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Leeds United have been handed a second chance to sign a highly-rated target…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to issue an update on Nicolas Raskin.

The 21-year-old had been a Whites target over the summer, however, a move never materialised.

Given the recent update from the renowned journalist, it could now be a perfect time to reignite that interest.

“Nicolas Raskin, one to watch as talks on new deal with Standard collapsed: he has been sent to 2nd squad. He’s disappointed, wanted a smart solution for all parties,” he tweeted.

“Raskin, 2001 talented midfielder out of contract in June: UK, French, Italian, German clubs are tracking him.”

Phillips replacement

Although Tyler Adams and Marc Roca were both billed as replacements for Kalvin Phillips, it seems neither of them truly fit the mould of this young midfielder.

Having been profiled by journalist Bob Faesen, he wrote the following on the stalwart:

“He has really shone. He is a box-to-box midfielder. He can play in every position in the middle of the park. He is technically gifted, but he is also a bit of a pitbull. 

“He can run a lot, is powerful and has a good shot. He has been one of the big surprises in Belgium football this season and will be a key player for Liege.”

This admittedly could be describing Phillips during his prime at Elland Road, where he made a name for himself for his combative yet classy displays.

In his final injury-fee season at the Yorkshire outfit, he averaged a 7.21 rating upheld by his 85% pass accuracy and 2.6 tackles per game, as per via Sofascore.

Despite his youth, Raskin already boasts 96 appearances for the Standard Liege first team. He has become something of a creative presence this season too, having recorded five goal contributions across his 17 league games.

The Belgian dynamo pairs this with 3.3 tackles per game and an 84% pass accuracy, which culminates in his 7.01 average rating this season, via Sofascore.

For his age, he has already shown his dominance over his current league. Raskin has more than earned his big move, and with his availability now made apparent it could be the perfect time for current manager Jesse Marsch to strike.

It was clear that replacing Phillips was of the utmost importance to the American over the summer, but now they could be handed his long-term successor for a cut price.

Southampton have suffered in front of goal this season, which has ultimately led to their miserable league position.

After 15 games, they sit 19th in the Premier League, having scored just 13 times.

Whilst Che Adams is hardly to blame entirely for their poor form, given that he is their top scorer by some way, he still lacks the required quality to consistently fire them to safety.

It therefore comes as no surprise that Southampton have flirted with relegation ever since the departure of Danny Ings, who scored 46 times in 100 games on the south coast, in 2021.

Adams’ return of four goals in the league so far this term is a far cry from what is needed to comfortably beat the drop, and it could explain the Saints’ continued interest in Goncalo Ramos, despite his ever-growing price tag and the appointment of Nathan Jones as manager at St Mary’s last month.

The Portuguese marksman had been enjoying a fine start to the season at Benfica, before he saw his value skyrocket with his displays in Qatar.

Since then, his club have begun pointing towards his €120m (£103m) release clause as the only port of call to secure a deal.

His World Cup hat-trick will have helped Benfica to demand such a lofty figure, as he helped Portugal to blow away Switzerland in the round of 16 in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Boasting a 9.8 rating in that game, the 21-year-old scored three goals and set up another in an offensive masterclass from the youngster. He supplement this with five shots on target and two key passes during the 6-1 rout (via Sofascore).

In fact, his average Sofascore rating across the tournament as a whole (7.22) far exceeded his legendary compatriot Ronaldo (6.46).

This international success is only an extender of Ramos’ already outstanding domestic form, further proving Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig’s notion that the 21-year-old is “incredibly prolific”.

After 21 games across the Portuguese top flight and Champions League this season, the five-cap international boasts 14 goals and six assists. He is averaging nearly one goal contribution per game, which would hint that his team essentially starts almost every game 1-0 up whenever he starts.

It is this kind of clinical attacking nature that the Saints have lacked, and it is what they will need in order to propel themselves up the table from January onward.

It is clear from their paltry goals tally that Southampton need some added firepower, and although it may seem a lofty ambition to sign Ramos, Jones can continue to dream.

In turn, he might be able to dispose of Adams, who just hasn’t scored enough to steer the Saints into a comfortable position in the league.

ESPN commentator Mario Marra has shared a promising Wolves transfer update on their plans after sealing the signing of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui set for backing…

In their bid to remain in the Premier League, club owners Fosun International and the Molineux board will back new manager Julen Lopetegui with funds in January.

Reports claim that discussions have even been held with up to 15 players as they target at least six new signings overall for next month.

The Old Gold are currently bottom of England’s top flight, having scored the least goals of any side in the division, putting them in real danger of relegation.

The Latest: Marra shares promising Wolves update…

Taking to Twitter, Marra has now claimed that Wolves could be set to strengthen in one position after Cunha at least.

He says that a ‘defender should also arrive’ following the transfer capture of Atletico’s striker.

Marra explained:

“Wolves yet. Local press claims that the first signing, albeit on loan, of the Lopetegui era will be Matheus Cunha. The club’s management took a while, but realized that they will need to hire. A defender should also arrive.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The likes of Felipe and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are being repeatedly linked with moves to Wolves – so that could certainly be Lopetegui’s next priority.

Wolves have also conceded 12 goals in their last five league matches, backing the fact they could need to shore up what has been a leaky backline.

Getting this next signing right will be key to Lopetegui as the former Europa League winner seeks to keep his new team in the big time.

Arsenal’s resurgence this season could see them secure their first Premier League title in 19 years and if they keep up their excellent domestic form, it could be a reality in the coming months.

Mikel Arteta has totally transformed the ethos of the club, and this season has seen them combine free-flowing football to produce dominant victories, to winning even if they are slightly below par and this is the mark of champions.

With the chance for glory in their grasp, Arteta will leave no stone unturned and this means he should be doing everything he can to lure Joao Felix to the North London side next month.

Felix can be Arteta’s dream signing

LaLiga side Atletico Madrid have valued the forward at northwards of €100m (£86m) according to Spanish publication AS (via Sport Witness) and even though this is a massive sum to pay, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Arsenal have the edge when it comes to signing Felix, as he spoke to Football FanCast recently:

“There’s a lot of interest in Joao Felix, who does seem like he will be leaving Atletico Madrid in this window and I’m sure the chance to move to Arsenal and the chance to possibly win the Premier League title and also an opportunity to move to London is very attractive to a lot of foreign players as well.

“So yes, if Arsenal do follow up on their interest in Felix, they probably have an advantage over some of their other rivals.”

With the news that Gabriel Jesus is out of action for around three months following an injury sustained at the World Cup, Arteta needs a forward, and Felix is more than capable of leading the line due to his versatile nature.

During his time with Atletico, he has scored nine goals and registered six assists playing as a centre-forward, proving that he has the qualities to thrive in the role for Arteta, even for a brief time period until Jesus was back fit.

Renato Paiva, Felix’s former youth coach at Benfica, sang his praises, saying: “He has enormous football intelligence. He reads situations really quickly. Obviously, a player has to have the quality to be at Benfica in the first place but he had something extra – creativity, a little bit of magic.

“He read the game with great lucidity and matched that with the speed and quality of his execution. His understanding of the game was miles ahead of that of his teammates.”

The 23-year-old has limitless talent, however, for whatever reason, it hasn’t quite worked out for him under Diego Simeone.

Arteta could unshackle the player and give him more freedom to exploit his creative abilities, and with the chance to win the league title, a move is certainly an attractive option that he may not be able to turn down.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Evan Ndicka…

What’s the talk?

German journalist Christian Falk has confirmed that Antonio Conte’s side, along with Arsenal and AC Milan, are in talks with the player’s agent over a potential move to England.

The centre-back’s deal with Eintracht Frankfurt expires in the summer and this means that Spurs can snap him up for nothing at the end of the season.

Falk told CaughtOffside: “I think there’s a good chance that he’ll sign this contract but there are many clubs interested at the moment, one of them is Arsenal. It’s not so concrete that Frankfurt are really afraid of losing him.

“They also know what his qualities are at the moment, so perhaps it’s too much of a big step for him at this point. They hope that they will sign him up on another contract. Arsenal, Tottenham and AC Milan – I think they’re all talking to the agent but it’s not massively concrete at the moment as Gladbach are confident about their chances of extending his contract.”

Clement Lenglet upgrade

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once claimed that Ndicka is “born to play” on the left of a three-man centre-back set-up, which indicates that he would be perfect for Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system.

He could, therefore, take Clement Lenglet’s place in the squad at the end of the season once the Frenchman returns to Barcelona upon the expiry of his current loan deal.

The central defender has been fairly unimpressive in his spell in England thus far as he has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across 11 Premier League appearances to date, after averaging a score of 6.67 in La Liga for Barcelona last season.

Ndicka, who German reporter Christopher Michel once hailed as both a “leader” and “incredible”, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 across 32 outings in the Bundesliga for Frankfurt last term.

The 6 foot 2 French machine made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per outing, won 60% of his individual duels, and completed 84% of his attempted passes. This indicates that he constantly looks to win the ball back for his side and is able to do so efficiently, whilst also being reliable in possession.

His average performance level in the Bundesliga last term, and Kulig’s comment about his position, suggest that he could be a terrific signing for Spurs and a big upgrade on Lenglet once his compatriot departs Conte’s side.

The Barcelona man’s average rating over the last 18 months has left a lot to be desired and Ndicka could offer more to the Italian’s team on a weekly basis, if he can adapt to English football and hit his best form.

Celtic are set to ‘listen to offers’ for Scottish Premiership defender Stephen Welsh, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The Hoops are already flying high at the top of the table, but January presents the perfect opportunity for the club to cash in on some of their out of favour players to generate transfer funds for future signings.

The centre-back’s current deal at Parkhead isn’t set to expire until 2025, but having fallen down the pecking order under Ange Postecoglou, an early exit could now be on the cards.

The Latest: Welsh set to depart?

Taking to Twitter, Joseph revealed that Celtic are now open to considering bids for Welsh this month, with the boss having acknowledged he needs to find more game time elsewhere.

“Celtic are now willing to listen to offers for defender Stephen Welsh in this window.

“Welsh is attracting interest from clubs in Europe & the MLS.

“Ange Postecoglou clearly likes him, but recognises his needs & desires for regular football to progress.”

The Verdict: Allow him to leave

Welsh has been a magnificent servant to Celtic having worked his way up through the ranks from the club’s academy, but now seems like the right time to let him go.

The Coatbridge-born talent has only made four league starts this season which just shows that Postecoglou doesn’t view him as part of his long-term plans moving forward.

Nevertheless, Welsh has been hailed a ‘leader’ by Josh Bunting and will go on to make a great signing for any of his potential suitors.

Liverpool are continuing to monitor Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes ahead of a potential summer transfer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Nunes on Liverpool’s radar

The Reds were believed to be tracking the 24-year-old throughout last summer’s transfer window, but in the end, he made the switch to Molineux.

Nunes has since made 15 appearances in the Premier League this season, including 13 starts, but fresh reports have again linked Liverpool with a move.

Jurgen Klopp is badly in need of midfield reinforcements, both in January and this summer, Jones has confirmed Nunes is a genuine possibility.

The Latest: Interest still there

Speaking to Give Me Sport, the reporter admitted that Liverpool’s interest in Nunes is still very much there:

“There’s not really going to be any scope to sign Matheus Nunes in this market. They did want him in the summer. That’s true. They always planned to keep an eye on his progress. You know, that is true; that is continuing.”

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The Verdict: Looked great at Anfield

Nunes gave a highly impressive audition to the Liverpool fans last Saturday, producing an eye-catching cameo in the 2-2 draw in the FA Cup third round.

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The Wolves man easily got the better of the Reds’ midfield, winning six out of seven ground duels, and it was easy to see what he could bring to Klopp’s side.

A summer move does feel likely at this point – leaving Wolves as early as this month would be a surprise given their relegation battle – and he would be a strong addition, having been hailed as ‘one of the best players in the world’ by Pep Guardiola.

Arsenal have held ‘very good’ talks with William Saliba about extending his contract at the Emirates Stadium, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Saliba’s contract situation

The 21-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of next season, with Arsenal retaining the right to extend it by an extra year. However Mikel Arteta will surely be very keen to tie him down to a long-term contract, given his importance to the team.

The Frenchman has emerged as a vital part of the Gunners’ backline this season, making 18 appearances in the Premier League in a breakthrough season after returning from a loan spell at Marseille.

The Latest: Saliba ‘happy’ at Arsenal

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano stated that talks are progressing well between club and player, claiming that there is no reason why Arsenal shouldn’t be able to reach an agreement with Saliba on an extension.

The Italian said: “I’m told the conversations are very good between Saliba and Arsenal. The player is really happy at Arsenal. I honestly don’t see there being a big problem or any issues here.”

The Verdict: Fantastic news

The 21-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Gunners this season, one of 11 players in the squad who’s averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.0 or above, and there is every indication that he has the potential to develop even further.

An aspect of Saliba’s game which sets him apart from other centre-backs is his ability on the ball, averaging a pass completion rate of 92.2% per 90 in the past year, placing him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

Considering that he has completed 0.54 dribbles per 90 in the same timeframe, the youngster is clearly comfortable in possession, meaning that Arteta can trust him in being able to bring the ball out of defence and advance it into more threatening areas.

Hailed as an ‘outrageous’ talent by Connor Humm, Saliba is the perfect modern centre-back, and Arsenal should now ensure that his long-term future is played out at the heart of their defence by offering him lucrative new terms.

Journalist Craig Hope thinks that Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe should drop Callum Wilson from the starting XI.

The Verdict: Wilson struggling for goals

The Magpies forward has six goals and three assists so far in the Premier League, but he’s hit a bit of a dry spell in recent times.

Wilson hasn’t scored in Newcastle’s last seven league matches, last netting against Aston Villa where he bagged a brace in a 4-0 victory at St James’ Park back in October.

The Magpies’ other option up front is Alexander Isak, who has played five league matches this season and hit the back of the net three times. While he netted the winner against Fulham earlier this month, he hasn’t started in the Premier League since September.

The Latest: Wilson is ‘struggling’

Following Newcastle’s 1-0 victory in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Southampton, Hope spoke on his YouTube channel about Wilson and why he thinks the striker should be dropped.

He stated: “I think I’m prepared to commit to it now – I think he is struggling at the moment and I would take him out of the team.

“What do you do – do you leave him in the team to build fitness or do you take him out to give him a rest?

“I don’t quite know the answer, and that’s why Eddie Howe’s manager and it’s one he’s got to work out.”

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The Verdict: Isak’s time to shine

We believe that Wilson is likely exhausted due to a number of factors, including injuries and illnesses, constant game time and his call-up to the England squad this past winter.

He’s come under criticism for his recent performances, with pundit Tam McManus stating that he ‘looks a bit off it’ and that it’s ‘a matter of time’ before Isak is picked ahead of him when speaking to Football Insider.

Given Isak was brought in for a club-record fee in the summer, it is perhaps not a surprise that he would eventually usurp Wilson in the starting XI. While Wilson’s goal record still tops the Swede’s, Isak certainly has youth on his side, and you would imagine that Howe and PIF would rather see their heavy outlay on the striker pay off than Wilson flourish if given the choice, regardless of his form.

It’s Isak’s time to get the nod from Howe in our opinion as he can perhaps offer the kind of dynamism in the forward position that he displayed in creating the winning goal against the Saints on a consistent basis on Tyneside.

Tottenham Hotspur have finally struck a deal to sign Pedro Porro…

What’s the word?

That’s according to ESPN, who claim that the Sporting CP wing-back has agreed to sign a deal until 2028 and is set to become their second signing of the January transfer window after securing Arnaut Danjuma on loan.

It remains to be seen exactly how much the Premier League side will pay, though previous reports suggested that the Portuguese giants would only sell the former Manchester City dynamo if his €45m (£40m) release clause was met.

Porro, 23, played in Sporting’s league cup defeat to rivals FC Porto on Saturday evening and was seen waving goodbye to supporters in the stands.

Paratici does it again

Just like last winter, it seems as if Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici has done it again, signing a top-quality player so late in the day.

Last year, the Italian supremo landed both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur on deals from Juventus and both have quickly become instant hits in north London, with their performances some of the best and most consistent.

Porro, whilst likely to command as much as the duo combined, is “perfect for Antonio Conte’s football” – in the words of transfer guru Fabrizio Romano – and he solves a key issue at right wing-back, where Spurs have trundled along with Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal for far too long.

Indeed, the Spaniard has delivered as many as 26 goal contributions since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, including three goals and 11 assists in this current campaign, via Transfermarkt.

Those returns far exceed that of the aforementioned duo, who have combined for just 11 goals or assists in the same time frame – Emerson (four) and Doherty (seven).

It’s the former who often gets the nod too, so with such a low output it’s no wonder Porro has emerged as a “priority” during this window. The wing-back role is pretty crucial to Conte’s success as not only do they need to defend but in large, they are a key attacking outlet.

This is why the 23-year-old “special talent” – as once lauded by journalist Zach Lowry – is an ideal upgrade and regardless of price, it makes him another Paratici gem this late in the window.

With Porro ranking inside the top 1% of his positional peers across the ‘next eight’ divisions for shot-creating actions, expected assists and total shots per 90, via FBref, there is no denying that the Lilywhites are getting a supremely talented attacking option and one that could spearhead their quest to finish in the top four again.

As such, Paratici has pulled yet another masterclass in the transfer market with this signing, given the evidence above.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Porro: Spurs could end January with a bang by signing “deadly” £26m gem…