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Newcastle United could well be eyeing yet another late window move, with the Magpies already currently wrapping up the signing of wantaway Everton starlet, Anthony Gordon on a £45m deal.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, the Tynesiders are believed to now be in negotiations regarding a swoop for long-term target, James Maddison, with the 26-year-old’s current side, Leicester City, set to demand around £55m if they are to sanction a sale this month.

Writing on Twitter regarding that interest, the transfer insider revealed: “Newcastle are in talks with Leicester for Maddison. NUFC are ready to make the first offer for the AM of around £45m. LCFC want at least £55m (£40m upfront). In case of no agreement, the player will remain a target in the summer.”

This follows reports during the summer that claimed the St James’ Park outfit had made an offer of around £50m for the England international, with the playmaker yet to commit his future to the Foxes with just 18 months to run on his existing deal.

‘Perfect’ for Howe

After what has been a rather quiet window for the top-four hopefuls thus far, it does appear that sporting director Dan Ashworth and manager Eddie Howe are finally beginning to act with deadline day looming, with both Gordon and Maddison potentially on their way to the northeast.

In the case of the latter man, while it may prove difficult to prise the former Norwich City ace from the King Power Stadium mid-season, if a deal can be agreed upon in the coming days it would no doubt be a major boost in Newcastle’s Champions League qualification bid.

The arrival of the one-cap maestro could well provide Howe and co with the creative, midfield spark that they are currently lacking, with regular starters Joe Willock (two goals, two assists) and Sean Longstaff (one goal and two assists) having been rather underwhelming with regards to goal contributions in all competitions this season.

Turning to Maddison – who can also feature on the flanks – could well prove to be a “perfect” signing for the Magpies, according to pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, with the playmaking gem having thrived for Brendan Rodgers’ side of late.

While injury has inhibited the £110k-per-week man’s influence of late, the one-time Aberdeen loanee still boasts a haul of seven goals and four assists in 14 Premier League games this season, with that tally greater than any player in Howe’s squad in the top flight so far this term.

That follows what had been a particularly impressive 2021/22 campaign for the clinical “monster”, as previously lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, with the Coventry-born sensation registering a staggering 30 goal involvements in 53 games in all competitions.

That remarkable consistency has illustrated that Maddison could well be a player that Howe can count on to deliver the goods if he is to make the switch before Tuesday’s deadline, with it potentially set to prove a ‘perfect’ signing both for the club and for the player himself.

Everton reportedly made a ‘late loan offer’ for winger Ismaila Sarr, which was rejected by Watford.

The Lowdown: No incomings

Despite the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United, Everton were the only club in the Premier League not to make a single signing in the January transfer window.

They nearly signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal, but Tottenham Hotspur hijacked their deal, ultimately leaving them with nothing.

The Latest: Sarr offer

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday night, The Athletic journalist Adam Leventhal revealed that the Goodison Park outfit made a ‘late loan offer’ to try and sign Sarr, but it was rejected by Watford:

“#EFC made late loan offer for #WatfordFC’s Ismaila Sarr. Has been rejected. Proposal was loan fee plus obligation to buy if Everton stayed up plus bonuses.”

Expanding in his corresponding article for The Athletic, Leventhal added that they wanted to pay £2m to loan Sarr for the rest of the campaign, in a deal that included an obligation to buy for £30m if they avoided relegation, and a £4m appearance bonus.

The Verdict: Poor offer

Watford were never going to allow one of their best performers in Sarr leave on loan so late in the window, and so the Merseyside club should have offered a permanent deal.

They had £45m to spend following the sale of Gordon, and even reportedly submitted a bid of the same amount to try and sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. The Toffees had the money there, and should have made the Hornets an offer that they could not refuse for Sarr.

Hailed as a ‘scary’ talent and a ‘freak’ of nature by his former team-mate Ben Foster, the winger has scored seven goals and made a further four assists in the Championship so far this season, and in his previous campaign in the division, he notched up a tally of 13 goals and ten assists (Transfermarkt).

Sarr can clearly play at a higher level in the Premier League, and the Blues should have done more to sign him for Sean Dyche.

West Bromwich Albion are a club in cruise control at the moment, with Carlos Corberan their man to thank.

Having taken over from the miserable tenure of Steve Bruce, in which he threatened to drag them into a relegation battle, the Spaniard has now renewed hopes of a Premier League return.

Within the Hawthorns there is little to be unhappy about. They are revitalised, and despite murmurs regarding Corberan’s future, they have little cause for unrest.

That is, apart from the continued underperformance of Grady Diangana, who is one of few yet to be reignited under the new regime.

The 24-year-old first joined the Midlands outfit on an initial loan deal, where his sparkling performances made him a must-buy. He scored eight times and assisted a further seven as they earned promotion from the Championship, and spurred the Baggies to unload £18m to secure his signing from West Ham United.

What made him even more impressive is that he was noted as “struggling” in one match by journalist Joe Chapman back in 2019, in the midst of his fruitful campaign. With how he has gone on to play, it goes far beyond the ‘struggles’ of four years ago.

There was unrest amongst many at the Hammers for sanctioning such a departure, with Mark Noble even tweeting: “As captain of this football club I’m gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future!!!!!”

He was clearly highly thought of, but since that year he has never really recaptured any semblance of the form that caused such furore at his sale.

Just one league goal the season following saw them earn instant relegation from the top flight, and he is since yet to surpass four league goals in the other two campaigns in the Championship too.

As such, his valuation has deservedly plummeted, leaving West Brom rethinking their decision to spend a club-record fee on the toothless winger.

Transfermarkt have mapped this drop in rating, which has steadied at an abysmal €6m (£5.3m) as of October 2022. This marks a sharp 70% downturn across just two years since his big-money move.

Given his youth, there is still plenty of time to turn this around and make his price tag worthwhile, and Corberan is capable of such a feat.

His winning goal at the weekend over Coventry City could prove a turning point, as he notched what was just his second goal in 16 league appearances.

Diangana is in desperate need of a confidence boost to help him recapture the swagger that spurred on his top performances. There will be hope that he can now kick on and help add to an already exciting season for West Brom.

Antonio Conte returns to Tottenham Hotspur with something of a squad crisis on his hands as he’ll be without several first-team stars for their trip to Leicester City in the Premier League.

The Italian will be without experienced no.1 Hugo Lloris for at least six weeks after he picked up a knee injury in last weekend’s 1-0 win over defending champions Manchester City, whilst centre-back Cristian Romero serves his one-game suspension following two bookable offences in the same game.

Yves Bissouma is another notable absentee with the Mali international set to undergo surgery for an ankle fracture.

It leaves plenty of questions about what sort of side we’ll see at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

How will Tottenham lineup against Leicester?

There could be as many as four changes from the side that defeated Pep Guardiola’s men only six days ago, two of which being enforced.

Between the sticks, backup Fraser Forster is set to be handed first-choice duties over the coming weeks, whilst Davinson Sanchez is drafted in for the suspended Argentine, having come on moments after his sending off last weekend.

He’ll join both Eric Dier and Clement Lenglet, who gets the nod over Ben Davies, in the back three.

Pedro Porro will still have to wait for his debut after Emerson Royal’s “defensive masterclass” against the Citizens, so the Brazilian should keep his place, whilst “big, big talent” Ryan Sessegnon – as once lauded by ex-teammate Stefan Johansen – comes in for Ivan Perisic in a move that puts upcoming fixtures in mind.

Spurs play AC Milan in the Champions League during the week before welcoming West Ham United to north London next weekend and Conte cannot afford to have many more injuries or suspensions in key positions, so the Croatian veteran is rested in favour of the £25m gem ahead of those outings.

Oliver Skipp is vying for a rare start but the Italian head coach should stick with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur in the engine room, with the front three also remaining the same despite Heung-min Son’s recent struggles.

The South Korean, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski make up the starting XI, though they are being pushed by the likes of Richarlison and recent signing Arnaut Danjuma, who scored on his debut in the FA Cup a few games ago.

AND in other news, Levy could keep Conte at Spurs with swoop for £54m “phenomenon”, he’s a “top” target…

Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group ‘stood up to Qatar’s ambitions and desire’, according to Sada El-Balad journalist Ismael Mahmoud.

The Lowdown: Liverpool ownership up in the air

The Reds may have had a tough time of things on the pitch this season, dropping endless points in the Premier League, but it has also been a tumultuous time off it.

Current owners FSG are reportedly looking to sell the club, following rumours that emerged late last year, although no primary candidate has emerged to buy them outright yet.

There have been reports of a potential Qatari takeover but now a key update has emerged regarding that, and it’s not what the ‘FSG Out’ section of supporters want to hear.

The Latest: Key update emerges

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Mahmoud, reporter for major Egyptian news network Sada El-Balad, claimed Liverpool wouldn’t become Qatari-owned if United are taken over by similar owners:

“Bad news for Liverpool fans, but unfortunately it is true. If the Manchester United purchase takes place, there is no Qatari offer for Liverpool. FSG stood up to Qatar’s ambitions and desire to buy Liverpool.”

The Verdict: Is it a bad thing?

This is likely to be divisive news among the Liverpool fanbase, with some desperate for the club to be brought out by owners with a bottomless pit of transfer funds.

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To those fans, this news is a clear blow, but there are also others who have doubts about some of the human rights issues that surround Qatar, as was often documented during the 2022 World Cup.

Liverpool are a club whose morals should always mirror that of the city itself and seeing owners with questionable human rights records coming in would not be a positive to many, regardless of whatever transfer funds they may be able to provide.

Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is believed to be interested in a potential summer deal for Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Georgian dynamo having enjoyed a remarkable last six months in Italy.

What’s the latest on Kvaratskhelia to Newcastle?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are said to have identified the 22-year-old as a top target ahead of the summer transfer window, with the Tynesiders currently ‘shortlisting’ possible attacking options who could strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad.

However, the report does suggest that securing Champions League qualification could be a ‘critical factor’ in their hopes of landing the 19-cap wizard, with the forward having only arrived in Naples from Dinamo Batumi in a €10m (£9m) deal last July.

This comes amid previous claims made in December which stated that Ashworth and co are interested in the 6 foot speedster, albeit with the Serie A leaders likely to demand close to £100m for their sparkling asset.

Could Kvaratskhelia wreak ‘havoc’ at Newcastle?

That mammoth price tag has arguably been warranted as a result of Kvaratskhelia’s displays of late, with the fleet-footed winger having been a central part of Napoli’s title charge, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists in the league already this season.

Affectionately named ‘Kvaradona’ – in homage to the late, great Diego Maradona – the former Rubin Kazan star also announced himself to the wider world with his displays during the Champions League group stage, with five goal involvements in as many outings.

The eye-catching talent was particularly impressive in the 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool last September, with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp having described Kvaratskhelia as “cheeky” as a result of his dynamism and directness in the final third.

In truth, it is the seemingly carefree manner in which the highly-coveted wide man has performed that has particularly caught the eye, with the 22-year-old earning notable praise earlier this season from New York Times correspondent Rory Smith.

He stated: “I genuinely haven’t enjoyed watching someone play football as much as I enjoy watching Khvicha Kvaratskhelia play football for years. He’s instinctive, untamed, anarchic and, most of all, he’s really, really good fun.”

The hope would be that the Tbilisi native could replicate such an impact at St James’ Park, having been lauded by Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham as a “complete menace” and a player who “causes havoc”.

Those traits are laid bare by the fact that the exciting talent ranks in the top 7% among those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, as well as in the top 12% for successful take-ons, proving to be something of a nightmare for any opposition defender.

Being able to recruit such a ferocious and reliable attacking presence could prove a real game-changer for Howe’s side, with it set to be a real masterstroke if Kvaratskhelia can replicate his work in Italy by transforming Newcastle into title contenders, should the Magpies bring him to the Premier League.

Chelsea face a crunch Premier League encounter on Sunday afternoon, with the west London strugglers travelling to face capital rivals Tottenham Hotspur to try and veer back on course after a woeful run of form under Graham Potter.

Indeed, the two teams hold contrasting fortunes at present, with Spurs perched in fourth place and a remarkable 11 points above their neighbours, who are stranded all the way down in tenth.

Chelsea have won just two of their last 14 matches across all competitions, with owner Todd Boehly and technical director Christopher Vivell organising a crisis meeting earlier this week to devise a solution to the ongoing misfortune.

If any hope of Champions League football next season is to remain, the Blues must look to continue their marvellous record against Spurs – the Blues are eight top-flight games without defeat against the Lilywhites, having won six times and drawn twice.

In order to ensure that his grip on the Stamford Bridge reins does not become even more tenuous, Potter must bin “liability” Marc Cucurella – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – from his pre-game thoughts and continue to unleash Ben Chilwell at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium instead, as his dynamic and robust approach could pay dividends.

Should Chilwell be unleashed v Tottenham?

Chilwell has enjoyed much success at Stamford Bridge since signing from Leicester City in a £50m move  in 2020, but in recent months his progress has been blighted by long-term injury issues, and he has only started five times in the current league campaign.

However, during his time with the Blues, the 26-year-old has made 72 appearances, scoring eight goals and registering ten assists, with a notable triumph in the 2020/21 Champions League, playing a vital role in that success as he started nine times en route to lifting the trophy.

In his first start following his extensive layoff, which came against Southampton last week, the “creative” Chilwell – as dubbed by Nick Emms – impressed despite his team falling to a chastening home defeat against the league’s bottom club, making one tackle and two interceptions and winning six of his eight duels, as per Sofascore.

That vigorous and combative approach could be crucial for Chelsea against Spurs; with the fixture often fiery and tempers flaring, a composed figure to offer an assurance in their challenges will be most welcome for Potter.

Considering that the £190k-per-week Chilwell ranks among the top 18% of full-backs in Europe’s five main leagues for goals per 90, the offensive element of his game could bolster his side’s chances of victory even further.

Should Chelsea fail to secure victory over Tottenham, their run of form would stretch to a mere two wins in 15 games, while defeat would see Spurs move 14 points clear of their London rivals in the Premier League, all but eradicating any slim hope of the Blues mounting a late charge towards Champions League qualification for 2023/24.

It will be tough, and it will require tenacity, but with Chilwell – who has been hailed by some podcasters in the past for his “superlative” ball distribution – potentially offering such an attribute in abundance,  including him might just bear fruit for the Blues as they look to turn the tide on their recent travails.

Manchester United are undoubtedly a club famed for their production of young talent, with the Red Devils having repeatedly promoted players from the academy ranks into the first-team, from the Busby Babes to the ‘Class of 92’, right through to the likes of Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo.

For every success story, however, there is a notable figure who simply falls by the wayside – for every Paul Scholes there is a Ravel Morrison. For every Ryan Giggs, there is a Callum Gribbin.

In the case of the latter man, the Englishman is a prime example of the perils of hyping up players too young, as well as a warning as to the brutal nature of the game, with once-promising figures able to be so ruthlessly cast aside after years on the books at a club.

What happened to Callum Gribbin?

Gribbin’s tale is arguably one of wasted potential but also likely one of frustration – both for the player himself and for United – with the emerging gem having never been able to truly live up to his early, outstanding promise.

The Salford native – who would ultimately spend 11 years at Old Trafford after joining in 2008 – had been setting tongues wagging among supporters in the know for years as a result of his displays at youth level, having even been hailed as the “English [Lionel] Messi” due to his precocious talent, as The Athletic’s Daniel Taylor revealed.

Lauded as a “fantastic technician” by former assistant coach Kieran McKenna, the playmaker was notably included in the Guardian’s Next Generation list in 2015 alongside the 20 best talents in the Premier League, with that selection including current Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold, as well as ex-Tottenham Hotspur sensation, Marcus Edwards.

That wider acclaim was mirrored by the glowing reports coming out of United, with youth coach Paul McGuiness stating at the time: “Callum’s a very talented player and the type English football does not have a lot of. He can keep the ball with people around him. He can manipulate it and give space for a creative pass. Also, he’s waiting to look for a creative pass all the time too.”

The forward’s quality unsurprisingly sparked comparisons to club legend Giggs, with that likeness having become even more apparent following the youngster’s stunning, solo goal against Barcelona in the Otten Cup back in 2016.

An “unreal talent” – in the words of fellow academy graduate Charlie Scott – Gribbin appeared destined to eventually force his way into the first-team picture, having possessed that innate gift to be able to “glide past players with the ball tied to his feet”, according to club historian, Tony Park.

Despite enjoying a “light-bulb moment” – in the words of Nicky Butt – after producing an all-action display against Wolfsburg in the UEFA Youth League in 2015, the 5 foot 10 ace was never able to make that step up, with injury also playing its part in curtailing his progress.

Having been unable to ever make his senior bow, the former England U17 international was ultimately released in 2019, going on to endure a brief stint at Sheffield United, before joining League Two side Barrow in 2020.

That switch again failed to have the desired impact as Gribbin only made five appearances for the club, having subsequently been snapped up by lower-league side Radcliffe with the aim of kickstarting his career.

Now 24, the former wonderkid is currently on the books at seventh-tier outfit, FC United of Manchester, with that slide down the footballing pyramid representing a sad decline for a player who once promised so much.

With time still on his side, however, hopefully Gribbin can get back to where he belongs sooner rather than later.

Chris Waugh has admitted that while Newcastle United want Bruno Guimaraes to sign a new contract, nothing positive appears to be imminent.

The Lowdown: Interest is starting to grow

Guimaraes was very forthcoming in his praise for Pep Guardiola following Newcastle’s defeat against the champions last weekend, which may well have sent alarm bells ringing amongst the fans about what the future holds for their star midfielder.

However, in the last few days, he’s been speaking about wanting to write his name into the history books of Newcastle, which shows how committed he appears to be to succeed on Tyneside.

Newcastle will likely have to keep growing and developing with Guimaraes, as he is attracting interest from Real Madrid, so silverware and Champions League football must start arriving pretty soon, or hopes of him committing his long-term future will only be a pipe dream.

The Latest: Nothing imminent on the contract front

While speaking on Pod on the Tyne, Waugh claimed that nothing positive is likely to emerge any time soon in regard to Guimaraes committing his long-term future to Newcastle.

He said: “Newcastle want to tie him down longer-term, want to improve his terms, but that hasn’t yet reached a positive conclusion as far as we are aware.

“But Bruno was asked by us before the [Sport Journalist Awards] how he felt about his time at Newcastle and his future, and he basically said that he came to Newcastle – he described it as he wants to write his name into Newcastle United’s story.

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“And to do that, he knows he has to win – he calls titles, but he means trophies in general – and he thinks Newcastle will be a giant in world football.

“So the strong suggestion from him was that, ‘I don’t want to go anywhere, certainly not before we do actually win something’.”

The Verdict: Newcastle must get Guimaraes tied down

When Newcastle beat off competition from the likes of Juventus and Arsenal to land Guimaraes over 12 months ago, it will have certainly raised eyebrows – and his performances since then have only gone on to prove how good a midfield operator he is.

Real Madrid wouldn’t be interested in Guimaraes if he wasn’t a genuine talent, and while he does have a contract until the summer of 2026, Newcastle will know that improving his terms and matching his ambitions on the pitch is what will see him extend his stay.

Newcastle have already made a huge step forward with Guimaraes in their team, having gone from relegation strugglers to Carabao Cup finalists and top-four hopefuls, and though this will excite Guimaraes, silverware is what all players crave.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s transfer record at Glasgow Rangers was arguably his biggest downfall in his spell at the club, which ended in November 2022, nearly a year to the day since he was appointed.

Aaron Ramsey and Amad Diallo didn’t have the desired effect having joined on loan for the second half of last season, while all but a few of the Dutchman’s summer incomings have had any sort of success at the Ibrox side.

Antonio Colak and Malik Tillman have shone, yet players such as John Souttar and Tom Lawrence have spent the majority of the campaign on the treatment table.

One of his biggest flops, especially considering the initial financial outlay, has been Welsh winger Rabbi Matondo, who just hasn’t settled in Glasgow, while taking a large wage in the process.

How much has Rabbi Matondo cost Rangers?

Rangers signed the player from German side Schalke last summer in a deal worth around £3m, and with this sort of fee, he was expected to hit the ground running.

The former Manchester City winger had impressed on a season-long loan at Belgian side Cercle Brugge during 2021/2022, registering 11 goal contributions – nine goals and two assists – while averaging 0.9 key passes per game and creating four big chances. These displays led to Van Bronckhorst bringing him to Ibrox, yet he has so far failed to replicate anything like his form last term.

The 22-year-old has started just six Premiership matches, registering only three assists, while his Champions League form was even worse.

In the group stage of Europe’s premier cup competition, Matondo averaged a Sofascore rating of just 6.4/10 across five matches.

He has played just 21 matches in total for the Gers, getting only 838 minutes on the pitch, and he has rinsed the club dry during his 35-week spell so far. Indeed, totalling up his £3m transfer fee along with the reported £28k-per-week wages the youngster is earning, Matondo has cost the club around £4m for his efforts.

It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to work out that this has not been money well spent. The hype surrounding his arrival faded after the first few months of the season, with the winger not offering much in terms of attacking quality.

Hopefully Beale takes note of his predecessors' transfer failings and looks to only bring high-quality players to the club from now on.