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Journalist Ryan Taylor has shared a worrying update on Leeds United target Azzedine Ounahi.

The Lowdown: Ounahi speculation

The Whites have already signed Max Wober from Red Bull Salzburg and appear close to a move for Hoffenheim forward Georginio Rutter.

Leeds officials are also targeting Angers midfielder Ounahi, with reports last weekend suggesting that an offer has been made. However, rumours claimed that the player doesn’t want to join Leeds, and another blow has emerged in the club’s quest to sign the Morocco international.

The Latest: Taylor’s comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport on Monday night, Taylor shared what he’s been ‘told’ regarding Ounahi, admitting Leeds’ offer was worth around £17.5m, which would make him the club’s eight-most expensive signing of all time. The reporter said that an unnamed club are in advanced talks for the midfielder, which may come as a worry to the Whites.

When asked if he thinks Andrea Radrizzani will land his transfer target, Taylor replied: “No, to be honest. I know they put in a bid for around about £17.5 million.

“There’s been kind of mixed feelings on this, but I was actually told yesterday that there was a club in advanced talks to sign Ounahi from Angers and he would stay at the club for the rest of the season on loan.

“I don’t know who it is, but there’s been a lot of clubs interested. Napoli, weirdly Almeria from La Liga as well, and Marseille are very active in talks with Angers over that.”

The Verdict: Needed?

Mateusz Klich has recently sealed an emotional Elland Road exit, so there is definitely room for another midfielder in Jesse Marsch’s squad.

Ounahi would offer plenty of versatility in Yorkshire as he is capable of lining out as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder.

He appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €15m (£13.2m) Transfermarkt valuation, so he could be a shrewd signing if the Whites bring him in. Leeds have tried their best with a £17.5m offer, but in truth, their attempts could be in vain judging by Taylor’s comments.

The January transfer window is well underway and Sunderland are yet to make their first move of the month to improve their squad heading into the second half of the campaign.

Tony Mowbray is yet to make an addition to his team but could be on the lookout for reinforcements in the next couple of weeks, particularly after Premier League side Everton opted to recall striker Ellis Simms from his loan spell at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats lost 3-1 to Swansea at the weekend and are now sat three points off the play-off places, in 10th, and 12 points clear of the relegation zone.

Sunderland have put themselves in an excellent position to attack the next few months and attempt to secure a top-six finish with an eye on competing for a place in the Premier League next season.

Therefore, improving the team in the coming days and weeks could strengthen their chances of finishing in the play-offs and that is why Kristjaan Speakman and Mowbray must clinch a few deals before the end of the month.

One player they could sign to upgrade their current starting XI is Hibernian central defender Ryan Porteous, who is reportedly a transfer target for the club.

West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City and Watford have also been linked with an interest in signing the Scotland international and the Black Cats must now beat off competition from their Championship rivals in order to secure a deal for the enforcer.

The 23-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and Hibs have already confirmed that he will not be putting pen to paper on an extension, which means that the gem will be available for nothing in the summer.

Sunderland should swoop to sign him for a cut-price fee, if possible, this month as the defender has the potential to be a big upgrade on Luke O’Nien.

The current Black Cats defender, who was shown a straight red card in the defeat to Swansea last time out, has had a solid, if unspectacular, campaign for the club in the second tier. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 and won 52% of his individual duels across 25 appearances in the division.

Porteous – who former Hibs player John Hughes hailed as a “heart-on-sleeve” and “full-blooded” warrior – has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.24 and won an impressive 66% of his battles in 21 Premiership outings this term. The gem also averaged a score of 7.11 and won 66% of his duels in 2021/22, which shows that his displays this season have not been a flash in the pan.

These statistics indicate that the Scotsman could offer more to Sunderland as his average performance level and his efficiency in his defensive actions are far more impressive than O’Nien’s.

He is also five years younger than the former Wycombe Wanderers man and could, therefore, be a great long-term signing for Sunderland and someone who they could take on a journey by developing him as the club, hopefully, moves up the pyramid.

Nottingham Forest target Chris Wood has now ‘approved’ a deal to make the move to The City Ground, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The New Zealand international has entered the final 18 months of his contract at Premier League rivals Newcastle, and having made just four top-flight starts this season, could be looking to head elsewhere in search of more game time.

Steve Cooper desperately needs to bolster the attacking ranks to ensure they survive relegation at the end of the campaign, and having initially identified the 31-year-old as an ideal candidate, a huge development has now taken place.

The Latest: Wood says yes

Taking to Twitter, Romano relayed an update from The Athletic and revealed that the Magpies striker has given the green light for him to join Cooper’s side.

“Nottingham Forest are in advanced talks to sign Chris Wood. Negotiations progressing well over loan with buy option clause.

“Player has already approved the move, it’s on the clubs now but advancing — as per @TheAthleticFC.”

The Verdict: Awoniyi replacement

Taiwo Awoniyi is reportedly facing months on the sidelines due to injury, so Wood will be an ideal replacement to bring to the Midlands.

The 6 foot 3 colossus has plenty of experience at this level having clocked up 61 goal contributions in 189 Premier League appearances, alongside currently ranking in the 99th percentile for aerials won per 90 minutes, showing he can bring a real focal point to Cooper’s team.

Forest are searching for a new forward and Wood is on the hunt for more minutes, making this a move that is definitely suitable for both parties.

Chelsea are unlikely to meet Brighton and Hove Albion’s ‘valuation’ of Moises Caicedo before the end of the month, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: £100m price tag set

The Premier League playmaker’s contract at The Amex isn’t set to expire until 2025, but with his impressive performances this season having generated interest, the Seagulls are willing to listen to substantial offers.

Todd Boehly tabled an opening £55m bid for the 21-year-old but that was swiftly rejected, with the south coast outfit having since placed a £100m price tag on his head in the hope of putting Graham Potter’s side off a deal.

The Ecuadorian also expressed his desire to remain at Brighton in a public interview with the club’s official website on Tuesday stating that he’s focusing on the remainder of the season, seemingly ending transfer speculation.

The Latest: Jones’ verdict

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones suggested that Chelsea will return to negotiations with a higher proposal in the final week of the window, but insisted that supporters shouldn’t expect anything out of the ordinary to happen.

“There’s a possibility that they will go in with an increased offer for Caicedo this week.

“The problem is that, from what I’m hearing, I still don’t think it’s going to get to a level whereby it meets Brighton’s valuation.

“I think expectations should be a little bit limited here from a Chelsea fan’s point of view.”

The Verdict: Wait until summer

Caicedo has been dubbed a ‘Machine-Man’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but Chelsea should wait to pursue a permanent deal for him until the summer.

The Seagulls star is naturally a defensive midfielder but also has the versatility to operate in the centre, where he’s currently averaging 2.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per top-flight game (WhoScored).

Boehly has already splashed plenty of cash this window on the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk so it would probably be the right decision not to go any more rogue and empty the pot in January.

N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are also both out of contract at the end of the campaign so midfield reinforcements will be needed in the summer, which presents the perfect opportunity to go all guns blazing for Caicedo.

Arsenal passed their biggest test yet and maintained control at the top of the Premier League standings with a dramatic late victory over Manchester United on Sunday night.

Manchester City thrashed Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day to put the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s men, clinching all three points after going behind, to secure a five-point cushion from the second-placed defending champions.

And the Spaniard has Eddie Nketiah to thank after his match-winner in the 90th minute, having already bagged the Gunners’ first goal – the initial equaliser – either side of Bukayo Saka’s lovely angled strike.

But there were many heroes on the pitch at the Emirates Stadium, perhaps some that won’t get as much credit, such as versatile left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was practically playing as an additional central midfielder for the majority of the second half.

Not only did he get back to win his duels but practically every bit of play ran through him, eventually leading to that aforementioned three-point-snatching climax.

In what was described as a “phenomenal” and “monster of a performance” by ESPNUK editor David Cartlidge, the Ukraine star – who cost Arsenal only £32m in the summer – led the way with 85 touches, which was the most of any player on the pitch and thus, emphasises just how crucial he was to the end result.

With that possession, he provided 57 accurate passes (88%), of which one was a key chance created, whilst he also did some resolute and impressive defensive duties – living up to that ‘monster’ tag – as he registered two tackles, two interceptions and one clearance, via Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Zinchenko’s heatmap was remarkable, pretty much occupying a regular spot as a left-sided attacking midfielder, which not only shows how much influence he had but how Arsenal had the Red Devils camped in their own box for a good portion of the match, with the £150k-per-week star at the forefront of the action.

There were truly not enough superlatives to describe his showing, ranging from “unreal” from the Evening Standard’s Simon Collings to “very special” by Rank Squad podcaster Jack Collins.

Guardian and Times journalist Freddie Paxton also waxed lyrical, adding: “Alex Zinchenko. Constantly talking to his teammates. Geeing up the crowd. Never hides, master of keeping the ball. WORLD CLASS.”

Indeed, Zinchenko was the real star of the show as the Gunners registered what could be a very poignant victory at a crucial time in the season. If the 26-year-old continues to perform and lead like that, then he’ll no doubt be lifting the Premier League trophy come May.

AND in other news, Edu could repeat Odegaard masterclass in Arsenal swoop for Vieira-esque £35m “monster”…

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Aston Villa’s interest in Athletic Bilbao striker Nico Williams but believes that the player won’t be leaving the La Liga side in the coming days.

The Lowdown: New forward wanted after Duran

NSWE have brought in teenage forward Jhon Duran this month from Chicago Fire but have sold Villa’s top 2022/23 scorer in Danny Ings to West Ham.

Duran and Ollie Watkins are the club’s only centre-forward options available to Unai Emery, although the club still want to bring in a new striker before Tuesday’s deadline.

The Latest: Romano’s comments

Villa have been linked with a move for Williams this month, with The Daily Mail claiming that the Spaniard – who has been dubbed ‘phenomenal’ by Football Talent scout Jacek Kulig – rejected a move to Villa Park.

Romano shared what he’s been ‘told’ about the situation to GiveMeSport, confirming the Villans’ interest in the 20-year-old, but he added that a winter exit from Bilbao is unlikely.

The Italian said in relation to Villa: “I think they will try for many players; for Nico Williams, it’s true that they have an interest, but from what I’m told, Nico Williams is not leaving now. So he’s not leaving in January unless something crazy happens in the final days.”

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The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

It looks as if Villa could be chasing a lost cause when it comes to Williams, who has outperformed Ollie Watkins this season, as per WhoScored metrics.

They have already brought in an exciting young forward in Duran, so it could be wise for Emery and NSWE to move on to alternative targets, potentially a forward who has plenty of experience.

Lyon’s Moussa Dembele has been linked in recent weeks, and with the Frenchman out of contract in the summer, he could be a smart stop-gap addition for the second half of the season.

The 26-year-old has scored goals on a regular basis for Celtic and Lyon, so you could make the argument to pursue Dembele instead, with an approach already made and a bargain £3m fee mooted.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke says that Everton are ‘plotting’ a move for West Ham United defender Ben Johnson.

The Lowdown: Gordon money to spend…

Everton now have money to spend after selling Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United for a reported £40m, potentially rising to £45m.

However, the Toffees have reportedly offered the same amount to Chelsea to try and sign midfielder Conor Gallagher, so it will be interesting to see how much money they have left in the bank to potentially spend on other signings.

The Latest: Johnson move plotted

Taking to Twitter, O’Rourke says that Everton are also ‘plotting’ a move for Johnson before the transfer window closes tomorrow night.

He tweeted: “Understand Everton are plotting a move to sign West Ham defender Ben Johnson before the close of the transfer window.”

Expanding in his corresponding article for Football Insider, O’Rourke adds that new Toffees manager Sean Dyche has already ‘sanctioned’ the move and is a ‘big admirer’ of Johnson’s versatility and Premier League calibre.

The Verdict: Smart target

Everton need to strengthen in a number of key areas before the transfer deadline, including in attack after the departure of Gordon, but full-back is another area which needs cover.

Johnson is equally as comfortable playing at right-back as at left-back, and Ruben Vinagre is only on loan from Sporting Lisbon, so the Toffees will need long-term competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left flank.

At right-back, Seamus Coleman is not getting any younger at 34, while Nathan Patterson has struggled with injuries ever since making his move from Rangers.

Nonetheless, considering Johnson’s Premier League experience, this would be a smart move for the Toffees, should they be able to get him signed before the deadline.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has slammed Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton after he took a terrible dive to try and win a penalty in the club’s most recent game.

What’s the word?

Things have been going pretty brilliantly for Eddie Howe and his side this season. After all, they currently sit fourth in the Premier League and have a Carabao Cup final to play in the near future.

However, they suffered a slight setback on the weekend as they were held to a 1-0 draw at home against West Ham United as Lucas Paqueta’s 32nd-minute strike was enough to tie the game despite Callum Wilson firing the Magpies into an early lead.

During the game with the scores level an hour nearly played, Joelinton drove into the box and threw himself to the ground when Nayef Aguerd challenged him for the ball.

However, clearly, there was no contact made and the Brazilian was subsequently booked for his theatrics. While speaking about the incident live on BBC 606, Sutton didn’t hold back on his criticism.

He said: “The winner of this week’s simulation game, Joelinton. A double dive from Joelinton.

“No, no, Joelinton. You’re better than that. Newcastle, come on, sort it out. But the award which you don’t want to win, Joelinton has won it. They’ve had a great season. But you are better than that, Joelinton.”

Poor sport

It seems as though Sutton isn’t the only one to have an issue with this terrible attempt to win a penalty with fans online mocking the “absolutely shameful dive” (via Daily Star).

That incident was a notably low point for Joelinton in a game where he and his teammates really struggled to deliver any real moments of quality beyond the early goal they scored.

Indeed, the Brazilian picked up a SofaScore player rating of 6.6 which was the fifth worst of all the Newcastle players who featured in the game.

Still, Howe kept the midfielder on for the full 90 as he finished the match with 86 touches and 81 per cent passing accuracy while giving the ball away 19 times and making four fouls – which includes the dive that he was booked for.

With all that in mind, there’s certainly room for improvement next time out.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane was dubbed “utterly anonymous” by Danish Spurs podcaster Andreas Thau Loftager.

The Lowdown: Spurs nightmare

Spurs were left on the end of a hammering at the hands of Leicester City as the Lilywhites threw away a one goal lead to run out 4-1 losers at the King Power.

Rodrigo Bentancur gave Antonio Conte the best start following his return to the dugout after surgery to remove his gallbladder (BBC), but it went downhill quickly for the Italian’s side as they conceded two in two minutes midway through the first half to see the game completely turn against them.

A win would’ve seen Tottenham leapfrog Newcastle United into the top four of the Premier League but couldn’t take the opportunity.

The Latest: Loftager’s criticism

Host of a Danish Spurs podcast channel called Lyden af White Hart Danes, Loftager ripped in Spurs’ dismal performance on Twitter, singling out players including Spurs new all-time record goal scorer Kane, saying:

“Worst game in a Spurs shirt from Kulusevski. Son is back to his League 2 level. Kane completely and utterly anonymous today; worse than Haaland last weekend. This is abysmal offensively. Don’t even get me started on Perisic, man.

“Conte’s reaction. Absolutely nothing. #LEITOT”

The Verdict: Afternoon to forget

Just six days after becoming Tottenham’s greatest-ever goal scorer, Kane was unable to inject anything to Spurs’ performance for one of the only times this season, with him bagging 17 times in just 22 Premier League games previously.

Spurs saviour in times gone by was unable to show his magic with him having just 24 touches, the same as goalkeeper Fraser Forster as the lowest of the Tottenham starters (via Sofascore), making a messily 12 accurate passes in 90 minutes.

Kane won just five out of nine duels during the game and was caught offside twice as he tried in vain to battle and force Tottenham’s way back into the game, with AC Milan and London derbies against West Ham United and Chelsea to come, he’ll have to snap back to his best soon.

Manchester United’s 13-game winning run at Old Trafford came to an end on Wednesday evening, with the Red Devils forced to fight back from two goals down to secure a point against bitter rivals Leeds United.

In what was a thrilling, end-to-end encounter between the two long-time foes, an early goal from the electric Wilfried Gnonto set the tone for what was to follow, with the Italian speedster netting inside 55 seconds to stun the home crowd.

The managerless visitors then enjoyed another fast start following the break, with Raphael Varane inadvertently turning home Crysencio Summerville’s pullback, leaving Erik ten Hag’s men with a mountain to climb to get something from the game.

To their credit, the in-form hosts soon responded through Marcus Rashford’s well-taken header, before the returning Jadon Sancho curled his effort through the hands of Illan Meslier for what was his first goal since September in all competitions.

Despite having plenty of time to complete that comeback, there was to be no winner for the Red Devils in the end, with the top-four hopefuls potentially left to reflect on what was two points dropped against their relegation-threatened opponents.

On a night of mixed fortunes for United, one clear villain was midfield dud, Fred, with the Brazil international having seemingly suffered without the presence of suspended compatriot, Casemiro, alongside him.

The “erratic” 29-year-old – as described by journalist Rob Blanchette – endured one of those nights where simply little went his way, having regularly sparked groans from those inside the Theatre of Dreams for his slack passing and carelessness in possession.

That was evident as the former Shakhtar Donetsk man lost the ball a staggering 24 times from his 83 touches, ensuring he ended the relentless encounter with a measly pass accuracy rate of just 67%.

Amid what was a “really poor” performance – in the words of Manchester Evening News’ Samuel Luckhurst – the £120k-per-week man was also less than effective in winning the ball back having won only six of his 16 total duels, while also committing three fouls and being dribbled past on two occasions.

That distinct lack of quality was also apparent in an attacking sense, with Fred having squandered a handful of potential openings late on, notably producing a tame, curling effort that was routinely saved by Meslier.

On what was a ‘regressive night’ for the 5 foot 7 man in which he routinely ‘irked’ the crowd, as per Luckhurst, the struggling asset simply laid bare just how much of a miss Casemiro will be in the forthcoming games.

On the evidence of last night’s showing, the 30-year-old’s return can’t come soon enough…