermore, according to FBref, the 20-year-old also ranks in the top 15% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for tackles per 90, as well as the top 5% for blocks, the top 44% for interceptions, the top 4% for dribbles completed, the top 32% for progressive passes and the top 20% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

As such, with the youngster who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig labelled both “dominant” and “tenacious” quite clearly being a centre-back who is strong in the tackle and comfortable at playing and carrying the ball out from the back, it is easy to see why FBref list Romero as one of the 23-cap starlet’s most comparable players.

However, while there are clear stylistic similarities between the Ecuadorian and the Argentinian, with Hincapie being left-footed and preferring to play on the left of a back three, it would very much appear as if the 20-year-old would actually make something of a perfect partner to Romero either side of Eric Dier in Antonio Conte’s three-man back line at Tottenham.

So, considering just how impressive a talent Hincapie clearly is, in addition to the fact the Leverkusen sensation looks to be a left-footed Romero reincarnation, it would indeed seem extremely wise for Paratici to launch a move for the defender this winter.

Unai Emery will be given his first opportunity to stamp his own mark on the Aston Villa squad when the January transfer window opens next month.

He may want to bring in a few fresh additions to improve the squad in order to push up the table and compete in the top half, instead of against relegation.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece told supporters to “keep an eye” on Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha when asked who the club will look to sign during the upcoming window.

When asked about whether or not the Villans should swoop for the attacker, former player Gabriel Agbonlahor told Football Insider:

“Wilfried Zaha is a top player. Any club in the Premier League would love to have him.

“If Villa can get him on a free transfer it would be a great signing. He is what we are missing on that left side.”

Emery must now push the Villa board to sign the attacker, who is reportedly on £130k-per-week, as he would be a phenomenal addition to the side.

He is a proven Premier League performer, thanks to his many years of experience with Palace, who would add a huge goal threat out on the left flank.

Tony Cascarino previously told talkSPORT that the winger is almost “unplayable” and “causes havoc” when he is at his best, which he has been regularly over the past 18 months.

The Ivory Coast international has plundered six goals and two assists in 13 Premier League appearances for the Eagles this season, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.95. Meanwhile, Danny Ings is Villa’s top goalscorer with five strikes and no attacking midfielder or forward has averaged a higher rating than 6.88 in the top flight.

This comes after the former Manchester United winger produced 14 goals and one assist in 33 outings in the division, averaging a score of 6.98 last term. No winger, or number 10, managed more than six goals for the Villans in the league last season and this suggests that Zaha is, as Agbonlahor claimed, what Emery is currently missing out wide.

The 30-year-old wing wizard is out of contract at the end of the campaign and the club must now swoop for him in January by convincing Palace to part ways for a fee instead of risking losing him for nothing in the summer.

His statistics suggest that he would be a huge upgrade on Emery’s current Villa wingers, due to his ability to score goals in the Premier League, and that is why he is a player who is worth pursuing in the next window.

Everton have gained a reputation for transfer disasters since Farhad Moshiri became the majority stakeholder at Goodison Park, but it is clear that Frank Lampard is keen to rectify the poor decisions of the past since his arrival in January.

Indeed, the Toffees signed eight new players in the summer but they also got rid of a lot of the deadwood either on a loan deal or permanent move away from the club and it remains to be seen whether the club have done enough to improve Everton’s fate in the Premier League after a difficult relegation scrap last season.

In the summer there were several players sent packing including Allan, Cenk Tosun, Dele Alli, Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and now the club must continue their pursuit to rebuild and redevelop the squad.

One of the players who was sent out on loan and could return to the club at the end of the season is Portuguese midfielder Gomes and has been recently lavished with praise for his performances over the last few months with OSC Lille.

French news outlet Le11 has dubbed the Everton player ‘outstanding’ and ‘perfect’ in a review of his loan spell at the Ligue One club so far and there is not doubt his performances have been good.

Over nine appearances, the 29-year-old – who was once dubbed a “walking red card” by The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe – has successfully completed 60% of his dribbles and tallied up an 85% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.7 tackles, one clearance and 3.7 duels won per game.

Gomes felt out of favour on Merseyside after failing to impress the former Chelsea boss when he arrived at the club in January and it became clear in the summer when Lampard signed James Garner, Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gana Gueye that the player is no longer in his plans.

Whilst Gomes’ performances have improved the powers at Goodison Park can seize the opportunity to earn some much-needed transfer funds for the January transfer window ahead, meaning that Lampard can finally ditch the player and reinvest any money made in fresh talent for the team.

Ex-BBC pundit Noel Whelan has criticised Rangers for not securing new deals for Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos during the previous summer transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Kent & Morelos’ contracts

As things stand, Kent and Morelos are set to see their contracts at Rangers expire at the end of the season, alongside numerous other players in the squad.

The duo have made 25 league appearances combined this season, with Kent boasting 13 and Morelos making 12.

With the SPFL campaign set to resume in the next few days, the Ibrox board have been criticised for their missed opportunities during the previous summer transfer window, which could leave them needing to spend ‘tens of millions’ on replacements.

The Latest: Whelan slams Rangers

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan had this to say about Rangers’ opportunity in the summer to use the money they received for Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey to offer Kent and Morelos improved contracts.

“I think once you lose two personalities like they did for big money, of course it was big money but you have got to put that somewhere else.

“Put it into other big players whose contracts are about to run out. That to me was their perfect opportunity.

“You have got finances in the bank, you can offer these two players new contracts. It shows them that they are wanted at the club, their worth to the club.

“This is not a good position for Rangers. How are they going to replace these two? To replace players of their quality they are going to have to spend at least tens of millions on each player.”

The Verdict: Decisions to be made

Given the significant number of players now in the final years of their contracts, it does seem strange why Rangers didn’t avoid this during the previous summer transfer window when they had the chance.

Focusing on Kent, the fact that only four figures in the squad have played more minutes than him in the league this season shows how important he is to the team and why getting him to sign a new deal should be a top priority.

On the flip side, Morelos has only started one league game, meaning that Michael Beale could now have a big impact on what the striker ends up doing depending on how often he plays throughout the remainder of the season.

Everton have had a tumultuous 18 months at Goodison Park with a difficult relegation scrap last season and there has now been further strain on the side as they struggle again in the Premier League over the current campaign.

The Toffees are currently 17th in the league table after a run of poor performances over their first 15 outings and are now just one point clear of the relegation zone ahead of their Boxing Day clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers next week.

Indeed, Frank Lampard will have the opportunity to strengthen and redevelop his squad when the January transfer window opens again in the new year and it could also be a chance to continue his clear-out of the deadwood on the blue side of Merseyside.

The former Chelsea boss managed to part ways with some of the squad’s biggest liabilities in the summer with Dele Alli, Cenk Tosun, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Allan and Andre Gomes all sent packing and more recently Salomon Rondon left the club via mutual consent earlier this week.

Now, Lampard could finally ditch Michael Keane too as the centre-back – who was dubbed a “Championship level” defender by Jamie Carragher – is attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs keen to acquire his services in January.

Liverpool Echo report that Everton are ready to part ways with the centre-back after signing Conor Coady and James Tarkowski in the summer and they should have no trouble in finding investors in the player with Leicester City, West Ham United and Fulham all named as potential suitors.

Coady and Tarkowski have already developed a flourishing and solid centre-back partnership at Goodison Park which has left Keane completely out of favour in the team this season, and when you consider his troubling performances last season it is no wonder Lampard is ready to let him go.

The £80k-per-week liability had the joint-third worst record in the entire Premier League for errors that led to goals in the 2021/22 campaign and his poor defensive performances were a big contributor to the unstable season that unfolded.

Ex-Leeds United striker Noel Whelan launched a scathing attack on Keane’s displays over last season, labelling the defender as “abysmal” following a clash with Burnley.

“I’ve watched Keane’s positioning and it’s been abysmal,” he began.

“Everton can’t defend set pieces and he’s meant to be one of their best in the air. The zonal marking system has been a disaster but Keane has to deal with it better.”

“It’s baffling how he didn’t deal with balls into the box better against Burnley. He is a professional player, an international player. It was pathetic defending.”

That being said, selling Keane in January would be a move that suits all parties, namely Everton who would be ridding themselves of a player who is not up to scratch, while bringing in extra money in order to finance other deals in the market.

Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic continue this hectic festive schedule by taking on St Johnstone at Parkhead this afternoon, with Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou hoping to receive an ideal Christmas present with a positive result and performance from his team.

The 57-year-old was less than impressed with the manner of the display in the midweek triumph over Livingston, with the former Yokohama F Marinos boss insisting that the display of his side was “not so good”, despite the eventual 2-1 victory.

Postecoglou suggested that there may well be “some changes” for today’s meeting against Callum Davidson’s men, with the Scottish champions having run out 2-1 winners when the two teams met earlier this season in Perth.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast predicts that the Old Firm outfit will line up (4-3-3): (GK) Hart; (RB) Carter-Vickers, (CB) Jenz, (CB) Starfelt, (LB) Taylor; (CM) McGregor, (CM) O’Riley, (CM) Turnbull; (RW) Abada, (ST) Kyogo, (LW) Forrest

The major concern for Postecoglou heading into the match is at right-back, with the Hoops sweating on the fitness of Anthony Ralston after the 24-year-old limped off last time out, Josip Juranovic afforded time off following his World Cup exploits and Alistair Johnston not eligible until the New Year.

As such, we predict that there will be three changes from the side which claimed victory on Wednesday. Summer signing Moritz Jenz is potentially set to come into the backline in place of the stricken Ralston, albeit with Cameron Carter-Vickers set to fill the void on the right of defence, having previously featured in that role in his career.

The notable alteration in midfield could see Reo Hatate give way, with the “outrageous” talent – as previously lauded by Scotland international John McGinn – having been ineffective in midweek, failing to win a single duel and losing possession 13 times.

That could well see the “phenomenal” David Turnbull – as described by pundit Alan Hutton – return alongside Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley. In attack, Kyogo Furuhashi and Liel Abada should keep their places in the forward line.

The final alteration could see Portuguese gem Jota give way, with the 23-year-old having now failed to register a goal or an assist in any of his last four Premiership games.

That lack of impact should see the experienced James Forrest return to the starting XI, with the long-serving ace having scored ten times and registered six assists in 28 meetings against today’s opponents.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly plotting a swoop for Dani Ceballos in January and the Spaniard could prove to be the next Joao Moutinho at Molineux.

According to reports from Spain, Julen Lopetegui wants to sign another midfielder in next month’s window and could look towards his old side for inspiration, with Ceballos seemingly on his shortlist.

The former Arsenal loanee has struggled for game time under Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu so far this campaign, racking up just two starts and six substitute appearances in LaLiga.

The 26-year-old’s contract with Los Blancos is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, which makes a January exit likely and given Wolves’ need for a creative influence in midfield, he could be a dream signing for Lopetegui.

Ruben Neves, Moutinho and Matheus Nunes have just two assists between them in the top flight this season, which suggests that the Old Gold need far more creativity in the middle of the park, if they are going to improve their goalscoring woes in the second half of the campaign.

WhoScored suggests that Ceballos’ strengths include passing and dribbling, which suggests that he certainly possesses the ability to unlock a defence, and he could come into his own with regular game time at Molineux.

He has already proven himself to be Premier League quality in a loan spell at the Emirates, where he caught the eye in the 2019/20 campaign.

After making his debut in a win over Burnley, he earned a lot of praise from former Arsenal defender Martin Keown on BT Sport.

He said: “It’s been a few years I think since they’ve seen someone this talented in the Arsenal midfield, with the confidence, panache, vision and desire to get on the ball.

“If he can produce that away from home, then Arsenal really will have all their prayers answered this season.

“I think he’s excellent, a really good addition to the group. Hopefully he’s going to have a big future at Arsenal, he’s been miles ahead of anyone else in this game.”

This praise will certainly remind Wolves fans of Moutinho, who also arrived at Molineux having spent time with European giants such as Monaco and Porto.

Since his arrival, the veteran midfielder has gone on to contribute five goals and 24 assists for the Old Gold, with his latest assist coming via a delightful pass to Daniel Podence in the Boxing Day win over Everton.

Unfortunately, these passes are few and far between for the 36-year-old these days and if Lopetegui wants a new creative midfielder in his squad, then Ceballos could be the ideal man.