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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.

Scottish champions Celtic could well be facing the prospect of losing another exciting academy asset in the near future…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, promising Hoops defender Bosun Lawal is believed to be attracting notable attention from clubs in Europe, with Italian duo Pisa and Verona named as potential suitors.

The standout interested party named in the piece is Premier League outfit Brentford, with the Bees said to be ‘monitoring’ the 19-year-old’s progress at present, ahead of the January transfer window.

The young Irishman – who has 18 months remaining on his existing deal at Parkhead – only joined the Old Firm giants from Watford during the summer of 2021.

Ajer repeat

That apparent interest from Thomas Frank’s side will seemingly have a familiar feel as far as Ange Postecoglou is concerned, with the west London outfit having poached Kristoffer Ajer from Glasgow for a fee of around £13.5m just 18 months ago.

Although the Norwegian defender was a more established figure than Lawal at the time of his departure, his exit illustrated the notable pulling power of the Premier League, with clubs south of the border having regularly come calling for the Bhoys’ brightest talents.

That has also been evident in the case of Scottish sensation, Ben Doak, with the winger having made the move to Liverpool earlier this year, with recent reports having also claimed that midfielder Ewan Otoo is of interest to clubs in England.

In the case of Lawal, the teenager’s departure would be a particularly worrying blow due to his impressive rise through the ranks of late, with the former Hornets ace having notably been named on the bench for the recent victory over Aberdeen.

That inclusion was a sign that the towering centre-back has caught the eye of Postecoglou in recent times, having also been named as part of the first-team squad for the recent Sydney Super Cup.

The “outstanding” asset – as described by ‘B’ team coach Tommy McIntyre – has notably racked up five goals and two assists in just 13 games in all competitions so far this season, proving a real goal threat from his defensive berth.

The next step will now seemingly be for Lawal to truly establish himself at senior level, with the versatile ace – who can also feature in midfield – no doubt highly thought of by those at Paradise.

As Celtic found out in the case of the aforementioned Ajer, however – as well as others – it can often prove difficult for players to turn down the temptation of joining a Premier League outfit.

Aston Villa have had a lot of change over the last couple of months with the appointment of Unai Emery and now the new manager could be set to make a huge move as a new potential transfer target is revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Joao Felix.

As per the report, many Premier League clubs are competing to secure the signature of the talented attacker with Manchester United and Chelsea also interested, alongside Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

It could be bye-bye Coutinho

There is no doubt that the signing of Felix would be a major coup for Aston Villa, especially when competing with some of the biggest clubs in the world, but if they could pull it off it could put the club in a fantastic position to compete for a higher placement in the Premier League.

The talented 23-year-old ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers over the top five European leagues for interceptions, proving his defensive efficiency but of course, it’s at the opposite end of the pitch where he is so devastating, sitting in the top 15% for dribbles completed, progressive passes and assists.

Not only that, Felix has been representing Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar over the last few weeks and has played an integral part in his nation’s progression to the quarter-finals of the prestigious international tournament.

Over three World Cup appearances, the £113m attacker – who was dubbed an “immense talent” by Yannick Carrasco – has scored one goal, registered two assists and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging one key pass, 1.3 tackles and winning 4.7 duels per game.

In fact, if Villa did secure the signature of Felix it could spell the end of Coutinho’s short-lived tenure at Villa Park. Indeed, the former Barcelona star has been linked with an exit next year and Felix would clearly be a huge upgrade.

When comparing the two versatile attacking player’s season so far it is clear that Felix is outperforming his positional peer.

First and foremost, he has registered more goal contributions (6 v 0), and as a result, has also produced more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.68 v 2.99).

Felix has also won more aerial duels (46.2% v 25%) and has a better shot on target rate (47.4% v 37.5%).

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Villa to pursue the signing of Felix, however, they will have some tough competition from many clubs and will need to provide a very tempting offer to secure his services.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Mason Mount over the last few weeks, and now a new claim has emerged ahead of the January transfer window about the club’s potential pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has weighed in on the potential of Liverpool securing the signing of the Chelsea and England midfielder.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT:

“It’d be a huge coup. Mason Mount has been a top performer in the Premier League now for the last few seasons with Chelsea.

“I think it would come as a massive shock if Chelsea weren’t to agree a new deal with Mason Mount.”

Klopp could land a huge coup

There is no doubt that Mount is one of the most promising young midfield talents in the Premier League at the moment and with Liverpool in a position to rebuild their personnel in the centre of the pitch it could be the perfect opportunity to snap up his services.

It has been reported that the 23-year-old’s future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain which has led to speculation surrounding a potential move to Merseyside in the summer, as Chelsea’s loss could be Liverpool’s gain.

Over 14 Premier League appearances, Mount – who was hailed an “incredible player” by sports reporter Joe Krishnan – has scored two goals, registered two assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.7 tackles, 1.6 shots on goal and 4.1 duels per game.

Not only that, the £80k-per-week England star has been representing his country at the World Cup in Qatar and has found himself becoming a relied-upon and trusted first-team player for Gareth Southgate who has started Mount in both group-stage games so far.

Over two World Cup appearances, Mount has tallied up an 86% pass completion rate, completed 100% of his long balls, won 59% of his ground and aerial duels combined and successfully completed 67% of his dribbles, proving that he is a real solid presence in the centre of the pitch.

Jurgen Klopp is set to lose Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as their contracts expire in June 2023, whilst Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are at the latter stages of their respective careers so there is certainly an opportunity to start building the next generation of talent at Anfield.

With that being said, the signing of Mount would indeed be a huge coup for Liverpool but would depend on Chelsea’s plans for the player and also whether they would be keen on selling to a league position rival, but there is no doubt that the midfielder could add quality to the team.

Arsenal would be ‘willing to pay’ £56m to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Mykhaylo Mudryk in January, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Mudryk wants to join

Premier League side Newcastle, with Sevilla, Ajax and Bayer Leverkusen, have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, creating competition for the Gunners who are believed to have recently held talks.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Igor Jovicevic’s side have now increased their asking price from €40-45m (£34-39m) to €60-65m (£52-56m), though this isn’t said to have put Edu off his target.

CBS’ Ben Jacobs also claimed that the winger told him that he ‘couldn’t say no’ to moving to the Emirates should he be given the opportunity.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Asked by GiveMeSport whether Arsenal would be happy to pay the required fee to land Mudryk given how much financial demands are constantly increasing in football, Jones said:

“I think they would, yeah. And I think they know that they’ve got to.

“So, we think €65 million (£56m) is traditionally a lot of money in football, but it’s actually becoming a reasonable figure in the transfer market for the players with a high ceiling. And I think that that is an amount that Arsenal will be willing to pay.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

Mudryk has been dubbed the ‘Ukrainian Neymar’ by Jacek Kulig, and Mikel Arteta bringing him to England is a no-brainer given his impressive record in the final third.

The 5 foot 7 dynamo has registered 16 assists and scored ten goals in 41 appearances for Shakhtar, and is a versatile individual with the ability to operate in midfield as well as on both flanks (Transfermarkt).

Emile Smith-Rowe being sidelined with a long-term injury has highlighted Arsenal’s lack of options out wide so Mudryk would be a fantastic addition in the capital.

Liverpool have held an “internal discussion” regarding the possibility of submitting an offer for Borussia Monchengladbach star Manu Kone, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Manu Kone?

Kone is a central midfielder who arrived at the Borussia Park from Toulouse back in 2021 and he’s since gone on to become a regular feature, clocking up a total of 60 appearances to date. Despite his contract not expiring for another two years, he was Gerardo Seoane’s top-performing defensive player last season so has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs revealed that the 22-year-old is a player that is “on the list” of targets for FSG, with The Guardian further reporting that the Reds are pushing to make him their next signing after Brighton and Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister.

The Frenchman further excited supporters and sparked rumours of a switch when he was pictured with Nice’s Khephren Thuram, who the Merseyside outfit have also been heavily linked with, and if the following update is to be believed, it sounds like the duo could both soon be making their way to the Premier League.

Are Liverpool signing Kone?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Liverpool have been in talks with the representatives of Kone and Thuram while pondering official approaches, with FSG telling both players' clubs they may make a move after signing Mac Allister:

“Liverpool have been in direct contact with both Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram agents again this week. Internal discussion taking place over official proposals. Liverpool asked for some time to close in on Mac Allister deal then decide on new midfielders.”

Should FSG submit a bid for Kone?

Liverpool are in desperate need of new central players following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo, and having been dubbed a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kone is definitely a candidate worth testing the waters for in an attempt to bring him to Merseyside.

The Classico client, who earns only £5k-per-week, is naturally stronger in the defensive aspect of his game having won 39 tackles throughout the previous campaign which was higher than any of his teammates, as per FBRef.

The France U21 international, however, can pose a threat going forward too, as he ranks in the 96th percentile for dribbles by central midfielders and did pitch in last term by scoring one goal and providing the same number of assists, so he’s an extremely well-rounded player and one that would only excel further under the guidance of Klopp.

Sheffield Wednesday duo George Byers and Mark McGuinness may return from injury against Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Injury absence

Central midfielder Byers was starting to establish himself in Darren Moore’s side, scoring three goals in five League One starts. However, the 26-year-old has been missing for the last three league fixtures with a foot problem.

Meanwhile, defender McGuinness, who arrived on loan in the summer, has been absent in the previous four third-tier fixtures with a muscle strain.

The Latest: Back vs Cheltenham?

Yorkshire Live reporter Oliver Jones relayed an injury update from Moore ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Cheltenham.

He said that Byers and McGuinness ‘both might return against the Robins’, in what would be a timely boost following the midweek defeat to Plymouth.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Both Byers and McGuinness were starting to consolidate their place in Moore’s first-choice XI prior to their respective injuries and are rated in Wednesday’s top four 2022/23 performers, as per SofaScore.

Therefore, it would be welcome news if they were to return at Hillsborough tomorrow. McGuinness’ return could be especially timely with concern to defender Reece James in the week, while forward Mallik Wilks also missed the defeat to Plymouth Argyle with a hamstring problem.

Should James miss out, then McGuinness may slot straight back into the side, meaning Moore could have some late calls to make.

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek desperately needs to recapture his excellent past form to aid the Hammers’ struggles, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Soucek suffers dip

The Czech has been a superb signing for the east Londoners overall, arriving from Slavia Prague in 2020 and becoming a hugely influential figure. Declan Rice has called him ‘unbelievable’ in the past, such is his quality.

That being said, Soucek’s performances of late have been a far cry from his former displays, with only one goal coming his way so far this season, and his all-round ability flattering to deceive.

It has undoubtedly played a negative role in West Ham sitting 18th in the Premier League table, in what has been a poor start to the campaign.

The Latest: Journalist makes plea

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown said Soucek needs to get back to his best in order to help the Hammers get over this current slump:

“He really needs to start producing. Because they didn’t sign a major name in his position, I don’t think his position is too under threat now at West Ham.

“Maybe that’s a bit too cosy and safe for him, but he certainly needs to start performing.”

The Verdict: He will be back

All footballers are only human, so Soucek’s noticeable dip is something that can happen to anyone and it shouldn’t lead to overreactions from supporters.

There is no doubt that the 27-year-old is a shadow of the player who netted 10 league goals in 2020/21, however, with opponents struggling to handle his physicality and aerial dominance.

Soucek is too good a player not to return to his peak level at some point – David Moyes will certainly be hoping it is soon, though, as pressure grows on him by the week.

Tottenham Hotspur central midfielder Harry Winks is set to depart north London in the coming days.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, Fabrizio Romano relayed the comments of Carlo Osti, in which the Sampdoria director confirmed that the Serie A side have now reached an agreement with both Spurs and the 26-year-old midfielder ahead of the former England international joining on a season-long loan.

In his post, the transfer insider said: “Sampdoria director Osti confirms: ‘We have reached an agreement to sign Harry Winks from Tottenham, so we’re going to sign contracts soon.’ Winks will join Sampdoria from Spurs on a loan deal.”

Great news for Conte

Considering just how little Winks has featured for Tottenham since Antonio Conte’s arrival at the club last November, coupled with the fact that the 26-year-old’s departure could allow Fabio Paratici to bring in one of his own replacements for the 10-cap international, the news that the midfielder is now set to join Sampdoria is undoubtedly great news for the Italian manager.

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Indeed, following Conte’s appointment at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year, the £13.5m-rated Englishman has been selected from the off in just eight Premier League fixtures, in addition to making a further nine appearances from the bench – playing a total of 845 minutes of league football under the 52-year-old manager.

And, so far this season, Winks is yet to be included in a single matchday squad for Spurs, with the likes of Oliver Skipp, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur all very much appearing to be ahead of the Tottenham academy graduate in Conte’s central midfield pecking order.

Furthermore, with it being known that the Italian coach is hoping to add a new attack-minded midfielder to his ranks ahead of the closure of the transfer window this week – with Nicolo Zaniolo, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruslan Malinovskyi all said to be of interest – moving the £50k-per-week Winks on may provide Paratici with a clear run to move for his targets.

As such, considering his current standing within the Spurs squad, his considerable weekly wage and the fact Conte is hoping to land one of his own targets in the 26-year-old’s position, Romano relaying that Winks does indeed now appear to be moving onto pastures new in the coming days is certain to be fantastic news for the 52-year-old manager.

LancsLive journalist Alex James has shared what he knows about Burnley’s pursuit of Manchester City striker Liam Delap.

The Lowdown: Plenty of interest

The highly-rated 19-year-old has worked his way up through the ranks at the Etihad, but Pep Guardiola’s side now want to send him out on loan to further his development and gain some valuable first-team experience.

Several clubs have been linked with a move for the forward, including Southampton and Newcastle United, but reports suggested that both approaches had been turned down, with City only willing to let him leave on a temporary basis rather than permanently.

It’s believed that the top-flight giants would prefer their starlet – who Guardiola called ‘special’ – to have a loan in the Championship, with both the Clarets and Stoke City name-checked as potential suitors.

The Latest: Delap latest

Taking to Twitter, James insisted that Burnley are likely to still be in search of a new attacker, and said they could even be ‘favourites’ for Delap’s signature. He wrote:

“Delap an interesting one as you sense he’s likely to end up on loan in the Championship and on the face of it Burnley would be favourites given style, Kompany etc. Will see what if I can find out a bit more detail this week. For me, Burnley still need a striker.”

The Verdict: Game-changing signing for Burnley

Delap is a very sought-after player, and the proof is in the pudding given he managed to make ten goal contributions in the same number of Premier League 2 games last term, via Transfermarkt, missing some of the season through injury.

Trying to fend off competitors for his services won’t be an easy job, but Vincent Kompany already has existing connections to City from his time at the club, so this could play a significant role in any possible deal getting finalised.

If Burnley were to be the ones to land him, it would be a massive coup for the Clarets and a signing that could be enough to help take them back up to the top-flight.