Liverpool ‘very much admire’ Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo but a deal would be ‘messy’, according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Caicedo allegedly wants to join

The Premier League giants have held a long-standing interest in the 21-year-old having targeted a late move for him last summer, and whilst it failed to materialise at the time, he’s recently offered his admirers fresh hope that a future deal could get completed.

Football Insider report that the Ecuadorian, who they claim to be valued at £70m, has told his friends that he’d love to make the move to Anfield should the opportunity arise and has even changed agents to prepare for a big-money transfer.

The Latest: Problem…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs confirmed that the Merseyside outfit are hugely fond of Caicedo, but revealed that striking a deal this month could prove ‘problematic’ due to the agents involved.

“They very much admire the player and have done historically. When he was at Independiente del Valle before he joined Brighton, they did explore signing Moises Caicedo.

“It’s what’s been termed to me as a messy deal because even though Brighton could be persuaded to sell for a high price this January, the representation side of things is problematic. There’s more than one agent and he also changed his agent towards the back end of the summer.”

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The Verdict: Hold off for a bit

Caicedo is undoubtedly one of the top-flight’s most attractive players right now, but the Reds would be best waiting to pursue him until the summer if they are serious about landing him.

The Santo Domingo native’s contract at The Amex isn’t set to expire until 2025 so the Seagulls are under no pressure to let him go, and even if they did, £70m is a hefty sum for FSG to cash out in January, especially having already signed Cody Gakpo.

The Brighton star is seemingly keen to make the switch to Merseyside, but it’s important that the two parties reach an agreement when both the time and costs involved are right.

Chelsea will travel to Manchester City to wage battle at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with sights set on earning payback and advancing to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Sky Blues defeated Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Thursday night, stretching the gulf between the two teams to even greater proportions, but Blues manager Graham Potter will be convinced that he can galvanise his side towards victory, despite the barrage of injuries.

Indeed, Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic were both withdrawn from duty in the first half against Pep Guardiola’s destructive outfit, and the squad has truly been scraped down to the bare bones, with a host of further first-team stars sidelined.

Regardless, a winning mentality is embedded within Chelsea’s very core, illustrated by the whole gamut of major honours since the turn of the millennia – including two Champions League and five Premier League triumphs – and the chances of cup victory need only a glance back to last season, where the Blues lost on penalties in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup to Liverpool, to know that this is a dogged and tenacious team that strives for silverware at every opportunity.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Chelsea boss Potter to field his starting line-up against Guardiola’s Man City in the FA Cup on Sunday, with four changes from the team that lost earlier in the week …

Predicted line-up: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Cucurella; Jorginho, Kovacic, Zakaria; Ziyech, Aubameyang, Chukwuemeka.

With Edouard Mendy recently having surgery on a broken finger, Kepa Arrizabalaga is expected to deputise between the sticks for the cup encounter.

The full-backs will remain the same, with captain Cesar Azpilicueta and £60m left-back Marc Cucurella continuing to maraud up and down the defensive flanks, while the “Rolls-Royce” that is Thiago Silva – as dubbed by Joe Cole – will be replaced by Trevor Chalobah as Kalidou Koulibaly’s centre-back partner.

A slight change, instilling more composure and authority into the centre of the park, will mean Jorginho recalls his spot in the stead of the injury-stricken Sterling, while Juventus loanee Denis Zakaria is expected to continue his all-encompassing role after dazzling against the forthcoming opponents earlier in the week.

19-year-old prospect Carney Chukwuemeka entered the fray for Pulisic in the first half against Man City and dazzled in his leg flanker role, recording a Chelsea match-best rating of 7.10, hitting the post and proving to be a constant menace against the opposing backline.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be offered another shot as the offensive focal point after losing his spot to Kai Havertz, the Gabonese veteran has not scored in seven matches for the Blues, and will be desperate to make an impact on Sunday.

There has been an update regarding Celtic’s reported interest in Danish sensation, Casper Tengstedt…

What’s the word?

According to Rosenborg chief Mikael Dorsin, via the Glasgow Times, the Old Firm outfit will seemingly need to fork out a sizeable sum if they are to land the 22-year-old this month, with the striker’s current side understandably reluctant to lose their prize asset on the cheap.

Amid reports that the Hoops – among others – are considering an approach for the prolific marksman, Dorsin stated:

“He’s one of our key players. So if we have to sell him now, something extraordinary will be needed. I can’t talk about amounts, but it will be something incredible if we were to sell him this winter.

“Casper has also been here for a short time, so I think he also understands that. There has been a lot of interest, which is natural when he has produced such a great season. But from there it is a long way before there is anything concrete. In football, you always hear about a lot of rumours and interest, but it’s a long time before anything official happens.”

The Norwegian side are no doubt in a strong bargaining position with the former AC Horsens man still having three-and-a-half years left to run on his current contract.

Big Maeda upgrade

While the Parkhead giants may need to break the bank in order to bring Tengstedt to Glasgow, pundit Frank McAvennie has previously stated that it could well be worth bringing in a more costly asset – potentially in the region of “£8/10m” – in order to help provide further firepower for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

The signing of the ruthless Dane would certainly do just that with the dynamic gem having scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in just 14 games for the Eliteserien outfit, after previously providing 30 goals and assists in 57 games during his previous spell in his homeland with Horsens.

Such “crazy numbers” – as per talent scout Jacek Kulig – have unsurprisingly caught the attention of the Scottish champions, with the former FC Midtjylland ace also offering the benefit of being able to feature on the flanks, as well as in his usual centre-forward berth.

That versatility and clinical nature in front of goal could well see Tengstedt prove a notable upgrade on Daizen Maeda at Paradise, with the Japan international unable to match such rampant form with ‘only’ 11 goals and assists in 27 games across all fronts this term.

Although the 25-year-old has been in remarkable form in recent weeks, with three goal involvements in his last three games, the former Yokohama F.Marinos ace has not always proven reliable in the final third during his time at the club, having missed three big chances in the Champions League this term.

The relentless asset has also been dubbed a “headless chicken” by journalist Casey Evans after at times failing to combine his elite work ethic with an end product.

Tengstedt, by comparison, appears to have a greater cutting edge, having been described as a “born finisher” by Portuguese coach Frederico Pereira Morais, something showcased by his 73 club career goals.

With Maeda also being linked with a move to Premier League strugglers Southampton, the addition of the Rosenborg marksman could prove an ideal replacement for Postecoglou.

Manchester United’s nine-game winning run came to an end in frustrating fashion on Wednesday evening, with a late Michael Olise stunner seeing Erik ten Hag’s side held to a 1-1 draw away to Crystal Palace.

After the highs of Saturday’s derby day triumph over Manchester City, the Red Devils struggled to truly get going in what was a limp display at Selhurst Park, having been left thankful for some David De Gea heroics to help deny Patrick Viera’s men.

The long-serving Spaniard had expertly tipped Odsonne Edouard’s dipping effort onto the crossbar just before the break, with United then subsequently taking the lead through Bruno Fernandes on the stroke of half-time.

With the visitors’ focus seemingly appearing to shift to Sunday’s upcoming encounter with league leaders Arsenal, the Old Trafford outfit then suffered the double blow of seeing Casemiro pick up a yellow card – ruling the Brazilian out of the trip to the Emirates – before that man Olise curled home a delightful free-kick at the death.

That performance and the eventual result has reinforced the notion that any talk of a title charge for the away side was undoubtedly premature, with United’s primary concern likely to be fending off the chasing pack in the battle for a top-four berth.

If Ten Hag’s men are to achieve that latter goal, they will no doubt need more from their leading figures in attack, with recent addition Wout Weghorst having endured an “indifferent” outing on what was his first appearance for the club, as per journalist Steven Railston.

The 6 foot 6 colossus had appeared something of a left-field signing for those at the Theatre of Dreams after joining on-loan from Burnley, having since failed to silence any doubters after making a limited impact against the Eagles.

Although the towering Dutchman – who had spent the first half of the campaign with Turkish giants Besiktas – did show flashes of his impressive hold-up play, the 30-year-old ultimately proved rather anonymous as he made just 28 touches in total – fewer than the aforementioned De Gea in the sticks (33).

That 69-minute showing also saw the one-time Wolfsburg brute complete just 14 of his 20 passes and lose possession on eight occasions, with his solitary attempt on goal having been a tame header that looped over the crossbar.

While it is far too early to write the 19-cap marksman off, there will have been concern at his failure to truly dominate in attack, having only won two of his eight total duels up against the youthful centre-back pairing of Marc Guehi and Chris Richards.

Such a tepid showing seemingly left the Mirror’s Dan Marsh feeling “underwhelmed”, with Weghorst no doubt needing to show much more if he is to truly challenge the absent Anthony Martial for a starting berth in the coming weeks.

With this hectic fixture list set to continue against the Gunners at the weekend there will be ample opportunity for the Netherlands international truly show what he can do, although there will no doubt be frustration that he was unable to make a bigger contribution on debut.

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.

Tottenham may have been handed a possible transfer boost in the hunt to sign Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo, according to Graeme Bailey.

The Lowdown: Spurs make move…

Reliable reports in the last 48 hours have shared news of a Spurs proposal to sign the Italy international, coming after their repeated links last summer.

Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio first claimed that Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici personally made a proposal to sign Zaniolo on loan with an obligation to buy.

However, further updates then stated the offer was rejected by Jose Mourinho’s side with Spurs now looking in the hunt for another player alongside Sporting Lisbon wing-back Pedro Porro.

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte oversaw a lacklustre 4-2 loss to Man City on Thursday evening after they managed to nick a 2-goal half time lead – a result which perhaps highlights their need to strengthen.

The Latest: Tottenham handed Zaniolo boost…

According to 90min reporter Graeme Bailey, writing on Twitter and for 90min, north London is ‘very much’ Zaniolo’s ‘preferred option’ over fellow signing competitors West Ham, Leeds, Leicester and Borussia Dortmund.

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This could be a possible boost for Spurs as the player allegedly eyes a move to the club and, according to Bailey, it is believed ‘Conte is a huge fan of the player’.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Reports suggest, if Roma don’t want to loan him out, the asking price is €40 million (£35m) – a potential financial gamble on behalf of Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy.

Zaniolo has arguably been out of form under Mourinho this year – netting just one goal in 13 Serie A appearances this season.

However, while he is going through a damp patch, his form of last season indicates there is a player of real quality and huge potential in there.

As per WhoScored, over the 2021/2022 season, Zaniolo ranked in Roma’s top three for attempts at goal per 90 and bested all of his teammates for completed dribbles per 90 – not to mention he drew the most fouls in that time.

The numbers say, when at his best, he can be a tricky and creative player – something which is arguably needed for Spurs and Conte.

Recently lauded as having ‘tremendous talent and an amazing ability’ by members of the media, Zaniolo does possess the class – with the question being if he can turn it on in the Premier League.

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.

Leeds United have already bolstered both their attack and defence this January, but it is clear with the persistent links to the likes of Azzedine Ounahi that they are not finished.

Whites director of football Victor Orta remains on the lookout for another midfielder to add to the side, adding depth and quality across all areas of the pitch as they look to distance themselves from the relegation battle.

Whilst they are two points from bottom, they are also only two wins away from 12th in the table too, such is the tightness and unpredictability of the Premier League this season.

It is a league that will be decided upon fine margins, and therefore they must not hesitate if a viable option comes available on the market.

Therefore, the suggestion they could move for Lens’ Seko Fofana is one they should welcome and actively explore.

Boasting a reported €40m (£35m) price tag, the Whites have already shown that they are willing to spend big this window as they smashed their record transfer with a move for Georginio Rutter.

Whilst striker was a position of utmost importance, a physical machine such as the Ivory Coast international could be the final piece to complete their midfield.

The 27-year-old could form a remarkable partnership in the engine room alongside the workmanlike Tyler Adams, who would offer Fofana the creative license to flex his offensive muscles.

This season has seen the Ivory Coast enforcer record eight goal contributions, as he has dominated games with his all-around exceptional ability.

Whilst ranking in the top 3% for total shots when compared with other midfielders around Europe, he also ranks in the top 3% for dribbles completed. When he is in full flow with the ball at his feet, Fofana becomes near unstoppable, via FBref.

This is supplemented by the claims of journalist Said Amdaa, who once labelled him:

“Unplayable in midfield with monster activity. Recoverer/scorer. Very reliable, the captain”.

To pair this with the defensive exploits of Adams, who this season has averaged 4.2 tackles per 90 alongside an 83% pass accuracy, would be a stroke of genius, would outlining the USA international as a calming presence beside the all-action Fofana.

It could be a match made in heaven for manager Jesse Marsch, who is surely seeking that final addition to cap off a wonderful transfer window.

Arsenal are set to confirm the signing of centre-back Jakub Kiwior in the next 24 hours.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Simon Collings, with the journalist revealing in his latest article for the Evening Standard that, after Edu reached an agreement with Serie A side Spezia Calcio regarding a £21m deal for the 22-year-old, the defender is now expected to complete his move from Italy to England within the next day – upon completion of a medical with the Gunners.

The reporter went on to state that the signing of a left-footed centre-back has been a priority for Mikel Arteta in order to provide Gabriel Magalhaes with both backup and competition for his starting role in the heart of the Arsenal defence, with the Poland international who Collings dubbed ‘tall, strong and good on the ball’ appearing to suit the Spanish manager’s needs perfectly.

A “surprise” package

Considering just how impressive Kiwior has been in Italy so far this season, it is not difficult to understand why Arteta is interested in a deal to add the 6 foot 2 talent to his current centre-back options at The Emirates this winter.

Indeed, over his 17 Serie A appearances in the current campaign, the £18.5m-rated talent has been a rock in Spezia’s backline, making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 4.0 clearances and winning 3.2 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per game.

The £22k-per-week youngster also impresses in possession of the ball, having created one big chance for his teammates, in addition to enjoying an average of 57.7 touches, playing 3.3 long balls and completing 37.4 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per match.

These returns have seen the 22-year-old – who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig claimed has been a “surprise” package in Italy and journalist Fabrizo Romano dubbed “untouchable” – average an extremely impressive Sofascore statistical rating of 6.83, currently ranking the Pole as Spezia’s joint sixth-best performer in the top flight of Italian football.

Rather unsurprisingly, these performances have seen the centre-back come in for a considerable amount of praise, with Robert Lewandowski labelling Kiwior an “extraordinary” talent, while Poland manager Czesław Michniewicz also stated of the youngster last year (via TEAMtalk):

“His calmness is striking, he receives the ball, he has good technique, good passing. He is taught how to play defence in Italy. Kiwior came as an unknown player, and with his attitude against the Netherlands, he showed today that he can be the one we have been looking for for years. He has a left foot, a lot of calm in the game, smart positioning and great technique.”

As such, much like Michniewicz for Poland, considering just how well-suited Kiwior very much looks to be for Arteta’s particular set-up in north London, the 22-year-old could very easily also be the one Arsenal have ‘been looking for for years’ – something that would undoubtedly come as a very pleasant surprise to the 40-year-old coach and his side.

Tottenham Hotspur have not made any contact as of yet with any potential managerial replacements for Antonio Conte amid concerns over his future in north London.

What’s the latest?

Whether Conte will be at the helm of Spurs next season or not is the big question surrounding the north London club at the moment.

There were reports to emerge over the weekend from the trusted Italian journalist, Gianluca Di Marzio, suggesting Conte’s long-term future was not at Spurs.

A number of reasons are said to be at the heart of this expected decision to part ways with Spurs at the end of the campaign with his family living in Italy believed to be a big one.

However, despite some reports that have since emerged, Fabrizio Romano has said on the House of Champions YouTube channel that Spurs are not speaking with any possible replacements:

“No, I can say that from what I’m told, Tottenham are not having conversations with any other manager at the moment.

“So the expectation at the moment is to continue, of course, with Antonio until the end of the season, and then to decide about the future.

“Antonio has not decided anything now. He has not communicated that he’s going to leave the club, he has not communicated that he’s going to extend the contract.”

No homecoming just yet?

The reports to emerge have suggested the managerial option in question is the former Spurs manager, Mauricio Pochettino, with claims from Italy stating talks have already begun.

However, Romano was adamant that this was not the case. And if so, we do have to question why Spurs may not look to offload Conte sooner rather than later.

If the Italian is not in it for the long haul then there is very little reason why Spurs should consider keeping him in position until the end of the campaign.

The 53-year-old had a sensational second half of the season last term, however, the form Spurs are stuck in at the moment would have most managers’ positions at their club questioned.

And if this form is showing no signs of improving then surely Spurs should be looking to bring in a manager like Pochettino who would be willing to work with the players and get the very best out of them.

There is no doubt Spurs could do with some improvements across the pitch, but it has to be remembered the likes of Eric Dier were playing at an extremely high level under Conte just a few months ago and now some fans do not feel he’s good enough.

Now whether this is true or not, there has been an incredible drop-off from Conte’s defence since October with the Lilywhites keeping just one clean sheet in the league since October.