According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Tottenham are interested in a summer move for midfielder James Maddison. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at fellow Premier League club Leicester City having moved there from Norwich City last year, with his impressive first few months in the top-flight seemingly attracting the interest of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.

And that’s because a recent report from The Daily Mirror outlines the North London outfit’s interest in the Englishman as they line up a possible replacement for Christian Eriksen, yet Bournemouth’s David Brooks is another who is reportedly (as per The Daily Mirror) on the Spurs wish-list.

And after his quite remarkable start to life in the Premier League, it is the 21-year-old Welsh sensation who Tottenham should seek to land come the summer.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, there is little doubting that Maddison has made a fine start to life in the Premier League with Leicester this season, netting five times and laying on four assists in just 23 league games for Claude Puel’s side to help them to 11th place in the division.

And with undoubted ability on the ball with vision to pick a pass, as well as great quality in dead-ball situations, the Englishman looks destined for big things in the game – he even made Gareth Southgate’s England squad back in October, albeit didn’t feature, to underline just how far he has come in the last few months.

Yet the level Brooks has produced consistently over the course of the current season, also his first in the Premier League, has been something to behold to suggest that he is very much a star in the making, and thus a player Spurs must seek to land.

The 21-year-old made the move to Bournemouth during the summer after impressing greatly in the Championship with Sheffield United last season, for whom he netted on three occasions and laid on five assists as Chris Wilder’s men secured a top half finish.

And the Wales international has taken it to another level this time round in the Premier League having netted six times and laid on four assists for Eddie Howe’s Cherries this term, thus equating to a direct contribution every 160 minutes of action – Maddison is currently averaging 188 minutes per goal or assist.

And while offensively there really isn’t much to choose between two of the rising stars in the Premier League at present, Brooks just shades the Englishman in terms of defensive contribution, averaging more interceptions, clearances, and blocks than the Leicester star (as per WhoScored).

And in a Tottenham team in which Pochettino does demand defensive work and pressing from his forward players, Bournemouth’s Brooks appears to be an ideal fit – add in Pochettino’s proven track-record at developing young talent, and the Welsh sensation could seriously flourish under the Argentine.

As such, while Maddison certainly has the talent and potential to prove to be a great signing for Tottenham, Bournemouth’s Brooks is the man they should seek to land come the summer.

Tottenham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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According to the Daily Express, Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a £35 million summer bid for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice.

What’s the story?

Rice has been enjoying a breakout campaign at the London Stadium this season, becoming vital to Manuel Pellegrini’s side. As a reward for his fine performances, the Hammers handed the 20-year-old a new long-term contract in December.

The new deal does not appear to have put Spurs off of their pursuit for the youngster’s signature though. 

Rice has been sensational for West Ham so far this season, and has demonstrated remarkable consistency, maturity and discipline throughout the campaign so far. It is easy to see, then, why Mauricio Pochettino would be so keen to add the London-born ace to his squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

On the up

Having let Mousa Dembele join Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F in the recent January transfer window, there is a vacancy in the heart of the Spurs midfield. Pochettino’s side needs a new holding midfielder, capable of anchoring the team in the middle of the park and breaking up oppositions attacks. Rice has the ability and potential to be that man for years to come.

Rice has proven his worth in the Premier League, and is now ready to make the step up to a ‘big six’ club.

If Spurs are serious about retaining their standing as one of English football’s elite outfits, they must be prepared to spend big on players of such quality. Splashing out on Rice would make a statement, indicating that Spurs are a club still on the up.

Manchester United will surely return to sign a new defender when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

Adding defensive reinforcements was a priority for former boss Jose Mourinho over the summer but the Red Devils tried and failed to appease the Portuguese. United’s woeful form ultimately cost the former Chelsea manager his job. United have been completely transformed under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, remaining unbeaten in their first eleven Premier League games under the Norwegian.

Despite their improved form, a new defender should remain top of their shortlist in the summer. Regardless of whether Solksjaer is given the job permanently or a new man is installed, signing a world-class defender would get United challenging for the title yet again.

Therefore, the Red Devils should break the bank to land Porto wonderkid – Eder Militao. Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old is a new arrival at the club having signed from Sao Paulo in the summer for just £3.6m. The Brazilian has been one of the most consistent performers in Liga NOS and has attracted interest from all across Europe.

Militao is comfortable at centre-back, right-back and even defensive midfield due to his composure on the ball. The youngster is a fantastic defender winning 1.7 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game in Portugal. As well as his defensive abilities on the ground, Militao is also a dominant force in the air, winning 3.5 aerial duels per game, meaning the physicality of the Premier League should be no issues at all (WhoScored).

The Brazil U21 international has the potential to be one of the world’s best defenders and United should do everything in their power to lure him to Old Trafford.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?

Having arrived from Premier League rivals Chelsea back in January 2014 for a reported fee in the region of £37.1m, Juan Mata has established himself as a true veteran of English football. As per Transfermarkt, the Spaniard has racked up an incredible 252 appearances in just the Premier League, scoring 50 goals and providing 60 assists.Watch Manchester United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Unfortunately for him, the 31-year-old is seeing his influence gradually diminish by the week, and this season alone has seen him play 15 times across all competitions – it may seem like a lot, but that only equates to 761 minutes of football in total, with many of those appearances coming as a substitute.

Watch Man Utd vs Newcastle Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

But on Wednesday night against Colchester in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, he was given a rare chance to start for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. Whilst the Red Devils recorded a relatively straight-forward 3-0 victory over the ninth-placed League Two side, Mata himself didn’t exactly enjoy a night to remember. As per Sofascore, his 7.2 match rating was only better than Mason Greenwood in terms of his teammates who completed the full 90 minutes. And when looking at the underlying numbers it is easy to see why.

He managed no shots on target, no tackles, won just two of his five ground duels, and lost possession 14 times (only Anthony Martial and Andreas Pereira conceded it more). And after seeing his display, United fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the midfielder.

Many fans of the Manchester side also brought up United starlet Angel Gomes, and questioned why Mata is starting over him.

At 31 years of age, Mata remains a vitally experienced option for the Red Devils, even if his performances may not be up to scratch. As United look to give more youngsters like Mason Greenwood their chance to shine, players like the Spaniard can help with the integration process and act as a role model for them to fully learn and develop. On-the-pitch displays may not necessarily be the be-all and end-all.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have a surprising reaction to reports this man could leave next summer.

This Thursday we have a real treat in store as Liverpool will welcome Leicester City at Anfield for a real cracker of a game. And Virgil van Dijk, as is already usual, might hold the keys to their victory in his hands.

On the chalkboard

Brendan Rodgers’ team has been the revelation of the season over in the Premier League and just the fact that the Foxes are once again flying high and might even pose a threat to Liverpool’s march towards the title speaks enough volume of their success.

But going into this game, they will have a huge test and one that very well may determine how the rest of the campaign unfolds.

Of course, with Jamie Vardy in their ranks, Leicester’s attack looks as formidable as ever as the veteran gunman is literally firing on all cylinders.

For that reason, stopping him will be crucial for Jurgen Klopp’s success. And that, of course, is a job for a certain Ballon d’Or runner-up.

Attack vs defence

The clash between Van Dijk and Vardy on the pitch is practically unavoidable and the Premier League’s finest are bound to lock horns on Thursday evening at Anfield.

And neither of them actually needs a big introduction as their names already tell enough of a story.

Liverpool’s 6 ft 3 colossus, the 2019 Ballon d’Or runner-up, is a true rock in defence and has been lauded by legends in the past. The numbers also speak for themselves, even though they are not as inflated as one would expect.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

His 0.8 tackles, one interception and 0.2 times dribbled past stats per game are decent but not otherworldly figures. With Van Dijk, it’s mostly about snuffing out the danger before it even presents itself and tackling and intercepting becomes the very last weapon in his arsenal – this will be crucial to stopping the prolific Englishman.

For Vardy, however, it’s the exact opposite as the 32-year-old forward has already bagged 17 goals and three assists in the Premier League, averaging 2.7 shots and 0.7 key passes per game.

His numbers indicate he is as lethal as they come and for that very reason, this battle just might decide who exits the bout with all three points.

Let’s see who ends up coming out on top.

Meanwhile, many Liverpool fans were furious with FA’s incredible decision…

TalkSPORT pundit Andy Goldstein has argued that Liverpool’s current side cannot be considered truly great before they have won the league – and says they need to repeat the feat to earn a place among the Premier League’s best sides of all time.

Liverpool appear to be ending their 30-year wait for a league title, much longer than you need to wait for virgin games promotions for 2020, thanks to their 13-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand.

Though Goldstein believes that while title glory awaits Jurgen Klopp’s team, they must win the title again to be considered a cut above the rest.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Goldstein feels that talk of the Reds being one of the league’s best-ever sides is jumping the gun a little, following their latest success at home to Sheffield United on Thursday.

He said: “At the end of Sam [Matterface’s] brilliant commentary, he said this is one of the greatest sides ever in the Premier League. Are people not getting a little bit ahead of themselves? They haven’t won the league yet.

“They’re going to, but Manchester United dominated for two decades, Man City had been winning league titles for fun in recent years, they’ve looked fantastic.

“Let’s have it right, when you’ve won the league a couple of times, then you’ve got one of the greatest teams of all time – not before you’ve won it.”

Goldstein may have a point, though it was co-presenter Perry Groves who came up with an interesting counter-argument to his claims.

Groves suggested that Liverpool would deserve being named one of the best sides the Premier League has seen due to their long unbeaten run – which will now surpass a full year after dispatching of the Blades to take their current streak to 37 matches in the top flight.

With only two other sides achieving a year unbeaten in the history of the Premier League, it would be difficult to leave Liverpool out of this particular conversation – especially with the Reds so close to finally achieving the title themselves.

And having had a 97-point campaign prior to their current one, it certainly seems as if Liverpool are worthy of the greatness they pursue at this moment in time, with their title challenge already on the verge of completion.

Liverpool fans, can the Reds last the season and go unbeaten? Let us know what you think below!

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy wants to bring Paco Alcacer to the club on an initial loan deal that could lead to a permanent transfer, per The Transfer Window podcast, but what could he bring to Spurs?

On the chalkboard

The 26-year-old has made 11 appearances for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga thus far this season, five being substitute appearances, and has scored five goals.

He has also provided one assist, but one has to wonder whether the former Barcelona man would fit in at Spurs.

Per WhoScored, he averages 2.7 shots per ninety minutes in the Bundesliga, along with 0.8 key passes and 0.3 successful dribbles.

He averages just 19 passes per 90, with an accuracy of 73.6%. Defensively, he rarely mucks in, with 0.3 tackles and 0.3 interceptions.

Slow Poach

Alcacer’s profile doesn’t really suit Spurs.

Harry Kane, of course, is a world-class forward and it is unlikely that Alcacer would outstrip the England captain when he’s full fit.

But his statistics paint him as a static forward who does not attempt to get all that involved in the play and simply waits around for goalscoring opportunities.

All of his goals in the Bundesliga this season have come from inside the box, with two in the six-yard box. He is, essentially, a poacher.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

And that would necessitate a change in the way that Spurs play.

Kane regularly plays outside the box and with his back to goal, holding up play and bringing the likes of Son Heung-Min, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura into the game.

And that has only been more prevalent under Jose Mourinho. Tellingly, Kane has produced 12 key passes and 30 successful aerial duels in nine games under the Portuguese; in eleven under Pochettino, he produced just eight and 25 respectively.

Alcacer isn’t going to do that – Spurs would need to adapt to bring the best out of him and change the way they move the ball forward.

Meanwhile, Spurs have been urged to sign a player from their bitter London rivals. 

Jose Mourinho insists that Tottenham Hotspur will struggle without Harry Kane up front, per The Sun.

What’s he said?

Kane suffered a hamstring problem against Southampton and was absent from the FA Cup third-round tie against Middlesbrough.

Spurs were held to a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium, meaning they face a replay against the Championship club as they attempt to reach round four.

Mourinho utilised Son Heung-Min as his striker against Boro but it was Lucas Moura who scored the equaliser after Ashley Fletcher’s opener.

But Mourinho maintains that the South Korean and the Brazilian are not out-and-out forwards.

He said: “We arrived in so many scoring positions and then the last ball, the last cross, the simple one, we did it only once.

“Of course, it’s a new thing for the team to play without Harry, without a striker.

“We tried to give them the mobility of Son and Lucas, but it was not easy. We played with six attacking players without a striker.

“We have what we have and we stick with them. The boys did what they can, you cannot transform Lucas or Son into a No9 like Harry Kane.

“So we have to try other things and that is what we are going to do. Obviously, every minute Harry doesn’t play means a lot to us – it is a big loss for us.

“But we have to accept it and we have to fight with the boys that are available.”

Transfer window is open

It’s January, which means Mourinho has plenty of options.

He could well attempt to muddle through with Son and Lucas, two players who, as he says, are not really conventional forwards in the sense of being able to replicate Kane’s threat.

Or he could lean on chairman Daniel Levy and attempt to get the Spurs supremo to spend some money.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

As it is, only Troy Parrott is available as a traditional forward option and he’s a 17-year-old kid.

Mourinho would do well to lay the facts out to Levy and attempt to convince him to spend; strikers are out there if he is willing to pay for them.

Right now, Spurs need one.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans have laid into one man for his FA Cup performance. 

Ian Poveda’s route to Elland Road isn’t as direct as originally anticipated.

The Manchester City youngster seemed set for a move to Leeds earlier this month, but now a couple of stumbling blocks have been placed in United’s way.

What’s the story then?

Tuttosport in Italy are reporting that Ian Poveda was in Turin to watch Torino’s game over the weekend, and he was apparently joined by his agents.

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This trip could be seen as just an innocuous journey, but Phil Hay went on to confirm that there’s some interest from Italy in the winger.

The Whites could be left back at square one if Poveda decides to snub them, and this needs to be a shot in the arm for Victor Orta and his team.

Wake up Orta

The Athletic reported earlier this week that the bid for Poveda looked promising, yet there’s now a chance that they’ll miss out on the player.

It’s Victor Orta’s job to negotiate with these targets and it’s his job to convince them that Leeds United is the only place they should consider joining.

With the Whites within touching distance of the Premier League, it shouldn’t be hard for Orta, especially as they possess a manager who was once hailed as the best coach in the world.

Not only that, but he’s a coach whose reputation in South America is apparently a selling point for the winger.

It’s an easy sell for Orta as Leeds is such a lucrative destination at the moment, yet Poveda is still undecided on his future.

Whether Leeds miss out on Poveda or not, Orta needs to wake up to the fact that his inability to seal a deal quickly has endangered the signing of a player who himself and Bielsa reportedly rate very highly.

In other news, one Leeds man’s comments show that the Whites could do with an attitude adjustment.

Loads of Everton fans have been reacting to manager Carlo Ancelotti’s transfer comments prior to the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United.

The Italian was asked during his pre-match press conference whether the rumours linking the club with a move for former Liverpool and current Juventus midfielder Emre Can was true, and he made it pretty clear what the situation was with his answer.

He said: “I told you at the press conference that all of the names in the newspapers were wrong. I can say the same today.

“All of the names in the newspapers are wrong, also the names on Sky are wrong.”

Should the 60-year-old be telling the truth, then it is certainly good from the Merseyside outfit’s perspective if they are managing to keep their potential targets out of the public eye.

Sky Sports reported previously that Everton wanted to sign a new centre-back and central midfielder during the January transfer window, but there has been no movement so far with the only major deal being the loan exit of Cenk Tosun to Crystal Palace.

Although nothing looks to be on the cards right now, some Toffees supporters are loving their manager’s honesty and humour.

However, others believe that the comments from their manager point to it being unlikely that there will be any new arrivals through the door at Goodison Park this month.

It would be understandable from the club’s point of view as it can be difficult to get good value for money at this time of year, but the centre-back and central midfield positions in particular do look to need strengthening right now.

Did he play for Everton? Simple question but a lot tougher than you think…

Ancelotti only has Mason Holgate, Yerry Mina and Michael Keane to pick from as senior options in central defence, while the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fabian Delph have struggled in the middle of the park, with the former duo picking up 3/10 and 2/10 ratings respectively from The Liverpool Echo following their FA Cup displays against Liverpool earlier this month.

In other Everton news, Alan Myers has provided an update on how many players he expects the club to sign before the deadline…