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Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is ‘ready to leave’ the Premier League strugglers after suffering under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

The Lowdown: Amazing potential…

The left-back, who made his Molineux debut two years ago at just 19-years-old, has amassed quite a reputation with members of the media praising his potential.

Ait-Nouri’s performances have motivated big clubs to take note with league giants Chelsea even linked over the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old’s future could lie away from Wolves with news from France now sharing coming to light on his next move.

The Latest: Ait-Nouri ‘ready to leave’ Wolves…

According to Foot Mercato, Ait-Nouri is ‘ready to leave’ and he could depart Wolves as French sides like Nice take a real interest.

This comes with the player having ‘suffered the most’ since manager Julen Lopetegui’s arrival and this report claims the Spaniard has ‘sidelined’ him.

The Verdict: Worrying?

The former France Under-21 international is a player who could star for Wolves over many seasons so Fosun International and co need to weigh their next step carefully.

Ruben Neves has hailed Ait-Nouri as a ‘fantastic player’ with ‘a lot of talent’ and the club captain may be right considering the youngster was also a 2022 target for Man City.

He will continue to attract suitors and this transfer decision could be one of Wolves’ most difficult.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke has shared an update regarding Aston Villa’s interest in Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson.

The Lowdown: Jackson interest

NSWE have promised Unai Emery a ‘huge’ 2023 transfer budget, with a new forward seemingly on the Spaniard’s wishlist.

Reports claimed that Emery has ‘instructed his new club to move quickly and try to sign’ Jackson, with the Senegal international featuring on 27 occasions under the now Villa boss for Villarreal.

Premier League rivals Newcastle United also appear to be keen on the centre-forward who can also play out wide, and a further update has emerged.

The Latest: Transfer update

O’Rourke shared the news on Jackson in the last 24 hours, revealing that Villarreal are demanding that Villa activate Jackson’s £30m release clause if they are to sell over the coming weeks.

Emery is leading Villa’s pursuit of the attacker and the Midlands club still hope to seal a deal under that figure.

The Verdict: Get it done

Jackson has progressed through Villarreal’s youth system and Emery was the man to give him a chance at first team level. The Villa boss still seems to be a big admirer of the player, who would provide a versatile option in the final third at Villa Park.

The January window could also be the best time for NSWE to make their move due to his growing reputation and current release clause, so it may be wise to look to finalise a transfer relatively quickly.

Everton saw 2022 out with a bang when they shared points with Manchester City at the Etihad on New Years’ Eve and Frank Lampard will be hoping that the well-fought draw will be a confidence booster for his team heading into 2023.

Despite the crucial point collected, the Toffees are still not in a comfortable position in the Premier League and remain just two points clear of the bottom three in 16th with the third-worst goal tally in the entire top flight.

As a result, it would be a no-brainer for the Everton boss to seek out opportunities to strengthen his squad – especially in the attacking threat – whilst the transfer window is open this month.

However, Lampard already may have his striker solution as it was confirmed yesterday that Sunderland loanee and Everton academy graduate Ellis Simms has been recalled to Goodison Park just a few months into his season-long loan at the Stadium of Light.

It comes as no surprise that Everton have called back their young goal machine ahead of the second half of the season as Simms has become a stand-out performer in the Championship who in the words of journalist Josh Bunting, could now take the “Premier League by storm”.

Over 17 appearances, the 21-year-old ace has scored seven goals, registered two assists and created five big chances, as well as averaging 1.9 shots on goal and winning 3.9 duels per game.

Not only that, of Championship players who are aged 21 or under only Joao Pedro (8) has scored more goals than Simms this season, according to WhoScored.

The Everton youngster is no stranger to scoring as he has already tallied up 82 over this career so far and registered nine assists in 149 appearances with a goal contribution every 114 minutes so far – proving that he could be exactly what Lampard needs.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has suffered multiple injury issues over the last 18 months and Richarlison’s exit in the summer has weakened Everton in front of goal so the return of Simms is a chance not to be squandered for Lampard.

The young forward has never been seen under the former Chelsea boss yet but now has a golden opportunity to stake his claim. He must take it as Everton look to put themselves back on track.

Rangers could look to strengthen their midfield options in the January transfer window after suffering a number of injuries in that area.

The Lowdown: Gers have three midfielders out sidelined

Steven Davis, Nnamdi Ofoborh and Ianis Hagi are all currently out with injuries for Michael Beale’s side. This could force him to look for more options this month in the window.

Football Insider has reported that the club were interested in Josh Onomah from Fulham, but there are also a number of other clubs that are also keeping their eyes on the player.

The Latest: Barrie claims midfield is a ‘priority’ position for Rangers

Speaking on The Rangers Review, presenter and journalist Joshua Barrie, often seen on Sky Sports, said that the Gers were an ‘attractive proposition’ under Beale for many players and that the midfield was a ‘priority’ position in January.

He stated: “Under Beale, Rangers becomes quite an attractive proposition, so I’d be surprised if a couple of people don’t come in this window. Maybe a couple of people go out as well – obviously, central midfield is the main priority.”

The Verdict: A new era at Rangers could mean new players

Beale took charge of the club at the end of November, meaning the January transfer window will be his first chance to sign the players he wants to help shape his vision of Rangers.

So there’s a possibility one or two midfielders could arrive later this month, and their injuries could well spur the club on to make sure something is done.

Extra quality is certainly needed in a side looking to get back into title contention. Rangers are nine points behind leaders Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, and the points gap suggests there’s something of a gulf in class between the two Old Firm sides at present.

However, the hope will be that an injection of quality into the side could help the Gers close the gap.

Newcastle United have reservations over Hakim Ziyech with a move unlikely to happen, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Ziyech’s situation

Ziyech has found himself on the cusp of plans at Chelsea this season with the 29-year-old playing just seven Premier League games, only two as starts.

He’s yet to register a goal or an assist in 11 outings in all competitions with time seemingly running out on his career in West London.

Morocco’s World Cup star has even been offered as a make-weight in the Blues’ pursuit of Enzo Fernandez, with Portuguese outlet Record, claiming Chelsea are willing to offer Ziyech as part of the fee to Benfica.

The Latest: Newcastle an option?

With Newcastle’s new riches, it’s unsurprising to see them linked with moves for top stars at cut prices with them currently third in the table.

However, speaking on Steve Wraith’s YouTube channel, Jacobs revealed although interested, the Magpies have concerns over his wage demands.

(55:58) “Is there an interest? Yes, and is the deal possible? Yes, and that’s obviously the case with Thuram in the summer, and it’s also the case with Ziyech for example now, but there’s the wages.

“And if you just bring in Ziyech mid-season to get all of the glory of the foundations that Newcastle have set up and you pay him £70k potentially above some of Newcastle’s key players then it rocks the boat, it rocks the dressing room and Newcastle just won’t do that and Ziyech’s not going to move to Newcastle and want to cut his wages significantly,” Jacobs said.

The Verdict: Wages a problem

As Jacobs said, the dressing room happiness and cohesion is sky high at Newcastle at the minute, potentially making it harder to do deals with so much to consider in how a move could affect the balance of the side.

Although Ziyech, who is ‘in trouble’ at Chelsea given his current position, is undoubtedly a gifted player, with David Maddock previously dubbing him an “amazing talent”, a player like him whose creative ability completely outweighs his effectiveness out of possession, does warrant concerns within the club amid their current form.

His £100k-per-week wages, (via salary sport) would likely be required to be paid in full by the Toon if a loan deal happens whilst a permanent move would create more problems such as agent fees and signing on bonuses potentially making the deal even tougher.

Journalist Lee Ryder has raved over Joelinton’s performance for Newcastle United in their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash.

The Lowdown: NUFC secure semi-final place

The Magpies defeated fellow Premier League side Leicester City thanks to a first Toon goal for local lad Dan Burn and a second from Joelinton in a 2-0 victory which sends them through to the semi-finals of the competition.

Eddie Howe’s side were dominant against the Foxes, having 22 shots on goal with nine on target, and if anything, could’ve scored a lot more.

The Latest: Ryder labels Joelinton ‘absolutely immense’

Writing for The Chronicle, Ryder was full of praise for Joelinton, labelling the Brazilian ‘absolutely immense’ and raved about his ‘big moment’ which doubled Newcastle’s lead, handing him a 10/10 rating.

He wrote: “Absolutely immense. Delivered the big moment in a big game with a wonderful finish. That’s before we talk about the bucketload of interceptions and tackles.”

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The Verdict: Joelinton a symbol of NUFC’s form

The transformation of Joeltinton has been simply incredible, as much like Newcastle, he has come on in leaps and bounds in the last year or so.

Last season, the Brazilian made a switch to midfield and has not looked back since. Indeed, in the past year, he ranks in the top 4% for blocks made and the top 6% for aerial duels won, demonstrating that he’s one of the most combative midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues (as per FBref).

A cup semi-final and sitting third in the league means it’s been a fantastic season for the Magpies so far. When you consider the turnaround from where they were last season, Howe and his players deserve a huge amount of credit and it may not be long before they end up lifting some silverware.

During last night’s game, Joelinton managed to win 11 duels, had 71 touches, a passing accuracy of 80%, made two key passes, four interceptions, four tackles, was fouled three times, as well as grabbing one goal and one assist (as per Sofascore). As Ryder suggests, it was an all-round impressive performance.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is in contact with Jude Bellingham’s father over a potential switch to Anfield this summer.

The Lowdown: Bellingham interest

Bellingham has become one of the household names in world football over the past 18 months, but his reputation has taken another giant step forward after a fantastic World Cup campaign, that saw him bag a goal and an assist in England’s run to the quarter-finals.

The 19-year-old has garnered significant interest from Real Madrid and top Premier League sides – most notably Liverpool, who have made him their priority target (as per Daily Mail).

The Latest: Klopp in contact

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bild TV reporter Valentina Maceri revealed that Klopp has been in contact with the Englishman’s father in a bid to persuade the £130m-valued star to move to Merseyside.

She said: “Our information is his father is talking to Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp wants to sign him at Liverpool. But there’s also Real Madrid and Manchester City in the game; I think everyone wants to have a player like Bellingham, but these three teams are, I think, the leading ones in this poker [game] on Bellingham.

“Klopp said if Bellingham will decide [based on] the money, he’s not going to choose Liverpool, but if Bellingham will decide on his personal development as a player, and on tradition and love of the game, he could decide for Liverpool.

“My gut [feeling] is maybe we could see him at Liverpool.”

The Verdict: Do everything possible

The Reds are in dire need of midfield reinforcements with their miserable season currently seeing them sitting in ninth, 10 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United.

Klopp’s engine room is a shadow of its former self as well, with Fabinho out of sorts from his usual dominating self with an unsettled duo in front of him that’s seen varied partnerships, with main man Thiago only available for 12 of the 18 league games so far.

With wholesale changes in the middle of the park likely to occur as Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Arthur Melo all have their contracts expire at the end of the season, Liverpool will need a new hero to spearhead a rebuild in the summer.

But with the Anfield outfit currently out of range of the top four, it’s no wonder that Klopp appears prepared to convince Bellingham to choose them already, as no Champions League football could leave huge financial doubt on the deal as well as where the player’s ambitions will lie.

Sporting CP are reportedly ‘softening’ their stance on Tottenham Hotspur paying the release clause of right-back Pedro Porro to sign him this month.

The Lowdown: Final offer prepared

It was recently reported that Spurs are ‘preparing’ a final offer to sign Porro, with it being unclear as to exactly how much it will be.

It is added that Sporting will continue to insist on them paying Porro’s clause, which amounts to €45m (£40m).

The Latest: Stance ‘softening’

As per The Daily Mail, Sporting may be ‘softening’ their stance with regards to Tottenham paying the full release clause, and they may now accept an offer of £30m plus bonuses for Porro.

They are also thought to be ‘weighing up an offer’ for Heerenveen full-back Milan van Ewijk as his potential replacement, and ‘further talks are planned this week’ with director Fabio Paratici over Porro’s possible switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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The Verdict: Big boost

The fact that Sporting may finally come down on their original asking price of £40m for Porro is certainly a big boost for the Lilywhites’ hopes of signing him before the window closes.

Hailed as a ‘special talent’ by journalist Zach Lowy, and a ‘perfect’ signing for Antonio Conte by Sky Sports’ Kevin Hatchard, Porro already boasts an impressive 99th percentile of all his positional peers for several key metrics in Europe’s top leagues over the past year.

Nonetheless, at 23 years of age, Porro has still not reached his full potential, and under Conte’s coaching, he could really thrive in his wing-back system.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Mason Mount over the last few weeks and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has given an insight into Liverpool’s reported interest in the Chelsea midfielder.

Romano claimed in his Caught Offside daily briefing on Sunday:

“On Mason Mount rumours – at the moment, I’m told that Liverpool’s top priority remains Jude Bellingham and they also follow Matheus Nunes.

“Let’s see what’s going to happen with Mount, at the moment his new contract situation has to be clarified as talks with Chelsea have been ongoing for months.”

Imagine & Bajcetic

There is no doubt that Liverpool are in need of a refresh in the centre of the pitch in 2023 with a number of players either coming to the end of their contracts or entering the latter stages of their career.

Jurgen Klopp and the powers at Anfield are already working hard to identify potential targets that could transform Liverpool’s performances and get the side back where they belong in the Premier League with the current team turning from successful to stale in just a short period of time after competing for a quadruple less than a year ago.

A double swoop for Matheus Nunes and Jude Bellingham is set to be the top priority in the club’s midfield youthful revolution set to take place this summer, however, it would be a no-brainer to snap up the services of Mount should the opportunity arise in the coming months ahead.

Over 19 Premier League appearances, the 24-year-old – who was dubbed “unbelievable” by Joe Cole – has scored three goals and registered two assists, showcasing his immense attacking prowess.

Furthermore, he has averaged 1.5 key passes, 1.5 shots on goal, 1.5 tackles and has won 3.9 duels per game, numbers that indicate his all-round ability across the pitch,

As result, the Liverpool boss could form a deadly midfield partnership between Mount and breakthrough star Stefan Bajcetic with the 18-year-old defensive midfielder becoming a regular feature in the senior team since capturing the attention of Klopp in the youth academy.

Whilst Mount is prolific in progressing the ball into the final third to provide his attacking teammates with golden opportunities in front of goal, Bajcetic can provide the connection with his defensive yet progressive play in the middle third.

Thus, combining the energetic pair could cause chaos for opponents.

Mount won’t come without incredible investment as the London-based club are not keen on parting ways with their golden boy and are working to convince the player to stay at Stamford Bridge – according to CIES Football Observatory he is currently rated at €80m (£70m).

With that being said, the signing of Mount seems farfetched when considering the way that FSG operate in the transfer market, however, if they cannot sign Bellingham, they should certainly capture the player’s services this summer. Indeed, given he’d arrive from divisional rivals, it would be a major coup for the Reds.

Nottingham Forest are reportedly ‘in talks’ with Santos youngster Angelo Gabriel over a move to the City Ground before the end of the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Gabriel an exciting youngster

The 18-year-old has emerged as an exciting Brazilian talent, catching the eye with some of his attacking performances in his homeland. He already has 101 senior appearances to his name for Santos, despite only entering his adult years last month, and he has registered 12 goal contributions in that time.

Recent reports have suggested that Forest are hoping to sign the forward this month, and they have since set the wheels in motion over a potential transfer.

The Latest: Forest ‘in talks’ over Gabriel move

According to The Daily Mail, Forest remain ‘in talks’ with Gabriel and his representatives over a transfer to the City Ground, with Newcastle United mentioned as previously showing an interest.

The Magpies even had a £22m bid rejected for him before, but it now looks as though the Reds could be in pole position to bring him to England.

The Verdict: One for the long-term

Gabriel has the potential to be an intriguing signing by Forest if they secure a move for him, coming in as a player with a high ceiling who won six caps for Brazil’s under-16s.

Santos have a rich history of producing great Brazilian players, from Pele to Neymar, and if Gabriel could get anywhere near their heights at the City Ground, Steve Cooper would have a superstar on his hands. Indeed, the 18-year-old’s former coach Betinho has said that he “is like Neymar in terms of his dribbling at speed and his change of direction”.

Expecting Gabriel to reach the level of Brazil’s joint-record goalscorers is a big ask, but to have surpassed 100 appearances at senior club level at his age is a testament to the standards he has already reached.