Chelsea are thought to be leading the race to sign Brazilian wonderkid Endrick, according to The Evening Standard’s Nizaar Kinsella.

The Lowdown: Endrick profiled

Endrick is just 16 years of age but is already a household name in Brazil after scoring 165 goals in 169 games for Palmeiras’ youth teams.

He has been hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus and is sponsored by Nike. The left-footed forward has scored three times in five first-team appearances for Palmeiras, but it looks as if he could be on the move in the New Year.

The Latest: Endrick transfer update

Kinsella shared a story for The Evening Standard regarding Chelsea and Endrick on Tuesday. He said that ‘several recent meetings’ have been held with the Stamford Bridge club over a deal, with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also in the race for the teenager’s services.

Chelsea are hoping that their financial might can tempt Endrick, with any potential transfer to be signed in early 2023 ahead of a move to London the following year, when the player will turn 18.

The Verdict: Exciting

Endrick appears to be a star of the future, so it is exciting to know that Todd Boehly and Chelsea are pushing to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

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A move for the 16-year-old could be a major coup in the long run, but it would be interesting to see what the Blues would do with the youngster in the immediate future, should they secure his services.

A loan back to Palmeiras could make sense for all involved, and it looks as if this will be one to monitor over the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur will have a keen eye on the World Cup as domestic action takes a back seat for the next month.

Not only are some of Antonio Conte’s biggest stars competing in the tournament but sporting director Fabio Paratici will be keeping tabs on several potential signings with the January transfer window just around the corner.

Harry Kane will be leading out England on Monday afternoon, whilst the likes of Cristian Romero (Argentina), Heung-min Son (South Korea) and Hugo Lloris (France) are all key cogs for their respective nations.

However, there isn’t much being said about Spain, who are arguably still very much in the ‘rebuild’ phase, having moved on from superstars like Xavi, Andres Iniesta and more recently, Sergio Ramos – three players who lifted the World Cup back in 2010.

The long-term national heir to the former Real Madrid man seems to be Pau Torres, who could emerge as a surprise package this month, and according to 90min, he’s a player that Spurs remain keen on signing heading into 2023.

The Villarreal central defender has regularly been linked with a switch to north London, with reports suggesting that Paratici and co had submitted an enquiry last summer.

La Roja have been handed quite a tricky group, where they will face Germany, Japan and Costa Rica with all three likely to prove tough opposition and under Luis Enrique, that pass-heavy philosophy has remained, meaning players like Torres will see plenty of the ball.

It’s a backline that conceded only five times during qualification and the 25-year-old – who is likely to command £40m, as per the report – is an ideal fit to feature and if he does, and then impresses, he could be one of the surprise sensations of the tournament.

As per FBref, Torres has registered an average of 3.50 progressive passes per 90, which is within the top 13% of all centre-backs across Europe over the last year, whilst he has been rather consistent in LaLiga this term, mustering up an 86.6% passing accuracy.

By no means a guaranteed starter, he has featured far more regularly than Manchester City colossus Aymeric Laporte and plays for a far weaker Spanish side than Barca’s Eric Garcia, so his numbers are a little more impressive.

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If he continues to impress on the world’s biggest stage, then Spurs better act fast as there will be a queue of clubs lining up to sign Torres – who was once dubbed an “exciting talent” by ESPN editor David Cartlidge – in January.

Given his passing and left-footed ability, he could stun many at the World Cup and subsequently make a good signing for Conte’s quest to bring success to the club in 2023.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal dream Conte signing as Spurs eye move for £35m “Italian Beckham”…

Newcastle United have been in phenomenal form in the Premier League this season currently third in the table and now a new update has emerged on a player who could potentially be a target for the Magpies if they continue to dominate.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed what it would take for Newcastle to sign recently linked Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic.

When asked about the potential of signing Vlahovic, Jones revealed:

“If Newcastle can qualify for the Champions League, then that’s the moment we can take links like this more seriously.

“They’ve taken a very gradual step-by-step rise in what they expect from their recruitment process so far, at the moment they’ve got forwards like Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak who are really good.

“Vlahovic would be considered to be the next tier up from that given he’s largely considered one of the most exciting young forwards in the world, so I don’t think it’s realistic at this point.”

Howe could land his own Haaland

There is no doubt that it would be an ambitious effort for Newcastle to try to sign Vlahovic as he only joined Juventus in January 2022 in a transfer worth £66m, so it would be unlikely that the Italian club would be willing to part ways with their star striker.

However, if Newcastle remain unstoppable in their rise up the Premier League table and compete comfortably in the Champions League in the campaigns ahead, a move for the talented goal machine would not be an unrealistic prospect.

The 22-year-old striker has scored 88 goals and registered 14 assists in 193 appearances with a goal contribution every 121 minutes over his career so far, proving that he is a consistent and reliable threat in front of goal.

Over 10 Serie A appearances this season, Vlahovic has scored six goals and delivered one assist, as well as averaging 1.1 key passes, 3.1 shots on goal and 4.1 duels won per game.

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Howe could even land his very own Erling Haaland as the Manchester City striker has been named as the fifth most comparable player to the young forward, according to FBref.

The two strikers share many similarities in their output over the season so far including goals per shots on target (0.45 v 0.60), pass completion (70.9% v 73.7%), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (2.54 v 2.52) and touches in the attacking third (145 v 167).

With that being said, the signing of Vlahovic would be a major coup for Newcastle and would certainly put them a fantastic position to compete in both the Premier League and in European competitions if they can qualify in the seasons ahead.

Reported West Ham United transfer target Youssef En-Nesyri could be made available for sale during the upcoming January window. 

The Lowdown: West Ham linked with En-Nesyri

The Premier League club have been linked with a move for the Sevilla striker in the past, most recently during the previous summer transfer window.

Since then, the 25-year-old has gone on to make 15 appearances for his club across all competitions this season, while he also grabbed a goal for Morocco in the World Cup as he helped his country to top their group ahead of Croatia, Belgium and Canada.

Now that another transfer window is set to open for business in the coming weeks, it seems as though En-Nesyri could be at the centre of attention once again.

The Latest: En-Nesyri potentially up for sale

According to a recent report from Marca, Sevilla could look to cash in on the striker in January to improve their financial situation.

The report also mentions West Ham’s previous interest in signing the Moroccan in both January 2021 and last summer.

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The Verdict: A question for West Ham

With just two La Liga starts to his name across 10 appearances this term, it seems that the striker – who was once described as “prolific” by journalist Muhammad Butt – is not Sevilla’s first-choice at the moment, despite boasting 73 goals across club and international level.

However, the Moroccan has still shown how much of a threat he can offer by posting the second-highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes (3.98) at his club, along with the highest rate of shots on target per 90 minutes (1.49).

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Considering how only four teams have a lower rate of shots on target per 90 than West Ham (3.53) in the Premier League this season, it could be said that a player with En-Nesyri’s attacking quality is something which could greatly benefit David Moyes’ side.

With all of that in mind, it could well be worth the Hammers testing the water to see how much it could take for Sevilla to sell the Morocco striker in January.

West Ham United have been dealt a potential injury scare as Alphonse Areola has reportedly missed training ahead of France’s World Cup clash against Tunisia. 

The Lowdown: Areola’s season so far

So far this season, the shot-stopper has made 11 appearances for the Premier League club across all competitions, keeping five clean sheets in the process.

Having been included in France’s World Cup squad, the 29-year-old has been an unused substitute for both of their games against Australia and Denmark so far in Qatar.

With the reigning champions set to take on Tunisia in their final group game of the 2022 tournament, having already secured their place in the last 16, it seems as though the possibility of Areola making his first appearance of the competition has been thrown into question.

The Latest: Areola misses France training

According to a recent report from L’Equipe, Areola missed one of France’s training sessions ahead of their match against Tunisia with a suspected issue in his back.

The report also highlights that France have already been hit with some big injury issues which have seen the likes of Karim Benzema and Lucas Hernandez being forced to withdraw from the tournament.

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The Verdict: A concern for West Ham

Despite being the second-choice goalkeeper at West Ham behind Lukasz Fabianski, the possibility of seeing Areola out of action would still be a concern for the Irons and David Moyes.

Having played in all six of West Ham’s Europa Conference League games this season, it’s clear that he is still an important squad figure at the club.

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Across those six appearances, the £120k-per-week Frenchman has faced 17 shots on target and saved 13, leaving him with the sixth-highest save percentage (82.4%) out of all goalkeepers to feature in the competition.

Taking all that into account, everyone at the London Stadium will surely have their fingers crossed that the back issue which kept Areola out of France’s training session on Monday will not be anything serious which carries over into the resumption of club action on Boxing Day.

Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale will likely be sweating on the long-term futures of both Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, with the duo still yet to commit their futures to the Ibrox outfit.

What’s the word?

It remains to be seen if the two men will remain in Glasgow beyond the end of the season due to their expiring contracts, with Gers chairman Douglas Park having only recently hinted that the players’ demands could well be “unattainable”.

The aforementioned Beale also stated upon his return to the club that he would “ideally” like to keep the pair with the Old Firm outfit for the long term, albeit while having acknowledged that both men are “capable of more” amid their current woes.

Transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now provided his verdict on the situation, with the journalist stating that the incoming coach will likely be keen to see a resolution to the current situation sooner rather than later.

“He [Beale] wants to know very quickly what the situation is here with both of these players because it’s very influential as to how you’re going to shape up the rest of your squad too, but they can also have a massive impact on the rest of the season,” Jones stated.

Ruthlessly ditch dud duo

Despite Beale previously admitting that he would like the two men – who are earning a reported £51k-per-week between them – to remain part of his plans moving forward, the 42-year-old may well have to be ruthless and move the misfiring duo on in January if they remain uncommitted to the cause.

In the case of Morelos, the Colombian striker has endured a torrid start to the campaign after scoring just three times in 19 games in all competitions, having notably been dropped earlier this season by former boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst regarding fitness and attitude concerns.

The 26-year-old has notably been described as looking like a “pub amateur” by journalist Graham Spiers following his particularly limp Champions League displays in the group stage – in which the former HJK Helsinki man failed to register a single goal contribution – having lost his place in the side behind summer signing, Antonio Colak.

Although there may well be a desire to try and rejuvenate an asset who has scored 115 goals for the club to date, it could prove an opportune time to start afresh and boldly ditch the polarising marksman.

The same can seemingly be said of teammate Kent – who has been linked with a Premier League move of late – with the Englishman having also endured his own dismal run of form in the early months of the season, having been described as the club’s “biggest failure” by pundit Frank McAvennie.

The former Liverpool gem was also said to have “disappeared” in the 7-1 drubbing at the hands of his former employers, in the words of pundit Neil McCann, with the 26-year-old having also failed to register a goal or an assist in Europe this term.

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Although the Oldham-born speedster does have six assists and a goal to his name in the top flight, it may well prove hard to rely on a player who is potentially thinking about pastures new heading into the second half of the campaign, particularly should no contract extension emerge.

Should Beale wish try and put his own stamp on the current squad, he could seemingly be best served allowing the duo to depart in the New Year, with pundit Gabby Agbonlahor suggesting that the “inconsistent” forwards “need to go”.

As Rangers look to improve upon a frustrating and disappointing start to the campaign, getting both Morelos and Kent out the door could well be a good place to start.

Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Attacker wanted

Given recent links to the likes of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Leeds United’s Jack Harrison and PSV’s Cody Gakpo, it is clear that the St. James’ Park outfit would like to bring in another attacker in January, to help them push all the way for a UEFA Champions League place come the end of next season.

Having largely been a missed out on Brazil’s FIFA World Cup squad in Qatar, Cunha is likely to seek a move away this winter, which could give a number of clubs an opportunity to pounce on his signature.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘offered’ Cunha

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Magpies have been ‘offered’ Cunha in January alongside Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, as Atletico are ‘desperate’ to offload his wages, and would be ‘prepared’ to sanction a loan move.

However, Everton, Aston Villa and Leeds United have made contact with Cunha’s representatives over a potential deal, and are ‘actively trying’ to strike one for him, while the player himself is ‘interested’ in working with Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, but ‘sources’ have claimed that he would like to explore all of his options first of all before making a final decision on his future.

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The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

Eddie Howe’s side have had no real problems in the attacking third of the pitch this term, with their 29 goals scored in the Premier League the fourth-highest in the division.

Dubbed ‘something special‘ by former Hertha Berlin head coach Bruno Labbadia, after impressing with the German club, where he managed 23 goal contributions in 40 games (Transfermarkt), in truth Cunha has struggled for form since moving to Atletico,  failing to find the back of the net so far in this campaign.

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Lauded as a player who is ‘very fast’, with ‘great technical skills’, ‘unpredictable gameplay’ and an ‘excellent goal instinct’ by his former manager at Swiss side FC Sion Maurizio Jacobacci, Cunha boasts a similar playing style to Tyneside striker Alexander Isak, but the former would likely have to be pushed out wide in order to accommodate the Sweden international.

Sharing the same agent as Toon central midfielder and fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes, a deal could certainly be pushed through, but the North East club may want to think twice about whether Cunha is the right fit for them.

Glasgow Rangers are in the mix to sign Standard Liege sensation Nicolas Raskin, according to reports in Belgium.

The Lowdown: Raskin profiled

The 21 year-old is a versatile midfielder who has enjoyed a rapid breakout into Liege’s first-team over the last couple of seasons, seeing his transfer value skyrocket from €325k to €7m in the space of two years, an increase of over 2,000 per cent.

Capable of playing as a deep-lying number six, a box to box number eight or even in the advanced number ten position, Raskin is now attracting interest from all over Europe due to his tense contract situation.

The youngster’s current deal runs out next summer, and he recently took to social media to make it clear he is not in talks to extend, even calling a journalist a ‘clown’ for reporting otherwise.

The Latest: Rangers join the race

Seemingly not impressed by his very public statement, Liege have now decided to cash in this January, with Voetbal Nieuws (via Sport Witness) revealing Raskin turned down a new contract worth €1.8m per year and has been relegated to the Jupiler Pro League outfit’s B-team.

They are now waiting for ‘any interesting offer’, and Rangers join Club Brugge, Leeds United, SC Braga, Genoa, Fiorentina, Marseille and Lille as ‘potential buyers’.

The verdict: Worth the gamble?

Given the contract standoff seemingly taking place at the Premiership club right now with Alfredo Morelos – the striker has allegedly requested £45k per week to sign a new deal – fans may be cautious about engaging with another maverick.

That said, the Gers haven’t exactly done poorly out of their time with the Colombian, as he’s racked up 116 goals for the club, and if Raskin could even manage half of that impact then he would be a worthwhile gamble.

The versatile midfielder, dubbed ‘brilliant’ in his teens and tipped to part of Belgium’s next golden generation by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has provided four assists in 14 Belgian League starts this season, showing an eye for a pass that has often been lacking in the Ibrox midfield ranks.

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For context, Malik Tillman is the only Rangers midfielder with four Premiership assists this season, and he of course plays in a more advanced role.

With so many sides interested in Raskin and a senior Belgium berth seemingly inevitable for the Under-21 international, Ross Wilson would be a fool not to test the waters with a cut-price January bid.

Leeds United have been handed a tough test for their return to Premier League action this evening following the recent World Cup break, with the Elland Road outfit set to play host to champions Manchester City.

This fixture did not prove particularly fruitful for the Whites last season as the Yorkshire side shipped 11 goals without reply in those two meetings, with it even more concerning that that miserable record came prior to Erling Haaland’s arrival.

The Norwegian hotshot – who was born in Leeds – will seemingly be hoping to maintain his rampant start to life in English football with another clinical showing later today, with the 22-year-old having already bagged 18 goals in just 13 league games thus far.

Although manager Jesse Marsch will likely be concerned with trying to stop his former Red Bull Salzburg asset from adding to that tally, the American should also be considering how his own attacking unit can hurt the opposition, with the 49-year-old seeking to avoid a third successive league defeat.

The former RB Leipzig man has, however, seen his preparations disrupted amid the injury woes of a number of his key men, with it now an anxious wait to see if the likes of Jack Harrison, Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo – among others – will be fit to feature against Pep Guardiola’s side.

That lengthy list of potential absentees could well provide a chance for summer signing Wilfried Gnonto to prove his worth from the start, however, with the Italy international having been restricted to just three top-flight appearances so far this term.

The 19-year-old’s only start in the league in the current campaign for his new club came in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with the teenager having been hooked at the break in that 4-3 thriller.

Nevertheless, the former Zurich starlet – who scored 12 goals and recorded ten assists in 74 games during his time in Switzerland – has shown flashes of his quality during his time in England thus far, having particularly impressed during the club’s recent mid-season friendly fixtures.

That impact was lauded by pundit Noel Whelan, who suggested that the youngster could now be deserving of a more prominent role heading into the second half of the campaign:

“I think he’s ready. Everyone has seen that. He’s had time to settle into the football club, into the environment, new teammates – and now he looks ready, and very hungry.

“There have been some real moments of brilliance in these friendlies. He’s like a firework when he gets on the ball because he’s just got so much energy.

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“He is definitely a very exciting player and someone who can make a difference in this second half of the season.”

Having been eased into his new surroundings in recent months, the time has seemingly come for Gnonto to truly show what he can do by being given a consistent run in the side, with the club’s injury woes set to provide him what that platform to impress.

While it may not be ideal circumstances to unleash such a raw talent against the might of City, the 5-foot-7 sensation could well prove the hidden gem who can make the ‘difference’ tonight.

West Ham United’s form in the Premier League has plummeted like a rock down a mountain this season, a stark difference to the excellent form of the past two seasons that clinched European qualification on both occasions. 

What’s the word?

With Irons boss David Moyes looking to rectify the woes that have recently plagued his team, SC Freiburg’s dynamic forward Roland Sallai has been distinguished as an avenue to bolster the efforts over the latter course of the campaign. 

This is according to Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak, who recently took to Twitter to confirm the growing attention on the player, and the prospects of a transfer.

He tweeted:

“Many clubs are interested in Roland Sallai (25) in January. He switched agencies recently and is open to a move.

“Lazio, Wolverhampton, West Ham, Sevilla and Fiorentina are all possible destinations. He has 4 G/As in his last 4 caps. Freiburg want €20m.”

With stiff competition for his services, Moyes would be prudent to act with conviction and swiftly, signing the player for roughly £17.6m after convincing him that his future is best suited with the ambitious east London outfit.

Dybala 2.0

Sallai has scored just one goal this season, although he has only made five starts due to an injury that severely hampered his progress, ruling him out for 13 competitive matches.

His international record, however, is exemplary; scoring nine goals and serving five assists from 38 appearances for Hungary, Sallai has cemented his integral offensive role for his nation, notably starring in the momentous 4-0 demolition of England at Wembley earlier this year.

In that match, as per Sofascore, the 25-year-old played his part to devastating effect, scoring an emphatic brace and proving to be a consistent threat with his 30 touches and 78% pass success rate.

His defensive statistics also caught the eye, with his three tackles, two interceptions and one clearance playing a vital part in rebuffing the advances of England on a chastening night on home soil. 

Such dogged attributes would be a welcome bonus to the Hammers, who could certainly utilise a player boasting offensive and defensive calibre in the fight to return to prominence in the division.

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The Daily Mail once stated that reports had left the Hungarian ace likened to A.S.a Roma’s Paulo Dybala, who has been a perennial star within the Serie A ranks for years, winning a wealth of major honours with Juventus before his summer switch this year, and scoring 103 goals and 53 assists in the league from 280 appearances since his debut with Palermo.

There will undoubtedly be reservations over a player that has yet to open his account in the German Bundesliga this term, but there is a layer of natural talent to Sallai’s game that could prove to be a valuable option at Moyes’ disposal.

A player who has not quite found his feet this term, West Ham must not be deterred, as evidenced by Bocsak’s tweet, there is plenty of intrigue from ambitious outfits for his signature; Sallai would bring a versatile approach and a robust presence to the heart of the team, flourishing across a number of roles and always on the search to instigate forward plays.