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Liverpool are eyeing a surprise move for a Serie A midfielder as Jurgen Klopp looks to add some more depth to his midfield…

According to journalist Ahmet Ercanlar (via TEAMtalk), Klopp has held talks with Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas over the phone as he aims to lure the player to Anfield.

It’s clear that the German is requiring midfielders ahead of a busy second half of the season, and Elmas could be a cheaper alternative to Enzo Fernandez and will be able to slot straight into the team.

Elmas can solve Liverpool’s key issue

With James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out of contract at the end of the season, plus Arthur Melo’s loan spell coming to an end, Klopp’s midfield options could look rather sparse in the summer and next month could be the ideal time to add some reinforcements.

Elmas might be an ideal solution in January, especially with his good form so far this season for the Serie A leaders.

The 23-year-old has played 14 league matches for the club, although he has started just four, chipping in with three goals and an assist, which is a goal every 179 minutes.

Despite spending just 38 minutes on the pitch on average per game, he has made 0.6 key passes, taken 24.2 touches and created one big chance, showing his ability to still contribute, even if he is coming off the bench in the latter stages of a match.

The £32.5k-per-week Macedonian is an excellent passer of the ball, which is supported by the fact he is ranked in the top 4% across Europe’s big five leagues for pass completion success rate (84.8%) when compared with positional peers, and this could see him shine in Klopp’s team.

Elmas’ versatility could also be a big bonus for the German, as he can play in the centre of the midfield, as an attacking midfielder, or even on the left wing, and with Luis Diaz injured at the moment, it could be an opportunity for Klopp to kill two birds with one stone.

The Napoli player’s agent – George Gardi – once dubbed him a “jewel” and despite not getting many starting opportunities at the Italian side, this could certainly change if he moved to Liverpool, especially with the Anfield side sorely lacking in midfielders.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Glen Kamara and interest in his services ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Italian outlet Tutto Salernitana, the player is in the sights of Serie A sides Salernitana and Monza, along with unnamed French and Spanish outfits.

The report adds that Kamara has submitted a transfer request in to the Light Blues as he attempts to force a way out of Ibrox in the coming weeks.

However, it remains to be seen how open the Gers are to selling the Finland international and how much they would demand for his services if they were to part ways with the 27-year-old.

Ditch him

New Rangers boss Michael Beale must make a huge call early on in his career in the dugout by brutally ditching Kamara during the upcoming January window.

The English coach will not want any negativity in the dressing room or players who are not fully committed to the cause as he attempts to build something special at Ibrox and that is why Kamara must be binned.

If the Finnish midfielder does not see his future with the Light Blues then the manager must sanction his exit, alongside Ross Wilson, and work to bring in a player who is willing to buy into the long-term project in order to take the club forward.

The £21k-per-week dud was branded “disrespectful” to the Gers in October, by pundit Noel Whelan, after telling Helsingin Sanomat that he dreams of playing in a ‘top-five league’, with the Premier League being mentioned as a potential destination.

However, his performances this season have not been outstanding and it is hard to envisage a big-money exit to England for the midfielder, which means that he could have to settle for an Italian side, like Monza or Salernitana, in January.

Kamara has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.57 across seven outings in the Premiership and a score of 5.9 in four Champions League appearances. He is currently ranked 20th in the squad in the former and 22nd in the latter, which illustrates how much he has struggled this term.

Therefore, Beale can afford to cut ties with the former Arsenal man at the start of 2023 as his current form indicates that selling him would not be a major blow to the team.

The manager must brutally ditch the midfielder because of his desire to leave and the dud’s disappointing displays on the pitch before replacing him with a new signing in January.

West Ham United haven’t lived up to the highs of last season so far during the current campaign, with David Moyes’ side struggling in the Premier League, winning just four times in 15 matches.

Their European form has been somewhat more exciting, with the club recording six straight wins to top their Europa Conference League group and ensure they have continental football to look forward to after the break.

What’s the word?

Despite the Jekyll and Hyde form, any notion of Moyes losing his job should be dispelled.

Indeed, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth recently spoke to GIVEMESPORT claiming the 59-year-old still has the full backing of GSB: “As far as I’m aware, in a word, yes. I think he does. I think he’s built up enough credit in the bank.

“And what happened to him the first time as well, there’s probably a feeling that, you know, David Moyes is owed that time because of what happened.”

GSB have got it spot on

This is, of course, Moyes’ second stint in charge of the Hammers. He took charge back in 2017 when the club were in relegation trouble and he led them to a solid 13th-place finish, but his contract was not renewed and he left at the end of the season.

Arriving back in London in December 2019, he has taken the club to new levels during his second spell. His first two full campaigns saw the club secure sixth and seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League.

The Europa League semi-final run last season has arguably been the highlight, however, with the club coming so close to reaching just their third European final, defeated by eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt in the last four.

It’s been a great journey so far and with that in mind, it looks like GSB are making the correct choice in backing Moyes. The Irons may be in a rut but he deserves time to sort things out with relegation still quite an unlikely proposition.

The World Cup break will give him a chance to reassess his squad and spend some more preparation time before a crucial second half of the campaign begins.

A trip to table-toppers Arsenal on Boxing Day is the first match back for West Ham and Moyes will be hoping to spring a surprise by sealing an important victory.

Tottenham Hotspur are now ‘looking’ for goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ long term replacement after a ‘massive decision’ from Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Wonderful servant…

The Frenchman, who is a near-certain inclusion for his country’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar as Les Bleus captain, has proved a long-serving, reliable and dependent mainstay since joining from Lyon in the summer of 2012.

A decade has passed since Lloris’ move to the Premier League, with the Spurs figurehead going on to make 436 appearances in all competitions. Even now, the 35-year-old is an ever-present under Antonio Conte, playing more league minutes than anyone in the squad (WhoScored).

However, Lloris has been criticised for some of his performances this season, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher even questioning the Spurs number one’s fading abilities.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘looking’ for Lloris replacement…

In light of the 35-year-old’s apparent downturn in form, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared an update on the goalkeeper’s long-term future at Spurs.

Conte has apparently made a ‘massive decision’ in regards to Lloris, with Tottenham now looking at his future heirs as they draw up a shortlist. It is believed that Spurs are eyeing Jordan Pickford, Robert Sanchez and Illan Meslier as possible candidates, with it being ‘unlikely’ that the Frenchman remains their number one after this season.

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Bailey explained (via TEAMtalk): “Hugo Lloris has a deal until 2024, but it is highly unlikely he will be Tottenham number one after this season. He has been up and down and it is understood Tottenham are looking for his long-term replacement. And we can reveal that a number of options are in the Premier League.

“They have been linked to the likes of Jordan Pickford, Robert Sanchez and Illan Meslier, and these are the options for them. They really like Sanchez at Brighton – but it is likely that won’t be until the end of the season.”

The Verdict: End of an era…

Spurs supporters will surely look back fondly on Lloris’ long tenure at their club’s number one shot-stopper with great memories, and he is hardly over the hill despite a recent slump.

Just this season, the goalkeeping veteran put on a brilliant performance away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, with reporter Alasdair Gold describing him as a ‘bright light’ in that Tottenham defeat.

Lloris does deserve to see out this season as Conte’s first choice at the very least, even if all eras must come to an end eventually.

Newcastle United appointed a new sporting director in the summer as Dan Ashworth arrived to assist Eddie Howe.

The former FA chief masterminded the signings of Nick Pope, Matt Targett, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak on permanent deals and the club are currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table with the help of those additions.

Whilst supporters may look at the players he did sign, it is also worth looking at the decisions the former Brighton man made in avoiding certain transfers throughout the summer.

It was reported that the club had been pursuing a deal to sign Manchester United shot-stopper Dean Henderson on loan for the 2022/23 campaign but Ashworth arriving at St. James’ Park put a stop to that.

90min reporter Graeme Bailey claimed that the former Brighton chief was the main reason why the Magpies turned their back on a swoop for the English stopper, seemingly deciding that the 25-year-old was not good enough for what they wanted between the sticks.

He then turned his attention to signing Pope from relegated Burnley for a fee in the region of £10m, with the colossus putting pen to paper on a four-year deal.

Henderson, meanwhile, joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest on loan. Steve Cooper claimed that they beat off interest from several Premier League sides to get the deal done, although Ashworth made sure that Newcastle were not one of them.

The Magpies’ sporting director’s decision has turned out to be a masterclass as he dodged a certain mistake by avoiding the Red Devils goalkeeper.

In the top flight this season, the Forest ‘keeper has failed to impress for Cooper’s side beyond saving two of the three penalties that he has faced.

The £100k-per-week flop has conceded ten times from outside the box from 0.6 expected goals, which suggests that he has been extremely unlucky or he is making mistakes with his positioning from long-range strikes. The Athletic’s Richard Amorfa recently Tweeted that the Englishman has been “getting cooked” from distance.

His struggles are illustrated by his disappointing statistics in the Premier League, whilst Pope has caught the eye with a string of impressive displays.

As you can see in the graphic above, the ex-Burnley titan has outperformed Henderson by some distance in multiple key metrics for goalkeepers. The Forest goalkeeper has conceded more goals from outside the box than Pope has from any position on the pitch, whilst their respective SofaScore ratings highlight the gulf in quality between them.

Therefore, Ashworth swerved a big mistake as the Manchester United academy graduate has been underperforming in the Premier League this season and the signing he opted to make has been a roaring success so far.

Glasgow Rangers may be struggling in Europe this season and progressing through the Premiership campaign trailing their rivals, however, there is cause for some optimism at Ibrox, especially with the quality of players that are coming through the youth system.

Last season, Alex Lowry, Charlie McCann, and Adam Devine all made their first team debuts, while 18-year-old Leon King made his under Steven Gerrard the season before.

It could be a fruitful generation of youngsters that can emerge and save the Ibrox side millions in transfer fees, with one in particular earmarked for a bright future…

Rangers’ new Ally McCoist

McCoist is the Light Blues’ greatest-ever goal scorer and aside from perhaps Kris Boyd, the club have been searching for a Scottish striker who can fill those godlike boots.

Youngster Robbie Ure has plenty of potential to give it a good go anyway, with the striker netting six goals for the B team in the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League already this season.

Van Bronckhorst gave the player his debut in the first team for the League Cup match against Queen of the South in August and he announced himself to the Ibrox faithful by scoring the opener in an eventual 3-1 victory.

Scott Arfield described the youngster’s performance up front as “magic” in an interview after the match and while he hasn’t had any further opportunities for the first team, they will come with time.

With a League Cup quarter-final tie coming up against Dundee on Wednesday, Van Bronckhorst might find the need to rotate a few players and Ure could well be handed some more minutes.

While the 355 goals that ‘Super Ally’ scored for the club might be a tad out of reach – although you never know – Ure certainly has the sheer predatory instinct and goalscoring hunger that McCoist had throughout his esteemed career.

Indeed, his nine goals in 21 matches so far during the embryonic stages of his career are certainly eye-catching and suggests there is a bright future in the game for the teenager.

There will be more chances for the player this season, especially with injuries and suspensions likely to come into play, and the onus will be on Ure to grab those opportunities with both hands.

If he is successful, there is no doubt he can generate the club millions in a future transfer fee. Certainly, if he lives up to the early McCoist comparisons, a large offer will likely be forthcoming from south of the border.

Crystal Palace haven’t had the best start to their Premier League campaign and could end up in the relegation zone if Nottingham Forest beat Leicester City tonight as Patrick Vieira’s side lost to Chelsea on Saturday.

The Palace boss will be trying to find the solutions in his squad to start picking up points over the season ahead, but he may now need to wait until the January transfer window to fix some of the problems at Selhurst Park.

Last season Crystal Palace broke club records for their defensive performances in the Premier League, conceding a record-low number of goals over the campaign (46) and kept a joint-club record of 12 clean sheets too.

However, over the campaign so far the Eagles have only kept one clean sheet out of their first seven outings and their regular concession of goals is leaving them teetering on the edge of the relegation zone already.

As a result, the powers at the club could regret their decision not to complete the signing of Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka as the season progresses.

The £83k-per-week defender was linked with making a move back to his former club this summer with Sky Sports reporting that Palace were interested in reuniting with the player on loan, however, nothing materialised before the transfer window slammed shut at the beginning of September.

Wan-Bissaka ranks in the top 3% of his positional peers over the top five European leagues for interceptions, blocks and dribbles completed, as well as ranking in the top 20% for pass completion. Indeed, he proved last season that he could be the perfect man to replace Joel Ward.

The 24-year-old outperformed the Palace right-back in many attributes including shot-creating actions per 90 (1.56 v 0.62) and blocked shots (56 v 53).

He also had a better pass completion rate (83.5% v 80%) despite playing eight fewer league games.

It shows that Wan-Bissaka isn’t just more creative, but he’s also more composed in possession of the ball, two elements of the game that are crucial to optimising Vieira’s exciting style of play.

The talented defender has been the recipient of high praise with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer labelling Wan Bissaka “top-notch”, whilst Wes Brown waxed lyrical over him in an interview with Sky Sports, saying:

“What else can you say about Aaron Wan-Bissaka? I’ve not really seen many like him and that’s the honest truth. Defensively, in one-on-ones, he’s definitely one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

With that being said, Vieira might get a second chance at signing Wan-Bissaka when you consider that Erik ten Hag has only given him one appearance this season. Thus, if the opportunity arises in January, Crystal Place must do everything to bring the player back to Selhurst Park. He would be a seismic upgrade on Ward and a player that could take the Eagles to the next level.

West Ham and GSB faced a lot of backlash when Grady Diangana was sold to West Brom in 2019 but it now appears as if the board made the right call with the young winger.

After starring in pre-season ahead of the 2019/20 campaign it appeared as if Diangana would get a chance to shine in West Ham’s first team before he completed a surprise move to Championship side West Brom in a deal worth £18m.

Club legend and former captain Mark Noble spoke out about his disappointment with the decision to let the exciting young winger go, writing:

“As captain of this football club, I’m gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future!”

Diangana would play a key role in the Baggies’ promotion to the top flight in the 2019/20 season, contributing eight goals and seven assists in 30 appearances, which will have no doubt infuriated plenty of people inside West Ham, not least Noble himself.

However, the youngster struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League and managed just one goal and no assists in 20 top-flight appearances the following season, as West Brom were immediately relegated back to the second tier.

He followed that up with another disappointing season in the Championship, registering just two goals and one assist in 41 appearances for the Baggies, which suggests that he might never be good enough for the Premier League.

Although he has started this campaign in much more impressive form, with one goal and three assists in eight Championship fixtures thus far, it is difficult to suggest that West Brom got their money’s worth when they signed him for £18m, and West Ham’s subsequent winger addition of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma might have been better business.

Indeed, that has clearly been seen in Bowen who is now a member of the England team after scoring 18 times and registering 13 assists in all competitions last term.

Therefore, while it was a big risk for GSB to take in selling such a highly-regarded prospect, especially considering their strained relationship with West Ham fans, it appears as if they certainly made the right call with Diangana.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will be without midfielder Oliver Skipp as he prepares to face Chelsea this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Spurs start brightly…

Spurs have started this 2022/2023 Premier League campaign very brightly as they seek to build upon a fantastic end to last season.

Conte guided the Lilywhites to a top four finish and subsequent Champions League qualification, prompting club owners ENIC to invest their complete faith in the Italian and grant a £150 million equity increase.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici has put these funds to good use, completing six major summer signings in the form of Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence.

A 4-1 opening weekend victory against Southampton followed as the north Londoners kickstarted their ambitious campaign with a convincing win.

The Latest: Skipp unavailable…

In full preparation for their London derby clash against rivals Chelsea today, aiming to maintain the momentum of their Saints thrashing, Conte has been dealt a blow in the form of midfielder Skipp’s availability.

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As relayed by the BBC, Tottenham will be without the 21-year-old for their trip to Stamford Bridge due to a foot injury.

The Verdict: Setback for Conte?

A midfield double pivot of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg seems to be the most likely solution for Conte in the absence of Skipp and we’re sure the 53-year-old can’t wait to have his starlet back in action.

As per WhoScored, the Englishman averaged a higher pass accuracy than any Spurs regular in the top flight last season and can instil a real degree of composure when allowed.

It’s little wonder Spurs pundits like John Wenham have called him a ‘valuable asset’, not least for his ability but also his potential to be even greater.

Indeed, the sooner Skipp can be called upon again, the sooner he can build upon his exciting start to life as a first-team player in N17.

Arsenal have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their opening Premier League fixture of the new season against Crystal Palace tonight.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to reports by the Daily Mail, who sent Chris Sutton to speak to Kieran Tierney about the upcoming campaign.

Other reports had claimed that the 25-year-old was one of four Gunners players set to miss out on this fixture, with a number of weeks left in his rehabilitation.

However, when asked about his knee injury, the Scottish defender replied: “I’m ready. I’m good to go.”

Arteta will be thrilled

Whilst the absences of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Fabio Viera and Emile Smith-Rowe will be felt heavily, the return of a player like Tierney can only be seen as a boost for the Gunners.

Arsenal’s season was derailed after he suffered his injury, so to start the new campaign with him available will be a big boost in their bid to break into the top four by the end of 2022/23.

He missed the final ten matches of the previous Premier League campaign, and during this time the Gunners won five and lost five. In the 13 top-flight games before that, when Tierney played every minute, they won ten and only lost two (to Man City and Liverpool).

Therefore, the difference is abundantly clear when he is missing.

Having only featured 22 times in the league last season, Tierney’s presence is also heavily felt due to his personality. Branded a “great leader” by former Celtic striker Scott McDonald, it is clear to see how Mikel Arteta’s side crumbled in his absence during the spring.

Although the £75k-per-week defender has had a tumultuous, injury-hit career at the Emirates Stadium, perhaps this season could be the one where his fitness can match the form he has shown whenever he has played.

His assertion that he will be available for tonight will be music to the ears of Arteta, who now sees his tactical options increase exponentially. They have an inspirational player back, and hopefully the 25-year-old can help to get them off to the perfect start to the new campaign.