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Chelsea could be set to offer Levi Colwill a new deal over the summer to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge following his spell out on loan.

Do Chelsea need more defenders?

This season will not be remembered fondly by many in west London with the Blues failing to get their hands on a trophy and finding themselves fighting to finish inside the top four.

And this has come on the back of some serious financial backing from their new owners which has seen a lot of money spent on their defence.

Indeed, over the last two transfer windows the Blues have spent around £220m on defenders alone yet find themselves potentially looking to strengthen with the return of Colwill.

The England U21 international has spent the campaign away on loan with Brighton & Hove Albion where he has made eight starts in the Premier League this season (via Transfermarkt).

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has suggested when the £5k-per-week star returns in the summer, he is likely to be offered a new deal at the Bridge:

(12:30) "Just quickly on Levi Colwill, the centre-back who's doing very well at Brighton. Chelsea consider him an important player for next season.

"So Chelsea want Levi Colwill to be part of the squad next season and to offer him a new contract. It's also important to say that the player wants to feel important. He wants to play football so how much game time he will have is going to be crucial for the future of Levi Colwill."

Can Colwill make an impact on the Chelsea side?

Despite the issues experienced in west London this season, their defence has not been one of them with only three other sides having conceded fewer than their 33 goals.

The Blues, as aforementioned, now have a huge number of options in defence with some serious talent in the centre of their defence.

Having previously spent some time out on loan in the Championship, Colwill has been hailed as a star to watch with Lewis O'Brien suggesting he will have a "fantastic career".

And it is apparent he is catching the eye of other Premier League clubs with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur believed to hold an interest in the youngster.

This does beg the question of whether there is a clear pathway for the Englishman into the starting XI at Chelsea given the owners' willingness to splash the cash.

Looking ahead to next season, Colwill could well have Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Kalidou Koulibaly all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Although the youngster will likely back himself to do his best to earn a spot in the manager's thinking, there is some serious talent ahead of him.

Whether that could possibly spell out another loan deal may come into his thinking, but it will be intriguing to see if he feels Staford Bridge is somewhere that he has a long-term future in the starting XI.

Rangers winger Kai Kennedy, who is currently on loan at Falkirk, has been told he will not be offered a new contract in the summer, according to a report from Football Insider.

Which players could leave Rangers this summer?

Michael Beale may have a significant rebuilding job on his hands next season, with multiple first-team players currently on their way out, including winger Ryan Kent, as the Englishman's contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign.

Ryan Jack could also be heading for the exit, as the central midfielder has clarified he is yet to hear from the club's hierarchy about a contract extension, and some Bundesliga clubs have started to register their interest.

Striker Alfredo Morelos' future hangs in the balance, as his current deal also comes to an end this May, although contrary to reports, he has not agreed a deal with Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray.

Another Gers player that could be on the move is Kennedy, with Football Insider reporting the winger has been told he will not be offered a new contract, having already tried to offload him in the January transfer window.

The 21-year-old is out of contract in the summer, meaning he will be free to leave, and he has already attracted the attention of Scottish Championship side Queen's Park.

Should Rangers let Kai Kennedy leave?

It is always disappointing when a player that comes through the youth ranks does not go on to cement themselves in the first team, but unfortunately, the youngster is not quite at the standard required to be a success at Ibrox.

There have been flashes of brilliance when the Rangers academy graduate has been out on loan, being lauded as "excellent" by members of the media during his time with Raith Rovers, while he has also impressed at Falkirk this season.

In 29 games in all competitions, the £4k-per-week earner has weighed in a very solid return of five goals and ten assists. However, it must be taken into account that he is playing in the third tier and it is unlikely that this form would carry over to the Scottish Premiership.

The Gers already have players of a similar age performing well in the first team, most notably Malik Tillman, with the 20-year-old bagging ten league goals this season, and Kennedy is nowhere near that level, so we think it is the right call to sanction his departure this summer.

West Ham are targeting Morocco international star Yassine ‘Bono’ Bounou as a possible heir to Lukasz Fabianski, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Fabianski deal expiring…

The Pole has been a faithful servant under manager David Moyes and was even rewarded with a new contract last summer, penning fresh terms until the summer of 2023 with an option to extend by one year.

Fabianski, having turned 37-years-old, is nearing the end of his twilight years and this season could be one of the last times West Ham supporters see him sport claret and blue.

The Premier League relegation-battlers, as a result, may have one eye on the veteran’s eventual heir or at least another shot-stopper to provide competition for Alphonse Areola.

The Latest: West Ham eye Bono…

According to a report in the print edition of AS (via Sport Witness), West Ham are one of the clubs in contention to sign Bono this summer.

The east Londoners are mentioned as an interested party when it comes Sevilla’s goalkeeper and the La Liga side apparently know important offers will be coming for him later this year.

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The Verdict: Fantastic option…

The 31-year-old seriously made a name for himself at last year’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, standing out as a key player in Walid Regragui’s plucky Morocco side.

They became Africa’s first ever nation to reach a WC semi-final, making history and forever etching themselves into the memories of football supporters from that continent.

Bono started six tournament games and clinched a Man of the Match award before they were eventually knocked out by France.

Regragui called his keeper one of the best in football with members of the media also branding him ‘world class’ for his Morocco displays.

If West Ham are looking for a safe pair of hands alongside Areola, Bono could certainly be the man, especially considering league champions Man City even allegedly made an approach for him in January.

Everton reportedly now ‘want’ to sign AS Roma attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, but there is a ‘meeting in progress’ involving a rival suitor.

The Lowdown: Bournemouth deal collapses

Sky Italy journalist and transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio reported this afternoon that Zaniolo ‘accepted’ an offer from AFC Bournemouth on Monday night, ‘ready to go’ this morning.

However, the Premier League club then ‘blocked’ a move over concerns about finances, meaning that Zaniolo is now free to move to another team before the transfer window closes.

The Latest: Everton in the race

Taking to Twitter, journalist Alessandro De Felice reports that the Goodison Park outfit now ‘want’ to sign Zaniolo, but there is a ‘meeting in progress’ with rival suitors Sassuolo, which could see their player Davide Frattesi sent to Roma as part of a swap deal:

“Plot #Everton – #Roma – #Sassuolo: The Toffees want Zaniolo, Frattesi can end up in red and yellow. Meeting in progress between the Carnevali and the Neroverde midfielder’s (Frattesi’s) agent.”

The Verdict: Time ticking!

Time is certainly ticking for Sean Dyche’s side to get new faces through the doors before the deadline at 11pm tonight, having not spent any money on any signings yet and only recalling Ellis Simms from his loan spell at Sunderland.

They also lost winger Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United, and so need to bring in at least one new attacker in the next few hours in order to compensate for his loss.

Hailed as a ‘tremendous talent’ with an ‘amazing ability’ to decide games by journalist Alvaro Canibe, Zaniolo has scored 24 goals and made a further 18 assists in 128 games for Roma, and has played in all three major European competitions for them including the UEFA Champions League (Transfermarkt).

The Italy international is a player who likes to get on the ball and take responsibility, ranking in the 96th and 81st percentile of all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots and touches respectively, and at 23 years of age has not yet hit his peak.

Nonetheless, Zaniolo could be a tidy signing for the Toffees if they can beat Sassuolo to his signature.

Glasgow Rangers have endured their fair share of transfer mishaps over the years.

Think back to last summer when the Ibrox club missed out on Joey Veerman, who is now excelling for PSV Eindhoven and being linked with Manchester United. Or how about Danilo Doekhi, who is performing superbly for a Union Berlin side taking the Bundesliga by storm this term?

Ross Wilson also missed out on another major talent last summer in the shape of then-Angers player Angelo Fulgini, with Rangers even making an offer to sign him during that transfer window. In the end, it was another blow for the Light Blues, with Mainz securing his signature.

Although the £34k-per-week gem may not have settled in the Bundesliga, having joined Lens on loan for the second half of the season, he could nonetheless have shone for the Gers with his attacking talents.

The 26-year-old could even have been Beale’s very own Federico Valverde, with the two players statistically similar according to FBref.

The Uruguayan has been a star for Real Madrid over the past few seasons, scoring 14 goals and registering 12 assists in that time, while the current campaign has arguably been his finest at the Bernabeu.

The 24-year-old has been pushed slightly further forward into a right-wing position and has duly produced the goods, registering 12 goal contributions, and being compared to someone of that quality isn’t a bad thing for Fulgini to claim.

Valverde is the sixth-most comparable player to Fulgini according to FBref’s similar player model, and both players have registered similar statistics in the league with regards to assists (one to two, Fulgini first), shots on target per match (0.66 to 0.88), shot-creating actions per match (2.98 to 3.24) and crosses (nine to 15).

Fulgini is also one of the finest players on the continent when it comes to certain attacking metrics, ranking in the top 20% across Europe’s big five leagues for shot-creating actions, total shots, successful take-ons and progressive passes recovery. That all shows just how effective he can be, and it’s clear that Wilson has missed out big time by failing to sign him when he had the opportunity.

Fulgini’s former Angers manager Gerald Baticle hailed his “quality” in 2021, and despite the 26-year-old’s struggles at Mainz, there is no denying the talent that he has and that a move to Rangers could have taken him to the next level.

Aston Villa could be the front-runners to snap up Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Ziyech linked with Villa

Unai Emery will likely be eager to add to his squad before the January transfer window closes on Tuesday, with an extra attacker arguably required.

Ziyech is one player who has been tipped for a move to Villa Park, having struggled to feature regularly for Chelsea this season, making only four starts in the Premier League.

Villa face competition for the Moroccan’s signature from the likes of Everton and Newcastle, but a fresh claim suggests that they are in a strong position.

The Latest: Villa backed to land Ziyech

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook said that Villa could end up snapping up Ziyech, looking like a more appealing proposition to some other clubs.

The talkSPORT presenter stated:

“I could see Villa actually out of all those clubs, I don’t think he’d particularly want to join Everton, nobody really wants to join.”

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The Verdict: Brilliant wide option

At 29, Ziyech may not necessarily be a long-term option, but he is someone who could inject some attacking magic into Villa’s team, possessing a wand of a left foot.

The Chelsea attacker has scored 19 goals in 50 caps for Morocco, coming at an average of one every 2.6 games, while he also has 14 goals and 11 assists to his name for the Blues.

He would likely be an upgrade on Leon Bailey, whose record for Villa stands at just six goals and four assists, while Ziyech has also been described as ‘incredible’ by Morocco boss Walid Regragui and featured abundantly in the Champions League, winning the trophy two years ago.

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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.

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.

The January transfer window is well underway and Sunderland are yet to make their first move of the month to improve their squad heading into the second half of the campaign.

Tony Mowbray is yet to make an addition to his team but could be on the lookout for reinforcements in the next couple of weeks, particularly after Premier League side Everton opted to recall striker Ellis Simms from his loan spell at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats lost 3-1 to Swansea at the weekend and are now sat three points off the play-off places, in 10th, and 12 points clear of the relegation zone.

Sunderland have put themselves in an excellent position to attack the next few months and attempt to secure a top-six finish with an eye on competing for a place in the Premier League next season.

Therefore, improving the team in the coming days and weeks could strengthen their chances of finishing in the play-offs and that is why Kristjaan Speakman and Mowbray must clinch a few deals before the end of the month.

One player they could sign to upgrade their current starting XI is Hibernian central defender Ryan Porteous, who is reportedly a transfer target for the club.

West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City and Watford have also been linked with an interest in signing the Scotland international and the Black Cats must now beat off competition from their Championship rivals in order to secure a deal for the enforcer.

The 23-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and Hibs have already confirmed that he will not be putting pen to paper on an extension, which means that the gem will be available for nothing in the summer.

Sunderland should swoop to sign him for a cut-price fee, if possible, this month as the defender has the potential to be a big upgrade on Luke O’Nien.

The current Black Cats defender, who was shown a straight red card in the defeat to Swansea last time out, has had a solid, if unspectacular, campaign for the club in the second tier. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 and won 52% of his individual duels across 25 appearances in the division.

Porteous – who former Hibs player John Hughes hailed as a “heart-on-sleeve” and “full-blooded” warrior – has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.24 and won an impressive 66% of his battles in 21 Premiership outings this term. The gem also averaged a score of 7.11 and won 66% of his duels in 2021/22, which shows that his displays this season have not been a flash in the pan.

These statistics indicate that the Scotsman could offer more to Sunderland as his average performance level and his efficiency in his defensive actions are far more impressive than O’Nien’s.

He is also five years younger than the former Wycombe Wanderers man and could, therefore, be a great long-term signing for Sunderland and someone who they could take on a journey by developing him as the club, hopefully, moves up the pyramid.

Insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that Harry Maguire could be a good signing for West Ham United amid recent links in the media.

What’s the latest?

It’s no secret that the Manchester United defender has been much maligned in recent times. As a result of his poor form, he has been dropped at club level, making just three Premier League starts all season.

With the January window now open, talks have begun to suggest that he could be on his way out of Manchester in the near future with the Hammers named as a possible destination.

Indeed, former England International Stuart Pearce told TalkSport: “If I was West Ham, if I was Newcastle, if I was Aston Villa, I’d be all over trying to get Harry Maguire out of there. I’d be asking the question whether he’s available.”

Amid all this, Ex has weighed in on the idea of a possible transfer. He told The West Ham Way podcast (8:37): “There was talk of Harry Maguire. You know, West Ham fans will laugh at that but I would take him.

“Not that I think that we need him with [Kurt] Zouma and [Nayef] Aguerd back but if [Craig] Dawson goes, possibly.”

Redemption arc

Before his move to the Red Devils, Maguire had established himself as one of England’s finest central defenders – hence the £80m transfer fee paid for him.

And while he all know how things have turned sour recently, he did remind plenty of his quality with his performances for the Three Lions at the World Cup.

With that in mind, it certainly seems plausible that he could rediscover some of his past best form if he leaves Man United and moved to the right club.

It remains to be seen if West Ham have any real interest in a deal but with Dawson long linked with an exit, perhaps the club will be in the market for a new centre-back in the near future.