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Gabby Agbonlahor says that Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio would be a ‘perfect’ signing for Arsenal this summer.

The Lowdown: Arsenal ‘in contact’ over Asensio

It was reported earlier this week that the Premier League leaders have been ‘in contact’ over potentially signing the 27-year-old as a free agent this summer, as his contract at the Bernabeu expires at the end of the season.

However, both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are also thought to be interested in his signature, should he not sign a contract extension in Madrid.

The Latest: Asensio move talked up

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor thinks that Asensio would be a ‘perfect’ signing at the Emirates Stadium.

The talkSPORT pundit said of Arsenal’s links with the Spaniard: “It’s exactly the sort of signing they need. Asensio isn’t playing as much as he’d like right now.

“But he’s done so many good things for a long time at Real Madrid. He gets into tight spaces, he’s a flair player.

“They are the characteristics that Arsenal will be searching for this summer. And you look at their bench sometimes and just feel like they could do with a few extra top-quality signings.

“For me, he’s perfect. If Arsenal want to stay in that title fight every year, they’ve got to add to this squad.”

The Verdict: Get it done

If a player of Asensio’s quality is available on a free transfer, Arsenal simply need to pounce on it.

Lauded as a ‘spectacular’ player by his former agent Horacio Gaggioli, the Spaniard has had such a decorated career at the age of just 27, winning no fewer than three Champions League titles with Real Madrid, along with a host of other major accolades.

He has not been a regular starter this season but has still managed to score six goals and supply a further five assists in 31 appearances, and he played in the Madrid derby against Atletico in La Liga on Saturday, which ended 1-1 (Transfermarkt).

Asensio would offer serious competition to Bukayo Saka on the right wing at the Emirates and could even help the 21-year-old’s development with his experience of operating at an elite level in Madrid.

Newcastle United’s phenomenal season continued on Tuesday night as Eddie Howe’s side secured their spot in the Carabao Cup final with a 2-1 win over Southampton at St James’ Park.

After a 1-0 win at St Mary’s last week, the Toon were heavy favourites to secure a spot in the final at Wembley, where they will now likely meet Manchester United, provided Nottingham Forest don’t complete a remarkable comeback at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.

Nathan Jones’ side were always likely to throw everything at Newcastle but the home side got off to the perfect start when Sean Longstaff slammed home Kieran Trippier’s clever cutback.

Like London buses, Longstaff quickly made it 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate, as he was on hand to smash the ball past Gavin Bazunu from another cutback, this time from Miguel Almiron.

Che Adams’ fierce strike brought an end to Nick Pope’s impressive run of clean sheets, while Bruno Guimaraes’ late red card ensured that the night wasn’t perfect, but Toon fans have an exciting final to look forward to, as they bid to end their barren trophy run.

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While Longstaff will dominate the headlines after his brace, there was another fantastic performance from Trippier, just a few days after he signed a new contract at St James’ Park.

After committing to a new deal until 2025, journalist Craig Hope lauded him “one of the most influential signings in the club’s recent history” and that influence was clear to see on Tuesday night against the Saints.

As per Sofascore, the former Atletico Madrid man would earn a superb 7.4/10 rating for his performance, which saw him ranked as the second-best player on the pitch behind Longstaff.

Trippier was truly at his creative best, as he contributed a remarkable five key passes in the 90 minutes, which is not only more than any other player on the pitch but also a significant increase on his average of three key passes per game in the Premier League this season.

He also enjoyed 90 touches, which was the most of any player and contributed five long balls, which again goes to show how important he is in Howe’s side.

It is incredibly impressive that the right-back can have such a big impact on a team’s attacking performance and with Trippier in this kind of form, there seems no reason why Newcastle can’t go all the way in the League Cup this season.

Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata would be a good fit at Everton, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

Everton are in desperate need of reinforcements, as they find themselves in serious danger of relegation and in a crisis on and off the pitch.

Fans have recently expressed their anger, with protests against the Everton board and first-team players being confronted after their defeat to Southampton, while the club are still yet to make a signing in the January window.

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke claimed that Zapata, who has been linked with the Toffees, would be a good addition to the squad.

He said: “He’s a top player, Zapata – a Colombian international, was strongly linked with moves to the Premier League in the last January transfer window as well as last summer.

“He’s got a good goalscoring record in Serie A as well. He does seem the type of player who would suit the Premier League – he’s a big, strong, powerful forward, and I think he would have all the attributes to be a success in England.”

A gamechanging signing

The 31-year-old has proven himself to be a top-class goalscorer over the years, with 80 goals in 175 appearances for Atalanta, and he could be the ideal quick fix for Frank Lampard.

Everton have scored just 15 times in 19 league games, and if they do not inject more goals into the side, they could suffer a first-ever relegation from the Premier League.

They are reportedly in conversations with Atalanta over a deal, and they will need to bring bodies in urgently as they try and improve their form, with just one point from their last five league games.

However, goalscoring is one thing and being the right fit for Everton is another, and with the Toffees’ top-flight status at stake, Lampard will have to be sure Zapata can be an answer to the club’s present problems.

And given it has since been claimed that Atalanta appear to be unwilling sellers, it may well be that Everton end up looking elsewhere.

Celtic attacker Giorgos Giakoumakis could leave the club during the January transfer window, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis linked with exit

A number of Hoops exit rumours have emerged in recent weeks, with Josip Juranovic perhaps the most high-profile player linked with leaving the club.

The Croatian is not alone, however, with Giakoumakis another of those who has been backed to move on, having scored 25 goals in 56 appearances to date.

Now, another update has emerged, with the Greek’s future in Scotland again thrown into doubt.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that Giakoumakis is the subject of lots of interest from a number of clubs:

“Giorgos Giakoumakis could now leave Celtic as many clubs are approaching the Greek striker. MLS, Japan clubs, also Sampdoria have asked for the conditions of the deal.”

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The Verdict: Would be a blow

Losing Giakoumakis would be a clear blow for Celtic, given his aforementioned goalscoring record, with Ange Postecoglou losing firepower in the process.

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The 28-year-old’s potential exit would surely lead to the Hoops bringing in an immediate replacement, with Cho Gue-sung looking like the leading candidate, following some recent reports.

The hope is that Giakoumakis still stays put at Parkhead beyond this month, however, helping Celtic win yet more trophies and continuing to dovetail effectively with the likes of Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota.

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.

Chelsea boss Graham Potter could be set to reignite the club’s former interest in FC Barcelona’s fearsome flanker Ousmane Dembele…

Barcelona are looking to swiftly accelerate contract talks with the French international following a recent report from Spanish publication Marca, stating that La Blaugrana may be resigned to losing the 25-year-old due to a release clause of €50m (£44m), which could prompt the Blues to make their move next summer, when it becomes active. 

The story continues to say that Chelsea are joined by Paris Saint-Germain in their interest, and are still indeed looking to swoop for the ace when the Barcelona transfer department displays a chink in the armour.

According to Spanish outlet El Desmarque in 2019, Chelsea were among the suitors for the dynamic winger at one point, and now could return for a player that could provide a timely boost amid a flagging season.

Having flourished for his club recently and playing a central role in France’s surge towards the 2022 World Cup final, which they agonisingly lost on penalties to Argentina, he would make a marked impact on the west London giants, should a move materialise.

A huge Ziyech upgrade

Signed for Barca for a reported £135.5m from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, Dembele has often been plagued by injuries but have since found a vein of vitality to lead him towards a resurgence of sorts this past year.

As per Transfermarkt, Dembele has recorded five goals and seven assists from 20 outings for his outfit this term, dazzling down the right flank and steering the club back on track after a testing few years, with Barcelona currently topping the Spanish La Liga with 12 wins from 14 fixtures.

And last year, the 35-cap star really blossomed into his own; despite scoring just two goals, he served as Barcelona’s roaring creative focal point in assisting 13 times from just 21 league appearances – illustrating the effect he can have if he can get fit and firing.

Dembele is one of the sport’s premier offensive flankers, heralded as a “phenomenon” and a “jewel” by former teammate Rennes teammate Gelson Fernandes (via talkSPORT), and he would certainly boost a Blues side struggling for form and offensive fluidity.

The club currently languish in eighth place in the Premier League, picking up just six wins from 14 matches and scoring a paltry 17 goals – the lowest of any outfit within the top-ten.

With FBref ranking the £52.7m-rated gem within the top 2% off wingers for dribbles completed and rate of assists this past year, it’s clear that his selfless creativity could kick the ball in motion for brighter horizons ahead at Stamford Bridge.

Should Chelsea manage to get the deal over the line, he would likely be a huge upgrade on Hakim Ziyech, who, despite a monumental World Cup campaign with Morocco, has failed to ignite any genuinely striking form with regularity at Stamford Bridge.

Having made 92 appearances for the club since his £33.3m move from AFC Ajax in 2020, the 29-year-old has only scored 14 goals and served ten assists, and Dembele could increase the output.

Indeed, the Moroccan has sank further down the pecking order at Chelsea this term, making nine showings and blanking with both goals and assists on each occasion.

Chelsea’s newly-appointed technical director Christopher Vivell must throw the kitchen sink at Barcelona in a bid to sign their phenom, making an instant impact with the Blues faithful – and with a release clause allegedly soon materialising, a tantalising offer must be presented soon in order to secure his signature.

West Ham United have now joined the race to sign Atalanta attacking midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi.

What’s the news?

That’s according to French journalist Ignazio Genuardi, who took to Twitter to provide an update on the future of the Serie A midfielder.

“In lack of playing time with #Atalanta #Bergame, #Malinovskyi remains targeted by #Marseille , but the Ukrainian retains a preference for the PL, where Tottenham and West Ham are particularly interested.

“Moreover, the cost of such a deal appears problematic (15-20 M €).”

Malinovskyi has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur for quite some time now but it appears they face competition to secure his signature, especially with West Ham and Marseille interested.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, West Ham could sign him for just £17m and this represents excellent value.

Manuel Lanzini upgrade

David Moyes’ side haven’t quite experienced the highs of last season so far this term, winning just four Premier League matches and scoring a paltry 12 goals, it’s clear the team requires an attacking spark.

Moyes spent big on Lucas Paqueta in the summer, however, the Brazilian hasn’t exactly set the world on fire, failing to score in eight league matches. The Scot will be keen on adding some competition in the attacking midfield position and Malinovskyi could be a big upgrade on Lanzini.

The Argentinian has featured in just five Premier League matches this term, failing to score or assist, although he does have two goals in the Europa Conference League.

His contract expires at the end of the campaign and unless he improves during the second half of the season, it is unlikely he remains at the club beyond next summer.

Malinovskyi hasn’t had as big an impact this season as he did last term, scoring just once and providing two assists so far in Serie A, but if he can recapture his 2021/2022 form, Moyes could have an excellent player on his hands.

In 30 league matches, the Ukrainian registered ten goal contributions (six goals and four assists) while also creating a further 13 big chances and making 1.5 key passes per game, proving how much of an attacking threat he can be.

Compare this to Lanzini, who created just three big chances last season along with 0.8 key passes per match, the Atlanta star is clearly a much better attacking option.

Indeed, he was dubbed an “animal” by journalist Fernando Evangelio and with the player actively wanting a move to England, Moyes must strike in January as it could be the move that revives West Ham’s season.

David Moyes unleashed a much-changed West Ham United side against FCSB on Thursday and the players repaid his faith by claiming a 3-0 win.

It was a night which saw Divin Mubama and Oliver Scarles both make their first-team debuts, and with qualification already secured, it was a comfortable night’s work by the Hammers.

Moyes will almost certainly make plenty of changes again for the Premier League match against Crystal Palace this afternoon, although the Scot must stick with Pablo Fornals for this match, especially after his performance against the Romanian side.

The £65k-per-week attacking midfielder had arguably his finest game of the season so far, receiving an impressive rating of 9.2/10 via SofaScore.

His performance was exactly what he needed and, along with scoring twice, Fornals had five shots in total, played two key passes and took 65 touches as he constantly sought to get involved in the action.

His pass success rate was 93% and he created a big chance during the match, putting in a spellbinding performance.

Journalist Jim Munro claimed that Fornals was “back to his best” after Thursday night’s victory, and the onus is now on the Spaniard to replicate this performance in the Premier League, in which he hasn’t started since the defeat to Liverpool in mid-October.

An average SofaScore rating of 6.79/10 in the top flight proves that he finds it more difficult to showcase his talents, despite scoring once and completing 53% of his attempted dribbles.

Moyes has a plethora of riches in his attacking department this season, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Maxwel Cornet, and Said Benrahma all vying for places. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old Spaniard still remains “very important” to the club, according to journalist Paul Brown.

With just three fixtures to go before the enforced World Cup hiatus, Fornals will be looking to build on his wonderful performance in midweek and go into the break with a renowned bout of confidence.

He may have left it too late to be included in Spain’s squad for the tournament, but he could become one of Moyes’ standout performers in the second half of the season if he translates his European form towards domestic improvement.

Celtic’s European dream, or lack of, is finally over as Ange Postecoglou’s men bailed out of the Champions League in torturous fashion.

This has not been a good campaign on the continent for either Scottish club, but the Hoops can at least take comfort that it’s their rivals and not they, who will go down as the worst team in group stage history.

That said, their defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday evening was a battering and one that summed up how Celtic and Rangers have fared in Europe this term; a leaky backline and a lack of goals.

A 5-1 score line was fully merited for the hosts in midweek, with three penalties awarded during the course of the game. One of those was missed by Josip Juranovic but he was among a host of Bhoys who failed to perform in the Spanish capital.

One of the chief among them was Kyogo Furuhashi, who badly let his manager down on the night. The Japanese striker has endured a rough week, perhaps surprisingly being left out of Japan’s World Cup squad and it got no better for him inside the Bernabeu.

He was given a bizarre yellow card for an incident with Real defender Eder Militao while his finishing deserted him again.

So often ruthless in the Premiership, his form in Europe has been decidedly toothless.

He failed to score in the Champions League this term and his only goals in continental action came in the Europa League again with Ferencvaros at the beginning of last term.

For a man with 29 goals in his Hoops career, it is puzzling that he can’t find the extra quality against sterner opposition.

Jota has previously described the Japanese forward’s movement as “world-class” and that it may. His finishing at the elite level, however, is anything but.

As Kyogo toiled and ultimately failed to have an impact in Spain, he managed fewer touches (12) and passes (7) than goalkeeper Joe Hart (31 & 14).

Typically for the competition, he missed a gilt-edged chance he should have scored too.

It was an all-round poor evening for the forward who also lost 100% of his physical duels throughout his 62 minutes of the contest.

Kyogo has largely been excellent in Celtic colours but there is now a feeling that if they are to ever go deeper in Europe’s elite competition, they will need someone better, someone with a meaner streak inside the opposition’s half.

Giorgos Giakoumakis has already achieved something his Japanese colleague hasn’t, a goal in the aforementioned competition, so perhaps he is where they need to turn to in the future.

Leeds United U21s suffered their first defeat of the season on Wednesday evening, with Bolton Wanderers running out 3-0 winners at the University of Bolton Stadium in the Papa John’s Trophy meeting.

And, while a loss to a team who sit seventh in League One is by no means a disaster for Michael Skubala’s side – especially without the likes of Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood in the squad – after scoring 30 goals over their eight fixtures in 2022/23 prior to last night, the Whites’ failure to create and put away opportunities against the Trotters may worry the 39-year-old coach.

Indeed, over the course of the 90 minutes in Greater Manchester, Leeds created a mere one big chance and hit the target with just three of their 14 shots at goal, with the front three of Sonny Perkins, Sean McGurk and Mateo Joseph all failing to make any real impact within the match.

However, it will undoubtedly be the latter of this attacking trio most disappointed with his performance on Wednesday night, as, without the likes of Gelhardt and Greenwood in the side, Joseph largely failed to prove to onlookers that he could be ready to make the step up to first-team football.

Indeed, the 19-year-old offered his side very little going forwards, enjoying just 27 touches of the ball – the fewest of any of the Leeds starters – missing the target with his one attempt at goal and failing to complete any of his three attempted dribbles.

The centre-forward also completed just eight of his 13 attempted passes – a success rate of 62% – gave away possession on 13 separate occasions – meaning he lost the ball with every two touches he had – and lost seven of his eight duels – a failure rate of 87.5%.

These returns saw Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Joe Donnohue award the attacker a six in his player ratings, before adding of the youngster’s display: “Cut a frustrated figure, Joseph was marshalled for the majority of the game after starting brightly.”

As such, while it is undeniable that the nine-goal striker is an extremely talented young player, if a fixture against an impressive League One outfit was Joseph’s big chance to impress Jesse Marsch and his first-team coaches, unfortunately for the Spaniard, it is clear to see he well and truly failed this test.