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Manchester City are interested in West Ham United star Declan Rice stemming back to reports from October 2022 and his potential arrival at the Etihad could allow Pep Guardiola to get rid of summer flop Kalvin Phillips.

According to ExWHUEmployee (via Caught Offside), West Ham are still keen on the England international having failed to sign him from Leeds United in the summer.

He said: “Kalvin Phillips is someone that West Ham, David Moyes especially, 100% rates. I know categorically, factually, that we spoke about signing him in the summer and in January before that, that we really, really wanted [him].

“I get the feeling that patience is running thin with him and I’ve always said that it wouldn’t surprise me if Man City were to offer Phillips in exchange for Rice at the end of the season.”

This could be an ideal opportunity for Guardiola to get rid of a player who has failed to start a single game in Manchester City colours since his £45m switch in 2022, while also bringing in one of the world’s most exciting midfield talents.

Phillips has endured a number of injury problems since signing his £150k-per-week contract at the Etihad but was still deemed fit enough to travel to the World Cup in Qatar, but returned “overweight” in the words of his manager, and hasn’t featured since.

£150m-valued Rice, meanwhile, is desperate to play in the Champions League and looks unlikely to achieve that dream at the London Stadium, given that the Hammers are currently embroiled in a relegation battle after a shocking start to the season.

If we compare Rice’s stats from last season to Phillips’ stats from the same campaign, it seems clear that the 23-year-old would be a big upgrade at the Etihad.

Rice averaged a 7.10 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League, compared to his England teammate’s measly 6.45 average rating.

He also averaged more interceptions (1.8 vs 1.2), key passes (0.7 vs 0.5) and dribbles per game (1.4 vs 0.4), which suggests that he is a far better all-round package in midfield.

Fabrizio Romano has previously described Rice as “untouchable” in the transfer window but the Hammers captain’s reluctance to sign a new deal, as well as the Irons’ interest in Phillips, could just give City the edge in any potential deal for the England star this year.

Leeds United’s move for Birmingham City starlet George Hall in January will depend on the fee the Championship side demand.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, following a number of reports linking Victor Orta with a £3m move for the 18-year-old, whether or not the director of football manages to get a deal over the line for the central midfielder this winter will depend on how much Birmingham command for the youngster.

In response to a supporter asking for an update on Leeds’ interest in the reported Everton and Liverpool target, Nixon said: “Been after him before… would come down to the cost.”

A big signing

Considering just how exciting a prospect Hall very much looks to be, the argument that Orta could seal a big signing by beating the likes of Everton and Liverpool to the addition of the teenager this winter is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, the £1.6m-rated talent is already beginning to establish himself as a key figure in John Eustace’s first-team squad, having scored one goal, registered one assist and created two big chances over his 18 Championship fixtures – five of which have come as starts – this season, as well as taking an average of 0.3 shots, making 0.2 key passes and completing 0.2 dribbles per game.

These displays have seen the £577-per-week starlet – who is able to operate from central, right, left and attacking midfield – come in for a significant amount of praise, none more so than from Eustace, who said of the 18-year-old last year:

“George is a fantastic young player who’s a big player for us and for the team… he’s a top young player. But all I want to do is to keep on developing George in the right way, which I think we have done so far.

“For me, George Hall is one of the top young players in the league. He’s a very effective player whether he starts or we have him coming off the bench. He’s only just turned 18 – and he’s got an opportunity to showcase himself here. We don’t want George Hall going anywhere.”

As such, while a figure in the region of £3m is undoubtedly a great sum of money to spend on a player who has played just 20 senior fixtures in his career to date, considering the sheer amount of potential for future growth the midfielder possesses, it is easy to make the argument that for the sake of the future of Leeds’ midfield, this would be a big acquisition.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Bryan Gil is ‘very close’ to joining RCD Mallorca on loan with talks advancing, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Gil watches on…

The Spaniard has been forced by manager Antonio Conte to watch on from the sidelines with Gil struggling for Premier League game time.

Signed from Sevilla in a swap deal with Erik Lamela in 2021, Gil came to Spurs with much potential and comparisons to footballing legend Johan Cruyff.

Praised as a ‘wonderful prospect’, Conte still claims he isn’t physically ready for the robust nature of English football and another loan move could well be on the cards this winter.

The Latest: Gil ‘very close’ to Mallorca…

As per reports out of Spain, it appears Gil is edging close to a move back to La Liga with Mallorca.

Diario de Cadiz reports journalist Thierry Enric’s claim the 21-year-old is ‘very close’ to joining the direct rival of Cadiz and the Balearic club are in ‘advanced negotiations’ over a loan deal.

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The Verdict: Get it done…

A loan move for Gil to develop his all-round game is arguably much-needed and the player is better served moving away again than sitting on the Spurs bench.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici, however, may need to source a potential replacement from the January transfer market given the large volume of games from now until the end of the season.

Newcastle United are reportedly strongly interested in signing Frankfurt central defender Evan Ndicka ahead of the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

Ndicka is out of contract in the summer, meaning that he can leave on a free transfer or for a cut-price in January.

The Frankfurt ace can also sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in the winter window, and is sure to attract plenty of interest around Europe.

The likes of West Ham United, Manchester United and Arsenal have all been linked over the past few months, so a move to the Premier League could well be on the cards.

The Latest: ‘Strong’ interest

As per Italian news outlet Romagiallorossa.it, the St. James’ Park outfit, as well as fellow top-flight rivals Tottenham Hotspur, hold a ‘strong’ interest in Ndicka, as well as Serie A sides Roma and AC Milan.

Other clubs in the Premier League are also thought to be interested, so it will be interesting to see if they look to try and sign Ndicka in January, or as a free agent in the summer.

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The Verdict: No-brainer

Signing a player of Ndicka’s quality, especially for a cut-price, is surely a no-brainer for the North East club.

The Frenchman, who was unlucky not to make the France squad for the FIFA World Cup, has been described as an ‘exciting’ talent by Frankfurt journalist Christopher Michel at just 23 years of age, while Michel has also hailed his goal threat from centre-half as ‘enormous’, and his injury record as ‘incredible’.

Aside from the six-foot-two colossus’ defensive qualities, where he has won more aerial duels and made more clearances per game than any of his team-mates in the Bundesliga this season (WhoScored), the fact that he has an added goal threat makes him such a dangerous player in both boxes.

Indeed, Ndicka managed an impressive four goals and four assists in the Bundesliga from centre-back last term (Transfermarkt), and the fact that he stays injury-free is an added bonus which could really help the Magpies in the second part of the campaign.

Manchester City have joined the race to sign Youssoufa Moukoko as the Sky Blues ‘set sights on beating Liverpool’ to his signature.

The Lowdown: City eye new additions…

The Sky Blues have enjoyed a brilliant start to this 2022/2023 Premier League campaign as Pep Guardiola’s side aim to retain their domestic crown for the third successive season.

No top flight side has scored more goals than City with their only loss coming against arch rivals Liverpool at Anfield, with summer signing Erling Haaland taking England by storm.

However, it has been reported that the Blues could still be in the market for fresh additions, with links emerging to the likes of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham among others.

The Latest: Man City join Moukoko transfer race…

According to Football Insider, City have now ‘set sights on beating Liverpool’ to a new target as an update comes to light involving another Dortmund sensation.

It is believed club chiefs and the City recruitment team are eyeing a move for Moukoko as they join the race for his signature.

Guardiola’s side are now ‘targeting the forward’ who has earned rave reviews from their star striker Haaland in the past.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Called an ‘incredible’ talent by reporter Ed Aarons, Moukoko has indeed also attracted praise from Haaland in recent years with the Norway international once calling him the ‘biggest talent in the world’.

Over his 11 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund this season, the scintillating 17-year-old has netted four goals whilst assisting three others – totalling a brilliant seven goal contributions in total (WhoScored).

Going by the numbers, Haaland’s verdict certainly still adds up, leaving little wonder City have taken a serious interest.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their chances of landing Mykhaylo Mudryk in one of the upcoming transfer windows…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Shakhtar Donetsk winger is open to making a move to St. James’ Park as the Magpies are currently tracking his progress.

The report claims that the gem is interested in moving to the Premier League and Newcastle, who sent scouts to watch him in action against Celtic earlier this week, are a club he would be willing to join.

It is also stated that Eddie Howe is a fan of the Ukraine international and has already given the higher-ups at the club the green light to pursue the forward.

Huge coup

Signing Mudryk, whether that is in January or next summer, would be a huge coup for Howe as the gem is an immensely talented young player who is attracting interest from a number of clubs.

Liverpool and Arsenal are both reportedly keen on the winger and Brentford had an offer of £26m turned down in the summer transfer window.

This shows that he is not short of potential suitors in the upcoming market and that is why the forward being open to signing for Newcastle is a big boost for the club – as it indicates that other teams, who are in European competitions, eyeing him up has not put him off of the idea of arriving at St. James’ Park.

The attacker has been in fantastic form in the Champions League this season and is showing, at the age of 21, that he has the quality to stand out at the very top level of club football.

These statistics prove that he can be a difference-maker in the final third, and his displays at league level for Shakhtar are also eye-catching. He has scored three goals and provided five assists in six Premier League for the Ukrainian giants, which suggests that his performances in the Champions League are no fluke.

Journalist Josh Bunting claimed that the gem has a “frightening turn of pace” and talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as being “on fire” earlier this season, which is backed up by his goal contributions in all competitions.

The 21-year-old, who has been capped eight times by Ukraine, could make an immediate impact for Newcastle – as he has already proven himself in the Champions League – whilst also holding the potential to grow and develop in the years to come.

Therefore, signing Mudryk would be a huge coup for Howe given the interest in the youngster’s services and his impressive form this season.

Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui is reportedly one of the frontrunners to become the new Wolves manager but he could be a repeat of Bruno Lage should he make the move to Molineux.

According to the Telegraph’s John Percy, Lopetegui and Bo Svensson have emerged as “top targets” to replace Lage, who was sacked at the weekend after his side lost out 2-0 against West Ham.

The Old Gold currently sit 18th in the Premier League with just three goals in the top flight to their name, with a combination of negative tactics and injuries in the final third seeing Wolves’ goalscoring issues from last season continue to haunt them in the current campaign.

Any new manager in the dugout will have to change the way Wolves are set up if he wants to solve the problem of putting the ball in the back of the net, so a move for Lopetegui makes little sense when you consider Sevilla’s less than impressive start to the season.

The Spanish side currently sit 17th in La Liga after winning just one of their opening seven matches, with seven goals to their name.

They are also bottom of their Champions League group after losing 4-0 to Manchester City and drawing 0-0 with Copenhagen, with another tough game to come on Wednesday when they face Borussia Dortmund.

Therefore, despite possessing one of the top sides in La Liga, goalscoring is clearly an issue for Lopetegui’s side at the moment and there is little to suggest that he could turn Wolves’ current situation around.

The former Spain boss averaged a shocking 1.43 points per game during his time at Real Madrid, which is nearly as bad as the 1.29 points per game averaged by Lage at Wolves, despite possessing what was undoubtedly one of the top squads in world football during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A 5-1 defeat against Barcelona also led the Spanish media to describe Lopetegui’s time in charge as “awful” and while they would qualify for the Champions League last season, the 56-year-old’s current form makes it hard to make a case for him being a success at Wolves.

It seems clear, therefore, that Wolves should avoid appointing Lopetegui unless they want a repeat of Lage’s underwhelming spell at Molineux. Just like the Portuguese coach, he has been incapable of driving out any inspiration in the final third from his players. It seems like a recipe for disaster.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has revealed a possible inclusion for winger Bryan Gil in tonight’s Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Lowdown: Lack of game time

Having joined Spurs on a permanent deal last summer, the Spaniard was sent out on loan to Valencia for the second half of last season, where he made 13 appearances in La Liga.

The 21-year-old was seemingly set to return to Spain again this season, but a deal fell through at the last minute.

Consequently, stuck at Hotspur Way, the winger is yet to play a single minute of football for Tottenham thus far this season.

The Latest: Conte’s news

Ahead of Spurs’ Champions League clash against Frankfurt, Conte took to his press conference to give his assessment of Gil, revealing he may play a part in the fixture.

As quoted by football.london, the Italian admitted:

“Still in the squad, Bryan Gil. Tomorrow he is the first option for our attack. Kulusevski is out. Moura is out. Moura will be out for a long time. It was the same for Kulusevski. We are talking about a young player a good prospect. We wanted to send him on loan to Valencia but the situation has changed. I trust in him, he is working very well. If we need the possibility to give him time, I trust him. He could play.”

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The Verdict: Good prospect for the future

When looking at Gil’s underlying stats for the past year, it is fair to say the youngster has shown glimpses of promise for the future.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe, the winger ranks in the 94th percentile for pressures per 90 and in the 88th percentile for dribbles completed, implying he is finally adding the physicality and directness Conte wants alongside his obvious technical skills.

With statistical comparisons to the likes of AC Milan’s Brahim Diaz and Everton’s Anthony Gordon, the 21-year-old certainly has the attacking flair to make it at the top level of European football.

Therefore, if Conte does end up giving him minutes against Frankfurt this evening, this will be a huge opportunity for the youngster to show Tottenham fans what he can do.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon this summer and his arrival could see the Reds rectify their failed attempt to sign Alex Moreno from Real Betis.

Despite the summer additions of Harry Toffolo and Omar Richards, Steve Cooper is clearly keen to sign another left-back before the transfer window shuts later this month after the latter suffered a leg fracture in pre-season.

Cooper looked to have found his man when the Reds were in pole position to sign Moreno recently, but the 29-year-old rejected Forest to remain with Betis.

The Reds boss has since turned his attention to Reguilon, who looks surplus to requirements at Spurs after he was left out of the pre-season squad by Antonio Conte, who has Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon available as his first-choice left-back options.

Reports have suggested that Forest could look to bring the former Sevilla man in on loan as competition for Toffolo, the only natural left-back option in Cooper’s squad, with the manager seemingly unlikely to trust Jack Colback in that position in the top flight.

Reguilon was a regular for Spurs last season, making 25 appearances in the Premier League, in which he contributed two goals and three assists, averaging an impressive 6.95 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This was an improvement on the average ratings of both Toffolo (6.81) and Richards (6.54), despite Reguilon playing in a tougher league, and considering his experience in the top-flight, he could definitely be a solid addition to Cooper’s squad.

The Spanish full-back excels in an attacking aspect, as evidenced by his statistics from FbRef, which emphasise that he loves to get forward, as he scores above the 90th percentile for full-backs in expected goals, expected assists and progressive passes received.

Reguilon, who earns £53k per week at Spurs, was praised by Football.London correspondent Alasdair Gold when he first joined the club.

He said: “You don’t want to overshadow Sergio Reguilon, who I think is going to be one of the best left-backs in Europe – probably almost is. With Sevilla, he was phenomenal: had a great season, won the Europa League. He’s got incredible confidence. He’s come straight into the group and everyone loves him.”

At 25, Reguilon still has plenty of potential to improve, and regular football at the City Ground could see him rediscover the form that made him such a hit at Sevilla, where he excelled in the 2019/20 season, in particular, averaging a superb 7.10 rating from WhoScored.

Therefore, this deal makes sense for both parties, and Cooper will be hoping that Forest can put the Moreno disappointment behind them by bringing a fellow Spaniard in Reguilon this month.

West Bromwich Albion have missed out on securing a deal for Manchester City striker and reported Baggies target Liam Delap.

What’s the news?

In a Twitter post, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed that Stoke City had agreed a deal to sign the player on loan for the remainder of the season.

He said: “Stoke City have reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign Liam Delap on loan. Deal until summer 2023, no buy option. Medical taking place today [Wednesday]. Huge interest in 19yo England youth international but SCFC have won race.”

Indeed, the news was then confirmed by Stoke’s official channels on Thursday lunchtime.

Baggies manager Steve Bruce recently spoke about his eagerness to sign the Englishman and had this to say on the matter.

“Who wouldn’t be [interested]? We’ll see. Me and everybody else too [are interested]. He’s an outstanding talent. We’ve got huge competition.

“He’s a young player that everybody up and down the country would love to have in their team.”

This shows just how much of a hot prospect the player is and how much of an asset Bruce thinks he would be for his team at the top of the pitch.

A big blow for West Brom

With 68 appearances to his name for the Manchester club across their senior and youth teams, the 19-year-old has 48 goals and 16 assists under his belt, highlighting the clear potential he has in terms of being a regular goalscorer.

The Baggies have recently lost Daryl Dike to injury and failed to manage even one shot on target during their recent 0-0 draw against Cardiff City so there is clearly a need to bring in a new striker before the transfer window closes on September 1st. It also shows why missing out on Delap is such a big setback for the Baggies.

Having also missed out on securing a loan deal for Keinan Davis, who joined Watford after being linked with a move to the Hawthorns, this latest blow regarding Delap will leave another bitter taste in the mouths of everyone at West Brom.

With deadline day fast approaching, the Midlands club will have to move on from the City youngster and focus on other potential targets they could look to bring in before then.

If Albion end up not being able to bring a new forward in over the next couple of weeks, this would surely have a negative impact on the club’s chances of securing promotion back to the Premier League, especially if they keep being as ineffective in front of goal as they were in midweek.

Thus, Delap would have been an outstanding acquisition with his goal record providing evidence of a player who will surely take to Championship football like a duck to water.