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 are preparing to make an offer for Lille striker Jonathan David in January, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Previous interest in David

The Canadian still has more than two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract with the Ligue 1 club, but following his impressive performances under Paulo Fonseca, he has been the subject of strong interest.

The Magpies eyed a move for the 22-year-old last year, and even though a deal failed to materialise before the deadline, PIF are now taking a second bite at the cherry in a bid to bring him to the Premier League.

The Latest: Newcastle readying David offer

According to French outlet Media Foot (via Sport Witness), Eddie Howe ‘wants an extra man’ up top in 2023, with the 44-year-old having identified David as ‘that player’.

Newcastle are reportedly set to ‘make a new attempt’ to land the forward by ‘making an offer’ in the winter after a previous failed approach.

Whilst the exact amount they are willing to cough up ‘hasn’t filtered’, it’s stated that Lille will find it ‘very difficult’ to keep hold of their star striker.

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The Verdict: Wood replacement?

Chris Wood has failed to make a serious impact at Newcastle this season with only two league starts to his name, so David would most certainly be an upgrade should he depart St. James’ Park.

Dubbed ‘mind-blowing’ by Jacek Kulig, the 5 foot 9 Canadian attacker has nine goals and three assists in 15 appearances this term and is averaging 3.3 shots per game (WhoScored).

Even taking into account their disparity in game-time, David has far more goals and shots per 90 minutes than Wood, along with a better rate for shots on target and successful passes (FBRef), so he could certainly be considered an upgrade on the New Zealand target man.

The Magpies are currently third in the Premier League after a remarkable start to 2022/23, and the potential arrival of David should only increase their chances of nailing down a top-four spot come the end of the campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of their crucial Champions League meeting with Olympique de Marseille this evening.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to SPURSPLAY ahead of the match, Antonio Conte’s assistant, Cristian Stellini, confirmed that Cristian Romero – who was left out of Spurs’ squad to face AFC Bournemouth on Saturday as a precaution – will be unavailable for the trip to the Orange Vélodrome on Tuesday evening, as the centre-back is reportedly suffering from muscle fatigue.

Regarding the 24-year-old, Stellini said: “The only news is that Cuti Romero is not available for the match tomorrow. We are sorry, but it is what it is. We have other players available, we have a good squad and we are well prepared to play a tough game, a knockout game like tomorrow.”

Huge blow

Considering just how influential a part of the Spurs side Romero has become since his move to north London last summer, the news that the Argentina international will not be available for such a crucial Champions League fixture will undoubtedly have come as a huge blow to Conte.

Indeed, over his eight Premier League appearances so far this season, the £69m-rated talent has been a rock at the back for Spurs, helping his side keep one clean sheet, as well as making an average of 2.4 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 2.8 clearances and winning 5.4 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per game.

These returns have seen the 23-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94, currently ranking him as Conte’s eighth-best performer in the top flight of English football.

Furthermore, the £165k-per-week defender has also caught the eye over his five Champions League fixtures this term, helping the Lilywhites keep one clean sheet, in addition to making an average of 2.6 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and winning 4.8 duels – at a success rate of 63% – per match.

These metrics have seen the 12-cap international average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.02, again ranking him as Tottenham’s eighth-best player in the European competition.

As such, it is clear to see that Romero’s loss ahead of a game in which Spurs must take at least a point in order to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition is a huge blow for Conte – who will be hoping that Davinson Sanchez can improve on his disappointing performance against Bournemouth on Saturday when filling in for the Argentine this evening.

Aston Villa might be in line to bolster their front line already, with one eye on a player who could star at the World Cup…

What’s the latest?

Having nearly signed Ismaila Sarr in the summer, recent claims from journalist Ed Aarons seem to suggest they could be prepared to reignite their interest.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, responding to a question about whether the Midlands side will scout him this winter, he said: ”Yeah, I would definitely say so. I know Crystal Palace have had a lot of interest in him, and obviously, Man United a couple of years ago tried to get him on loan on transfer deadline day. 

“So, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is in the sights of other clubs, bigger clubs as well, eventually, if the price comes down. 

“But maybe it’ll be a move to a smaller club in the Premier League first and then to a bigger club, but I honestly think that he’s good enough to play for one of the top clubs.”

Back in the summer, the Senegalese talent was valued at an eye-catching £25m.

He could be Danjuma 2.0

At his previous club Villarreal, Unai Emery was well known for his shrewd recruitment and ability to really get the best out of his players.

Spotting Arnaut Danjuma from Bournemouth, fresh off the back of his Supporters’ Player of the Year award, he negotiated a deal to sign the 24-year-old for just £21.3m.

This came when Villa themselves reportedly showed an interest in the Dutchman too.

His debut season in Spain then saw him lauded as a sensation, with an impressive haul of 16 goals and four assists across La Liga and the Champions League.

It marked a great transfer success for the Yellow Submarine, who also stormed to an unlikely semi-final of Europe’s elite competition.

Now, with Sarr, Emery could repeat this feat with a winger that shares striking similarities.

Blessed with frightening pace, quick feet and an eye for goal, the two have both torn up the Championship on separate occasions.

The Senegalese flyer has this season scored five and assisted three already, but during the 2020/21 campaign, scored 13 and assisted ten on their way back to the Premier League.

His exploits have led teammate Kiko Femenia to succinctly sum him up by claiming: “Ismaila is very fast and has a lot of power.”

After 11 months of Steven Gerrard’s narrow formations and convoluted tactics for the wingers, Sarr would be a breath of fresh air as the speedster looks to return the side to a play style they excel in.

Aaron Danks needed to only afford the wingers some freedom to thrash Brentford 4-0.

Already boasting experience in the top flight, and having a proven track record of being a reliable goal threat, Emery could repeat his Danjuma masterclass at Villarreal with his first signing in the Midlands.

West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan full-back Robin Gosens. 

The Lowdown: West Ham’s previous transfer window

The summer transfer window saw the Hammers add several new players to their squad, including defensive figures in the shape of Nayef Aguerd, Thilo Kehrer and Emerson Palmieri.

After 14 games in the Premier League, only four clubs have conceded fewer goals than West Ham (15), but just three teams have scored fewer than David Moyes’ side (12).

With that in mind, it appears that the east Londoners have their eyes on signing a player who could help them out at both ends of the pitch.

The Latest: Interest in Gosens

According to a recent report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, West Ham have eyes on signing Inter full-back Gosens, who will be hopeful of featuring in Germany’s World Cup squad for the upcoming tournament in Qatar.

The report also stated that fellow Premier League side Leicester City have an interest in the player as well.

The Verdict: Could be useful for West Ham

Bearing in mind how the 28-year-old has only started in four of his 16 appearances for Inter this season across the Champions League and Serie A, it’s safe to say that he isn’t a particularly crucial player for them.

That could give West Ham a good chance of signing the player, who has been praised for his “outstanding” performances for Germany in the past by journalist Stefan Bienkowski, if they would be able to give him regular playing time.

Having played as a left wing-back this season, Gosens has won more tackles (eight) than any other Inter player in the Champions League, while also getting all three of his attempts at goal on target.

This highlights how effective the £77k-per-week wizard can be in a defensive and attacking sense, which would certainly make him a useful addition to West Ham’s squad given their struggles this season.

Scottish champions Celtic are believed to be open to a Parkhead departure for defender Josip Juranovic, following a halt to contract talks with the Croatian.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry, with the journalist revealing on Twitter: “It is my understanding Josip Juranovic Celtic talks have been put on hold as club seriously considering selling player after World Cup to maximise profit. Contract could still potentially be signed but it will be assessed by the club after tournament.”

This follows a recent report from the Daily Mail that claimed the Old Firm are bracing themselves for offers for the 27-year-old in the New Year, with negotiations over an improved deal for the full-back said to have proven ‘unsuccessful’.

While the former Legia Warsaw man still has just under four years to run on his existing deal, as Hendry alluded to the Glasgow giants could look to cash in should the right-back impress for his country in Qatar, having previously attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Right time to ‘cash in’

On the face of it, losing the 21-cap machine appears something of a setback for Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou, with Juranovic having been a key figure for the club since his arrival last summer, notably being lauded for his “outstanding” form during last season’s title success by pundit, John Hartson.

That being said, however, having brought in the in-demand star for just £2.5m over a year ago, it could well be an ideal chance for the Scottish Premiership side to recoup a tidy profit in January, with reports in the recent window suggesting that the player could command a fee of around £15m.

Equally, as pundit Tam McManus suggested, the Zagreb-born ace has somewhat “disappointed” so far this season – recording just two goal involvements in 15 games across all fronts – with the club potentially “right to cash in” if he impresses in the coming weeks on international duty.

Even for all his plaudits last term, Juranovic also only provided five goals and nine assists in what was a real breakout campaign.

The 24-year-old has also bettered his colleague’s tally of contributions this term with three assists in just nine outings, while also potentially offering more defensively as the academy graduate averages 1.5 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game in the league, while his teammate averages 1.1 and 1.0 for the same two metrics, respectively.

As such, with Ralston already thriving in the right-back berth, it would seemingly not be too great of a blow were Postecoglou and co to allow Juranovic to move on in the winter window, with the Celtic Park hierarchy able to reinvest the potential funds elsewhere.

West Ham are reportedly leading the race for Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz and the Chile international could be a big upgrade on Michail Antonio in David Moyes’ side.

According to Football League World, the Hammers are in pole position to sign the former Nottingham Forest man, despite interest from fellow Premier League side Manchester United.

Brereton Diaz has exploded onto the scene across the past two Championship seasons, hitting 22 goals in the 2021/22 campaign for the Ewood Park outfit, while he already has nine goals to his name this term.

The 23-year-old is an integral part of Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side at Blackburn and considering they currently sit second in the Championship, the Lancashire side will surely be desperate to keep him in January.

However, his contract at Ewood Park is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning that they could be forced to sell in January if they want to avoid losing him for nothing in 2023, and West Ham could be the beneficiaries.

The Hammers signed Gianluca Scamacca in the summer transfer window as they looked to phase Antonio out of the first team, as while he is their top goalscorer in Premier League history, the 32-year-old looks as if he is already beginning to decline.

This was emphasised in last weekend’s defeat against Crystal Palace, as the Jamaica international came off the bench but wasted passes in two golden attacking areas, before the Eagles went on to grab a last-gasp winner.

Antonio has averaged a shocking 6.39 rating from WhoScored for his performances this season after scoring just twice in the top flight, compared to a 6.92 in the 2021/22 campaign, which emphasises how poor he has been and suggests that it is time he was dropped for good.

Brereton-Diaz, meanwhile, has averaged a strong 6.89 rating for his performances in the Championship and has averaged more shots per game (3.1 vs 1), a better pass success rate (76.6 vs 56.6) and more key passes per game (1 vs 0.5) than the West Ham forward.

Therefore, it seems clear that the 23-year-old would be a better fit in Moyes’ squad if the Hammers are to turn their form around this season, so GSB should look to sign the “extraordinary” £10m-valued striker – as dubbed by Tony Mowbray – after the World Cup.

Tottenham Hotspur have been named as one of the clubs reportedly interested in signing Fenerbahce attacking midfielder Arda Guler. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ transfer business

The north London club have not been shy when it comes to signing players from foreign countries over recent years.

Figures such as Cristian Romero, Ivan Perisic and Emerson Royal, among others, have all made moves to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium from a variety of clubs across Europe.

Now though, it appears that the Lilywhites have their eyes on landing a transfer deal for another talent making a name for himself abroad.

The Latest: Guler links

Speaking to Radio Goal (via AreaNapoli), journalist Valter De Maggio had this to say about Guler and the interest in his services.

“Guler is an interesting footballer, he is doing very well and is also followed by Cristiano Giuntoli, now I add other details. On the footballer there are two other top clubs: PSG and Tottenham. It was also proposed to Napoli in the past.”

“A variable termination clause hangs on the footballer. If you dispute up to 1500 minutes with Fenerbahce, the clause is €5 million, If it exceeds 1500 minutes, it rises to €20 million. Reflections are underway at the Naples house.”

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The Verdict: A long-term investment?

With 59 appearances for Fenerbahce under his belt across their senior and youth sides, the 17-year-old has scored 20 goals and delivered 19 assists.

After scoring two goals in 21 minutes during Fenerbahce’s 6-0 win over Kasimpasa back in August, Guler has only played 13 minutes of league action across four substitute appearances.

Having scored three goals from 12 league appearances last season with just nine attempts on goal and six on target, this ended up giving the youngster the highest rate of shots on target per 90 minutes (1.85) at the club.

This highlights how much of a nuisance Guler, who has been described in the past by coach Erol Tokgozler as a “special” player, can be for opposition goalkeepers when given the chance to play.

Taking into account how young he is, it would be safe to assume that if Spurs were looking to sign the attacking midfielder, it could be seen as a long-term investment rather than as someone that would automatically be put into Antonio Conte’s side.

Manchester City’s club-record signing Jack Grealish is reportedly worried that he could be sold in January as transfer news comes out of Eastlands.

The Lowdown: Grealish debate…

The former Aston Villa star has been central to plenty of debate since his £100m move to the Etihad Stadium in 2021.

Grealish has enjoyed some brilliant moments in sky blue, especially this season as the World Cup-bound England international has been praised for some truly influential performances.

However, despite being among City’s top ten performers statistically, a major point of contention consistently brought up by the media is his lack of goals and assists.

Speaking to the press, Pep Guardiola has repeatedly attempted to put that theory to bed by revealing he did not sign the playmaker solely for numbers, but also for what Grealish does off the ball and how he is perfect at playing between the lines.

Nonetheless, discussions continue to surround the 27-year-old’s suitability for the Premier League champions.

The Latest: Grealish fears Guardiola chop…

As per a fresh report, Grealish apparently holds a concern that Guardiola could decide to sell him as soon as January.

Football Insider claim that the England midfielder ‘fears’ his manager could wield the axe either next summer or mid-season and is ‘struggling to come to terms’ with his ‘second string status’ at the Etihad.

It’s added that Grealish is said to be ‘gutted’ and ‘devastated’ over not getting the nod against Liverpool during their 1-0 defeat at Anfield last month.

The Verdict: Pinch of salt…

We believe that this report should be taken with a pinch of salt, given that the player has enjoyed some exceptional moments this season and appears to be steadily gaining more of an influence when handed the opportunity.

Bar his few untouchables, Guardiola is famous for perpetually rotating his squad to cope with the demands of an intense and congested fixture schedule.

Grealish is no exception to this, and we believe that the 2-year-old can be a real asset to City when he’s at his very best, as already explained by none other than the club’s manager.

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey has been backed to thrive for his team when playing in a wide role under Unai Emery. 

The Lowdown: Ramsey’s recent role

Since the 51-year-old was appointed as Villa’s new manager earlier this month, the young midfielder has started all three games the club has played across the Premier League and Carabao Cup.

Ramsey’s two previous outings for Villa saw him deployed on the left and right of midfield as opposed to his usual central role.

With that in mind, one pundit has shared their thoughts on this role swap for the 21-year-old and what it could mean for Villa going forward under Emery.

The Latest: Ramsey backed to shine

Speaking to Football Insider, Kevin Campbell said: “I like Jacob Ramsey, I think he’s a brilliant young player. He’s so dangerous. And the fact that a midfielder is running beyond the striker, can only be a good thing for Danny Ings.

“He’s thriving right now in his position. Ramsey is taking the attention of the centre-backs, and that gives Ings the room.

“It’s really smart from Unai Emery to come in, and recognise and use the talents that Ramsey has to create a bit more space for his attackers. I expect him to improve in this new position because it suits him, and he’s a really good player.”

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The Verdict: A question for Emery

Despite Campbell’s exuberance towards the 21-year-old and his wide role under Emery, Ramsey’s performance in Villa’s 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League was not spectacular.

Playing on the left-hand side of the pitch, the youngster had just 20 touches of the ball before being replaced by Ashley Young after 69 minutes.

Having only made nine accurate passes in the game, Ramsey failed to have one shot at goal, key pass, tackle or interception for his side.

This display ultimately earned him an overall match rating of 6.5/10 from SofaScore, making him the lowest-rated Villa starter on the day.

With that in mind, even though it was just one game, we feel that starting the £70k-per-week Villa figure in a wide role is not something that Emery should look to do at every opportunity.