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Tottenham Hotspur are after the new ‘Pochettino’ as BBC journalist Guillem Balague shares why they want Burnley boss Vincent Kompany.

What’s the latest on Kompany to Spurs?

Reliable outlets have suggested that the 37-year-old is high on chairman Daniel Levy’s wishlist as he scours the market for a new permanent manager to succeed Antonio Conte.

It’s been a torrid time in north London of late, with Spurs’ latest 6-1 humbling at the hands of Newcastle United dealing a mighty blow to their hopes of sealing a top four Premier League finish.

Former interim boss Cristian Stellini lost his job as a result of their St. James’ Park thrashing, with Levy placing Ryan Mason in charge until the end of the campaign instead.

In the background, Tottenham are well and truly searching for the tactician who can take them forward and reinstall some much-needed optimism. Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique, both out of work after leaving their most recent jobs, have been heavily linked – meanwhile the likes of Arne Slot (Feyenoord) and Kompany continue to be of interest.

However, despite supporters singing his name in the stands on match day, former Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettino never made it far enough to enter serious contention and is now just steps away from joining Chelsea.

This will be a frustrating development for many Spurs fans, not least because their ex-hero is reportedly about to take the reins at a major rival. Balague, sharing why Tottenham didn’t move more seriously for Pochettino despite reports, has also explained the interest in Kompany.

Taking to Twitter, the BBC regular says Spurs are ‘after’ the new ‘Pochettino’ – hence their fondness for Anderlecht’s former manager.

He explained:

What has Kompany done so far?

Burnley are now champions of the English second tier after a 1-0 win over Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night.

The Clarets stormed to Championship promotion in real style and in Kompany’s debut season – winning the most games, losing the least and conceding the fewest out of any other side in the division thus far (Sky).

Called ‘amazing’ for his work at Turf Moor by members of the media like Chris Kamara, the Belgian has been heralded for his brand of football and overall job at Burnley.

It’s little surprise Spurs are considering him but we believe a lack of experience elsewhere is something Levy should also take into account.

Frank Lampard has been confirmed as Chelsea's new manager on a deal until the end of the season and the Englishman could seal an instant masterclass at Stamford Bridge by dropping Mateo Kovacic.

The 44-year-old, who was sacked by Everton earlier in the season, has returned as the man in the dugout at Stamford Bridge having managed the Blues for 84 matches between 2019 and 2021.

During his time at the club, Lampard would average a solid 1.75 points per game, which is a significant upgrade on the 1.42 points per game averaged by Graham Potter in his spell at the west London club.

Lampard was in attendance for Chelsea's stalemate with Liverpool in midweek and if he was paying attention, he will surely realise that Kovacic needs a spell out of the team, despite his role as captain in the absence of Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Should Chelsea drop Kovacic?

During the game against Liverpool, the Croatia international would spurn two glorious chances to give the hosts the lead, first failing to score after rounding Alisson, before firing over the bar when through on goal, despite having two teammates available in support.

Unfortunately, this was not a one-off for the former Real Madrid man, as he has endured one of his worst seasons in a Chelsea shirt and should surely spend some time on the bench for upcoming fixtures, especially after the return of N'Golo Kante.

In 21 Premier League appearances so far this campaign, the 28-year-old, who earns £100k-per-week, has contributed just one goal and one assist, with WhoScored awarding him a woeful 6.50 rating for his performances.

Considering this ranks him as the 23rd-best performer at Stamford Bridge so far this campaign, it is baffling that he has featured so often, especially when Chelsea have the likes of Conor Gallagher and Denis Zakaria waiting in the wings.

The midfielder's previous seasons at Stamford Bridge have resulted in far-more-impressive average ratings of 7.05, 6.84 and 6.94 in the last three Premier League campaigns, so it seems clear that his standards have dropped so far this term.

Indeed, as far back as 2021, journalist Daniel Childs was labelling the Croat both "pretty awful" and "very lucky."

Now, it makes perfect sense for Lampard to drop the midfielder following Kante's return to action after injury, while the likes of Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka could also be given chances if the 44-year-old continues his philosophy of putting faith in Chelsea's youth.

Whatever the incoming interim manager decides, it seems clear that Kovacic hasn't been good enough this season and as such, it would be a masterclass to instantly remove him from the team.

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly be eyeing a move for Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, with the Greek-Aussie having been named among the potential candidates to replace Antonio Conte at the helm.

What's the latest on Postecoglou to Spurs?

The Lilywhites are currently seeking to find a permanent successor to the former Chelsea boss, with Cristian Stellini having taken charge on an interim basis following the departure of his compatriot on Sunday.

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has identified German coach Julian Nagelsmann as his 'top target' for the position, albeit with the north Londoners set to face a battle to appoint the 35-year-old due to apparent interest from the likes of Real Madrid and those at Stamford Bridge.

The report also reveals that Levy is considering other alternatives for the role, including Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old having previously been mentioned by The Telegraph as a possible option earlier this month.

Should Tottenham appoint Ange Postecoglou?

While the appointment of the Hoops boss would be something of a left-field choice – with the experienced coach currently in just his first managerial post in Europe – the former Yokohama Marinos man has caught the attention due to his impressive work at Parkhead of late.

Having taken on the role initially in the summer of 2021 as something of an unknown quantity, the highly-coveted figure has since been a real "revelation" at Celtic Park, according to former Hoops youth product, Simon Ferry, having brought a "real identity" to the Scottish giants.

The one-time Australia head coach looks set to guide his rampant side to a second successive league title following what has been another standout campaign in the Scottish Premiership, with the Old Firm outfit having already scored 93 goals in just 29 league games so far this term.

Unlike the departing Conte – whose brand of football has been described as "negative" by pundit Chris Sutton – Postecoglou has impressed due to his front-foot and progressive style during his time in Glasgow, having implemented "beautiful, attacking football" over the past 18 months or so, as per BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves.

As Hargreaves also noted, the one-time Melbourne Victory boss simply "goes after everyone" even when coming up against the likes of Real Madrid in Europe, with Ferry also stating that Postecoglou has got his side playing "fearlessly", no matter the opposition.

That 'fearlessness' is undoubtedly a far cry from what has been witnessed by Tottenham supporters of late, with Conte's men notably producing a "pathetic" performance in the Champions League, last-16 exit at the hands of AC Milan, as per journalist Josh Bunting.

While it would be a step up for Postecoglou to take the reigns at such an elite club, the attack-minded coach could well be the man to bring a free-flowing, exciting brand of football back to N17, with recent years likely to have proven to Levy that style is just as important as substance.

Everton manager Sean Dyche may think about replacing Idrissa Gueye ‘in the near future’, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Everton targeting midfielder

Despite bringing the midfielder back to Goodison Park from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, Everton are already mulling over new options in the engine room, given the very poor season they have had up to this point.

Benfica defensive midfielder Florentino Luis has recently been touted as a potential ‘marquee signing’ for the Toffees by O’Rourke, and judging by his recent comments, he could be brought in to replace Gueye…

The Latest: Gueye to be replaced?

In an interview with GiveMeSport, O’Rourke indicated that Dyche may choose to overhaul his squad this summer if they manage to avoid relegation to the Championship.

The journalist said: “If Everton do stay up, then Sean Dyche will be looking to rebuild that squad and improve things.

Arsenal are reportedly battling Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to sign Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio on a free transfer this summer.

The Lowdown: Talks scheduled

It was reported earlier this month that Asensio’s agents were flying to London to feel out interest in the Premier League, with Madrid not wanting to talk about a new deal until March or April.

His contract expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

The Latest: Competition…

As per Football Insider, Tottenham and United are also battling with Arsenal to sign Asensio, providing that he does not sign a contract extension.

They have now been ‘in contact’ over a potential deal which would see him join for free come the summer.

The Verdict: No-brainer

To sign a player of Asensio’s quality and experience for free is a no-brainer for the Gunners.

Hailed as ‘spectacular’ by his former agent Horacio Gaggioli, Asensio has had a great career at the age of 27, winning no fewer than three UEFA Champions League titles with Madrid, along with a host of other major accolades.

The winger has also been capped 35 times by Spain, and at 27, is a player only just about to enter his prime.

Nonetheless, Asensio would still have a sizeable sell-on value as well, if for some reason it did not work out at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester United are seemingly set to be targetting a new centre-forward addition this summer, with Erik ten Hag seeking a long-term fit in that role following Cristiano Ronaldo’s sour exit back in November.

The Red Devils could well have missed the opportunity to sign a potential solution to that problem in the past, with reports back in February 2021 having claimed that the club were keeping tabs on Arsenal starlet, Folarin Balogun, with the youngster having been facing an uncertain future in north London due to his expiring contract.

The Old Trafford outfit seemingly never acted on that interest, however, as the then-teenager opted to commit to a new four-year deal just a matter of months later, ensuring that United had missed the boat with regard to tempting the USA-born starlet into a move to Manchester.

As it has proved, the England U21 international has made “incredible” progress since then, according to Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, having enjoyed a particularly fruitful spell on loan at Ligue 1 side, Stade de Reims, so far this season.

The explosive 21-year-old is currently the leading scorer in the French top flight with 14 goals in just 20 appearances to date, ensuring that he is outperforming the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar in the division.

The one-time Middlesbrough loanee only recently thwarted that stellar Paris Saint-Germain trio, having scored a remarkable stoppage-time equaliser against Christopher Galtier’s side, showing great composure to round the advancing Gianluigi Donnarumma, before lashing home from the angle.

Those late heroics were then followed by another standout showing in Reims’ most recent league outing at home to Lorient, with Balogun – who has a solid average match rating of 7.07 this season, as per Sofascore – having netted a scintillating hat-trick to help clinch a thrilling, 4-2 victory.

Clearly a ruthless presence in front of goal, the 5 foot 10 marksman has also caught the eye as a result of his creativity when leading the line as he has recorded one assist and created five big chances in Ligue 1 this season, while he also ranks in the top 5% among his European peers for progressive passes received.

Back at the Theatre of Dreams, Ten Hag and co have been without a regular presence in attack due to Anthony Martial’s injury woes, while loan arrival Wout Weghorst does appear a mere short-term fix until the end of the season.

As such, United may well be ruing that they didn’t secure Balogun’s signature two years ago, even if he was a mere prospect at the time, with the exciting talent now evidently flourishing in France.

Former Sheffield Wednesday centre-back Michael Hector could potentially seal a return to the club this month, according to reliable journalist Joe Crann.

The Lowdown: Hector’s previous with Sheffield Wednesday

The 30-year-old spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Hillsborough, having struggled to break through at Chelsea over a number of years, despite previously being hailed as ‘absolutely top class’ by journalist Dom Howson.

Hector made 39 appearances in total for the Owls, scoring twice along the way and proving to be a ‘fan favourite’ at the heart of their defence.

The former Jamaica international is currently without a club, having left Fulham last year, and it could be that a return to Wednesday materialises this month.

The Latest: Sheffield Wednesday considering Hector move

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for The Star, Crann claimed that Hector is being considered as an option for Sheffield Wednesday to come in and add defensive depth in January.

The journalist tweeted:

“Darren Moore has previously suggested that #SWFC weren’t really looking at free agents, but – as per @AlexMiller91 – we understand that former Owl, Michael Hector, is now being considered as an option at centre back after all.”

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The Verdict: Good centre-back option

This could be a shrewd piece of business by Wednesday, bringing in Hector on a free transfer and helping to ease their current shortage in centre-back areas following injuries to Ben Heneghan and Michael Ihiekwe.

Mark McGuinness’ return to Cardiff City is a big blow, following an impressive stint for the Owls (he is their second-highest rated player this season as per WhoScored), but Hector could help to fill that void, having won 3.4 aerial duels per game in the Championship during his previous spell with the club four years ago.

There would be an element of risk behind the move in terms of his lack of playing time – he has made just 15 appearances in all competitions since August 2020, and only two since the start of 2022 – but the free agent element of the transfer alleviates that issue.

Either way, bringing in another centre-back this month could be a wise move should any approach for Hector not work out.

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.

Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has shared an injury update regarding Whites winger Luis Sinisterra. 

The Lowdown: Sinisterra’s season so far

Leeds signed the Colombian from Feyenoord in July on a five-year deal, making him one of several incoming players at Elland Road during the summer transfer window.

Since then, the 23-year-old has made 10 appearances for Leeds across the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, scoring three goals and providing one assist along the way.

With Sinisterra having been out of action since October with a foot injury, Marsch has shared an update on the player ahead of his team’s domestic campaign resuming in the next few days.

The Latest: Sinisterra injury update

Speaking in his latest press conference (via Leeds Live) ahead of their upcoming Premier League match against Manchester City, Marsch gave a promising update on the 23-year-old, who could be ‘on track’ to return in January.

The American said: “Luis Sinisterra is making great progress and we feel like he’s on track. We have to be a little bit cautious with this injury, but we’re hopeful that in a couple weeks he can be back in training.”

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The Verdict: Good news for Leeds

To highlight how useful an attacking figure the former Feyenoord player has been for Leeds in the top flight this season, only two players in Marsch’s squad have a higher rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than the Colombian (4.17).

In addition, only two Whites players have completed more dribbles than Sinisterra (11), which highlights just how tricky a player he can be for opponents to face.

This shows just how much of a boost it will be for the team to have the winger, who has been praised for his “excellent” performances for Leeds by journalist Leon Wobschall on Twitter, back fit again in the coming weeks.

While it looks like Sinisterra will be set to miss the upcoming match against Pep Guardiola’s side, this update from Marsch about the winger’s recovery is definitely a positive one for the Elland Road faithful.

Nottingham Forest have had their fair share of injury problems over the Premier League season and now a new update has emerged on another setback ahead of their return to action later this month.

What’s the latest?

Forest boss Steve Cooper has revealed a concerning update on Cheikhou Kouyate’s recovery timeline after suffering a hamstring injury at the World Cup, which led to the midfielder needing surgery.

Unfortunately it doesn’t look good for Cooper, who revealed to NottinghamshireLive:

“That’s going to rule him out now for 10 to 12 weeks. It’s a challenge for him that he’s got to embrace and give his best to.

“We’ll miss him, for sure – on the pitch and, equally, off the pitch, because of the character and the personality that he is. It’s slightly unfortunate about how it all evolved with the injury, but we don’t really want to get into that. It’s happened now, so we all have to commit – including Cheik – to get him back as quickly as possible.”

It’s bad news for Cooper

There is no doubt that it is bad news for the manager that Kouyate will be unavailable for the next few months as the Welshman has a huge challenge ahead of him to secure safety in the Premier League over the second half of the campaign.

Forest are currently 18th in the top flight, spending the majority of their promotion season inside the relegation zone so far, however, the run of form displayed ahead of the World Cup break will have given Cooper hope that his team can finally start competing.

Over their last five league outings, Forest collected points from four of their fixtures, leaving them just one point shy of climbing out of the bottom three ahead of their clash with Manchester United on Boxing Day.

Losing the experience and consistency Kouyate has been offering the Tricky Trees in the centre of the pitch will be a big blow for Forest, especially when you consider his output so far.

With a Sofascore match rating of 6.78, he is the seventh-best player in the squad so far and indeed their joint-best midfielder alongside Ryan Yates when compared to that metric.

That comes courtesy of some productive displays over 12 appearances, with the 32-year-old having scored one goal, created one big chance and completed a whopping 84% of his dribbles.

Furthermore, he has averaged 1.8 tackles – the best of any midfielder in the squad – 1.6 clearances and 3.9 duels won per game.

With that being said, the absence of Kouyate will be a big loss for Cooper but he will now need to rely on his other midfielders to deliver crucial points in the Premier League over the upcoming fixtures.