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Journalist Julien Laurens has heaped praise on ‘genius’ manager Will Still amid claims West Ham United want him to replace David Moyes.

The Lowdown: Moyes under-pressure…

The Scotsman has found himself under consistent pressure this Premier League campaign after failing to build upon West Ham’s two successful previous seasons.

Moyes lead his side to back-to-back European qualification campaigns in the build up to this season but have ultimately underachieved after a summer of heavy spending.

West Ham put pen to paper on deals for Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club record signing Lucas Paqueta last year but find themselves in the drop zone.

18th and battling relegation to the Championship, there has been plenty of talk as to who could replace Moyes if West Ham eventually decide to part company.

Still, who has been doing a phenomenal job with Reims this season, is reportedly attracting interest from the east Londoners.

The Latest: Laurens hails Still…

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), reporter Laurens has heaped praise on the 30-year-old after claims West Ham want him.

The journalist says Still is a ‘bit of a genius’ and his Ligue 1 rise is nothing short of ‘huge’ and ‘remarkable’.

When asked about Still’s journey, Laurens explained:

“Huge, really, the story of course. For someone so young to show so much maturity, tactically to start with, cause he’s a bit of a genius tactically, but also in his man-management with the players, again, with some of them being older than him, is remarkable.

“He’s got an incredible future ahead of him, there’s no doubt.”

Laurens went on to comment on the links to West Ham, believing that while be may not be ready for such a big job, what he has showed so far is ‘incredible’.

The Verdict: Exciting manager…

The young tactician recently went on a Ligue 1 record 17-game unbeaten run recently, propelling his name into the headlines and making supporters take real notice.

If West Ham wish to turn to Still after Moyes, they could be boosted by the fact he is more-than open to managing in England one day.

“Being English and growing up in an English environment in Belgium, England has always felt like home and a place that I’d love to go back to,” said Still (via Sky).

“It would feel like coming home, just because the English culture is part of me, part of my roots, part of my family, part of who I am.

“I think if you asked any kid what they would like to do, they’d say they’d love to be a Premier League footballer or manager and I’m no different. I was brought up like everyone else and had the same dreams. I’ll keep at them.”

Journalist Gregg Evans hailed Emiliano Martinez’s ‘brilliant’ save in Aston Villa’s 0-1 win away to Everton on Saturday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Villa draw at Everton

Unai Emery’s faced another important Premier League encounter, making the trip to a Blues side currently threatened by relegation to the Championship.

It wasn’t a classic game, in truth, with both Villa and Everton struggling to consistency produce any real quality and chances coming at a premium.

However, a penalty from Ollie Watkins mid-way through the second period was enough to edge a victory for Villa and clinch all three points for Emery.

The Latest: ‘Brilliant’ Martinez hailed

Taking to Twitter, Evans lauded a standout moment from Martinez during the game – an heroic first half stop to thwart midfielder Amadou Onana during a period of pressure for the away side.

“Brilliant save from Martinez to deny Onana. #AVFC are really under the pump.”

The Verdict: Such a key player

This was another day that highlighted the importance of Martinez to Villa, with the 30-year-old such an influential presence between the sticks.

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His superb save against Everton also showed how vital it is to keep hold of the 26-time capped Argentina international beyond this summer – that wasn’t his only stop – although it may be hard to.

On current form, there are arguably few better ‘keepers in Europe than the £120,000-a-week Martinez, so he would take a huge amount of replacing if he does move on to pastures new.

Nottingham Forest have reportedly made a permanent move for Dean Henderson in the summer one of their main priorities.

The Lowdown: Henderson at the City Ground

The goalkeeper was one of numerous players to make the move to the City Ground in the summer and had been a regular under Steve Cooper before suffering a thigh injury last month. The 25-year-old has made 20 appearances for the Reds, keeping six clean sheets.

Keylor Navas has been brought in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain as a result of Henderson’s injury, but it looks as if Evangelos Marinakis and Forest have long-term plans when it comes to the Manchester United loanee.

The Latest: Transfer meeting

The Telegraph’s John Percy shared an article on Saturday looking at the inside story of a move for Navas.

The reliable reporter claimed in the article that a transfer meeting has already been held ahead of the summer window, with the Forest deciding that a permanent move for Henderson is one of their priorities for this year.

The Verdict: Could well happen

It seems as if Henderson turned down the chance to return to Old Trafford in January after Martin Dubravka was recalled by Newcastle, something which may impact his chances of a long-term future at Manchester United.

Should that be the case, Forest may well fancy their chances of securing a permanent move for the shot-stopper, who Paul Taylor hailed as ‘truly outstanding’ earlier this season.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €22m (£19.8m) Transfermarkt valuation; and with regular game-time when fit, Henderson could be open to the idea of making a permanent move to the City Ground.

Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas has said ‘yes’ to a Nottingham Forest after they ‘accelerated’ talks, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Forest links…

The Costa Rica legend hasn’t started a league game all season for PSG as links surround his possible January exit, and Forest have been credited with real interest.

There have been reports of the Premier League side pushing to sign Navas this window as they search for an alternative to Dean Henderson, who is currently sidelined.

Now, French sources have shared a potentially promising update on their pursuit.

The Latest: Navas says ‘yes’ to Forest…

le10sport now claim Navas has said ‘yes’ to joining Steve Cooper’s side after Forest ‘accelerated discussions’ with both PSG and the player’s representatives recently.

The 36-year-old has apparently ‘chosen’ Forest ahead of other competitors from across Europe and in the Middle East.

Of course, this hands the club a real advantage, but it is believed a financial agreement still has to be reached with PSG.

The Verdict: Right man?

Even as a back-up/alternative to Henderson when he returns, Navas comes as an option with proven pedigree at both club and international level.

The veteran has over a century of caps for his country and has featured at three World Cups, playing every game for Costa Rica at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

Navas would bring highly valued experience to the Forest dressing room and the former Real Madrid star has been heralded for his exploits in-between the sticks.

He was once a regular for both his current club and Real Madrid with ex-PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino calling him a ‘great goalkeeper’.

It’s unclear how much PSG would demand for their second choice, but if reasonable, Cooper could land a very shrewd acquisition in Navas before January 31.

Aston Villa have enjoyed a rejuvenation of sorts under Unai Emery, losing just once in the Premier League since he took charge in November and the Spaniard will now be looking to steer his side into the top half of the table.

A trip away to Southampton is a chance to secure another three points and although the Saints are fighting to stay in the division, Emery’s men should have just too much for them this afternoon.

The 2-1 victory over Leeds United last week will give Villa plenty of confidence heading into the match today and there were some excellent performances.

Emiliano Buendia scored what turned out to be the winner, while Ezri Konsa was a rock at the back, winning 100% of his duels, yet it was Douglas Luiz who stole the show with his performance and Emery must unleash him against Southampton.

“Dictates rhythm”

Luiz ranks as Villa’s best performer this season with an average Sofascore rating of 7.00 and his performance against Leeds was one of his finest of the campaign. Brazilian journalist Fernando Campos lauded his display, saying: “Another great performance by Douglas Luiz with the Aston Villa shirt. He scores a lot, circles the entire field and dictates rhythm with quality.”

Statman Dave also sang his praises, claiming Luiz put in an “excellent performance” and his statistics during the game certainly justify the credit.

The £75k-per-week midfielder played the full 90 minutes and received the best Sofascore rating on the pitch, 7.70, as he took 73 touches, made two key passes and created a big chance during the tie.

It was his defensive display that was key to Villa securing all three points, as the Brazilian won ten duels, made two clearances, four interceptions, five tackles and was dribbled past just once – demonstrating just how good he can be when his side are under attack.

Emery must unleash him and hope he can replicate this type of form not only against the Saints but for the rest of the season. Although he could face a fight to keep him at the club come to the end of the campaign.

Celtic are set to ‘listen to offers’ for Scottish Premiership defender Stephen Welsh, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The Hoops are already flying high at the top of the table, but January presents the perfect opportunity for the club to cash in on some of their out of favour players to generate transfer funds for future signings.

The centre-back’s current deal at Parkhead isn’t set to expire until 2025, but having fallen down the pecking order under Ange Postecoglou, an early exit could now be on the cards.

The Latest: Welsh set to depart?

Taking to Twitter, Joseph revealed that Celtic are now open to considering bids for Welsh this month, with the boss having acknowledged he needs to find more game time elsewhere.

“Celtic are now willing to listen to offers for defender Stephen Welsh in this window.

“Welsh is attracting interest from clubs in Europe & the MLS.

“Ange Postecoglou clearly likes him, but recognises his needs & desires for regular football to progress.”

The Verdict: Allow him to leave

Welsh has been a magnificent servant to Celtic having worked his way up through the ranks from the club’s academy, but now seems like the right time to let him go.

The Coatbridge-born talent has only made four league starts this season which just shows that Postecoglou doesn’t view him as part of his long-term plans moving forward.

Nevertheless, Welsh has been hailed a ‘leader’ by Josh Bunting and will go on to make a great signing for any of his potential suitors.

Tottenham Hotspur have been implored to sign Sofyan Amrabat as the January transfer window approaches…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Pete O’Rourke, who gave his thoughts on that potential move after noting Spurs’ interest earlier in December. In fact, Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici were reportedly keen on the Moroccan in the summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT once more, the transfer insider issued the following claim: “On paper, he looks like he’s the ideal midfielder for Antonio Conte. A great defensive midfielder, great energy to get around the pitch, likes making tackles and he’s also good on the ball as well, so a good passer.

“I think for someone like Antonio Conte, his work rate is perfect for the type of football that he likes to play.”

Reports have already emerged suggesting that Fiorentina will demand a fee of around €45m (£40m) for the 26-year-old.

He’s “perfect” for Conte

Having starred in a Morocco side which enjoyed sitting deep and hitting teams on the break, there is plenty of proof to support O’Rourke’s statement.

At the World Cup, Amrabat sat as a sole defensive midfielder behind a proper midfield four, sweeping up behind them and then helping them transition into attack. The 6-foot destroyer recorded 2.3 tackles per game and paired this with an 85% pass accuracy.

He was instrumental in Morocco’s historic run to the semi-finals, with talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham claiming: “He has been my player of the tournament”.

This was supported by the claims of sports writer Carlo Garganese, who tweeted: “Amrabat the best centre midfielder in the tournament. MONSTER”.

His lung-busting runs and relentless work rate also drew praise, although it isn’t just for his country that he has impressed. In European league action, he sits in the top 5% for pass completion and the top 4% for progressive passes among positional peers in 2022, showcasing the technical superiority that he matches with his physical dominance.

However, should Conte swoop for him, he would likely hope to find a similar position to his role for Morocco in which to deploy Amrabat.

The 26-year-old could be integral in perfecting the Spurs manager’s conservative style, acting as the most important player in forging their counterattacks.

It truly could be an ideal move, and one which would certainly catch the eye following the Moroccan’s displays on the world stage over the past month.

Southampton right-back Tino Livramento is edging closer to a return from injury, as seen in a new Twitter post from the player himself.

The Lowdown: Livramento’s absence

Livramento is yet to feature for the Saints this season, suffering a cruciate ligament rupture back in April, which has caused him to miss 22 games.

Having made 28 Premier League appearances during the last campaign after arriving from Chelsea in a deal worth £5m, the Englishman established himself as an important player at St Mary’s, and a promising update has now emerged indicating that he might be back soon.

The Latest: Injury update

Taking to Twitter, the player posted a picture of himself in Southampton training at a winter camp in Andalusia, captioned: ‘Light at the end of the tunnel. Getting closer and closer…”

As such, depending on how he progresses, the 20-year-old could stake a claim for a starting place to his new manager Nathan Jones in the New Year, the earliest time he was initially expected to return.

The Verdict: Big boost

In the absence of the youngster, Kyle Walker-Peters has largely got the nod on the right of defence, but he has been somewhat up and down, receiving an average SofaScore rating of just 6.66 in the league, ranking him 14th in the Southampton squad.

The option of having Livramento, who has been hailed as “superb” by journalist Josh Bunting, available again in the New Year will therefore be a big boost in terms of defensive options for Jones, particularly considering his remarkable intercepting ability, registering an average 1.89 per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the 97th percentile.

With the Saints looking to steer themselves clear of the relegation zone, it will be a relief for the new boss to have the talented youngster available soon, and he will be looking to ease him back in so that he can pick up from where he left off before his ACL injury.

Former Glasgow Rangers defender Alan Hutton has claimed that Alfredo Morelos could still leave Ibrox if Michael Beale is appointed the new manager.

The Lowdown: Beale expected to join

It has been widely reported that QPR manager Beale is expected to become the next Gers manager in place of the departed Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Morelos had been a bit-part player under the Dutchman so far this season, and it will no doubt be interesting to see what his role would be under Beale should he be appointed.

The Colombia international has been linked with a move away from the Light Blues in the January transfer window, as his contract is up in the summer.

The Latest: Morelos could still leave

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton has claimed that there is a possibility that Morelos could still leave the Teddy Bears, even if Beale comes in:

“Depending on who comes in. If Michael Beale comes in, the tendency might be leaning towards maybe staying.

“The likes of Morelos, to me, it looks like he wants out of there. He got the opportunity in the last game, and it didn’t go well for him at all.

“He still looks that moody player and he’s not giving us that aggression on the pitch where he scores goals.

“I think someone like him will, possibly, leave.”

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The Verdict: Get rid

It is safe to say that Morelos has not been at his best this term, with some of his performances criticised by various parts of the media.

New striker signing Antonio Colak is out-performing him, with 14 goals in his opening 24 appearances in total over all competitions, going into the break for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar as the club’s top scorer.

With only a few months left on his contract, Rangers need to sell Morelos in January in order to get a transfer fee for him, and Beale could then use that money to potentially invest in another striker to compete with Colak, should he be appointed.

Liverpool head into the World Cup break in sixth place, and with their hopes of securing Champions League football fading, the transfer window in six weeks’ time will be rather timely.

What’s the word?

The Reds have been after an elite midfielder for a great deal of time now with Jurgen Klopp’s men missing out on Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer, as he joined Real Madrid.

Jude Bellingham has also been a long-term target for the Anfield outfit but with a seemingly astronomical price tag, they didn’t make their move in the previous window.

The Borussia Dortmund sensation has previously been touted at a whopping £103m in some circles, but according to CIES Football Observatory, his true value in 2022 sits at £218m.

That would be a world-record fee and something FSG simply won’t be able to afford, so their negotiating hats will have to go on over the winter.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the club are locked in talks with the player’s entourage with the hope of finally concluding a deal. The Italian journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “Liverpool will be in the race, 100 per cent.

“They’re already in contact with people close to Jude Bellingham, so Liverpool will be there.”

The best of our generation

Bellingham is one of the finest young players on the planet right now with his rise to stardom in Germany quite the story.

Poached from Birmingham City when he was just 17 years of age, the Midlands side decided to retire his shirt number due to his remarkable talent.

That seemed a bizarre thing to do at the time but as the weeks and months tick by, that is a decision justified.

His numbers since moving to the Bundesliga have been truly outstanding, with the central midfielder scoring 19 goals and registering 21 assists in 112 outings while still a teenager.

The majority of those goals have come this season as Bellingham has found the net on nine occasions, with four strikes coming in the Champions League.

A rangy figure in the middle of the park, the 19-year-old is a phenomenon, putting in a level of performance on Europe’s elite stage that very few others have at this stage of their career.

Indeed, speaking of those displays, Rio Ferdinand once said: “What he’s doing in his position at his age, we haven’t seen. The best of our generation, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, them guys – Vieira, Roy Keane, they weren’t doing this.”

It’s hard to argue with that point either. At Bellingham’s age, Scholes had only just turned professional, Vieira was playing for Ligue 1 mid-table side Cannes, Lampard was beginning to become a first-team regular at West Ham and Keane was a year into his spell with Nottingham Forest.

Evidently, it is Dortmund’s current sensation who has enjoyed the most meteoric of rises out of those midfielders, with his impact far greater at his youthful age compared to some of the best we’ve seen in English football over the last two decades.

On that evidence, he would be a mighty fine signing for Liverpool, especially when you consider their problems in that area of the pitch.

Jordan Henderson, Thiago and James Milner are no spring chickens while Fabinho’s form this term has been questionable at times. Thus, not only would Bellingham offer them reliability in that role for the best part of the next ten years, but he’d also bring extreme quality.

The youngster ranks in the best 4% of midfielders in Europe’s top leagues for touches in the attacking penalty area and dribbles completed while he sits in the top 10% for passes into the penalty area.

This is a player who always thinks positively, with his best qualities undoubtedly being an eye for a pass, the ability to burst forward with the ball at his feet and his finishing ability.

There isn’t a more perfect player in his position for his age and whoever ends up signing him will be incredibly lucky. He is a generational talent.