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Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to bring Jude Soonsup-Bell to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by the Evening Standard, who revealed that Fabio Paratici has now agreed a deal for the Chelsea centre-forward – who is expected to be officially announced by Spurs upon completion of a medical and the 19-year-old putting pen to paper on a contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The report goes on to suggest that Manchester City were also interested in a move for the England U18 international this month, with Pep Guardiola’s side also making an offer for the striker, however, despite the interest of the reigning Premier League champions, Soonsup-Bell now appears to be on his way to Tottenham.

“Top goalscorer”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Soonsup-Bell very much looks to be, the fact that Paratici has managed to beat off City in the race to land the 19-year-old this month undoubtedly represents a fantastic coup for Antonio Conte and his side.

Indeed, the £350k-rated talent first caught the eye during his time with Chelsea’s U18 side, scoring an astonishing 23 goals and providing a further two assists over his 25 appearances for the youth outfit – averaging a direct goal involvement every 76 minutes of football played for the U18s.

The youngster has continued his fine goalscoring form while working up the Blues’ age groups, bagging one goal and registering three assists over 12 outings for the U19s, as well as netting five goals and notching two assists over 40 fixtures for the U21s.

Rather unsurprisingly, these returns have seen the teenager already earn his first-team debut for Chelsea, a fact that could see him walk into senior team training at Hotspur Way too.

The youngster has earned a considerable amount of praise for his displays, with Chelsea U18 manager Ed Brand stating of the centre-forward following his winner in the U18 Premier League Cup against Fulham last season:

“Jude is a top goalscorer. He showed great composure to get the ball out of his feet and finish well when he got his chance. He is a fantastic player at this level and he should be really proud.”

However, it has not only been at club level that Soonsup-Bell has been catching the eye, with the striker having also racked up ten goals over 18 caps for England U15s, U16s, U17s and U18s.

As such, it would indeed appear as if the Chelsea wonderkid has an exceptionally bright future in the professional game, with Spurs’ capture of the Chippenham-born talent very much appearing to be a fantastic coup for Paratici and Tottenham, with the club’s transfer team enjoying the rare feat of beating the league champions to a new signing.

Everton were heavily linked with a move for Conor Gallagher in the summer and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player in the winter transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Everton are joined by a number of Premier League clubs to have registered their interest in the Chelsea midfielder this month.

As per the report, four other top-flight sides are chasing the England international with Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Southampton joining Everton.

That said, it is claimed that Gallagher would prefer to remain at Stamford Bridge to fight for his place in Graham Potter’s first team.

Imagine him & Onana

Despite Gallagher’s reluctance to leave Stamford Bridge this month, it would be a major coup for Frank Lampard in his pursuit to retain Everton’s Premier League status at the end of the season.

The Toffees have found themselves falling into another challenging relegation scrap ahead of the second half of the season with the side currently 19th in the top-flight table after collecting just 15 points and scoring just 15 goals over their first 19 outings.

As a result, the opportunity to strengthen the team and add quality could not have come soon enough for the former Chelsea boss and Gallagher would be a seismic move in the manager’s efforts to improve performances on the pitch.

The 22-year-old midfielder – who boasted a £50m price tag last summer – saw a rapid rise to fame in English football over the last 18 months after his influential loan spell at Crystal Palace earned him an opportunity to impress Gareth Southgate in the senior England team ahead of the World Cup which led to the manager selecting Gallagher in his squad at the prestigious international tournament back in November.

However, since returning to his parent club in London last summer it seems the success has stagnated with the player being given inconsistent game time this season, averaging just 39 minutes per league game, which has hindered his chances to build up some form in the team to prove his worth.

Lampard could give Gallagher – who was dubbed “Kante with goals” by Tony Cascarino – an opportunity to thrive at Goodison Park over the second half of the season by pairing him up with fellow progressive midfielder Amadou Onana in the centre of the pitch.

It’s a pairing that could just give Everton the opportunity to climb out of their perilous position.

Indeed, both players have the same number of goal contributions (2 v 2) this term and a similar pass completion rate (79.1% v 82.7%) with Onana outperforming Gallagher in a number of defensive attributes including aerial duels won (50% v 39.1%), interceptions (16 v 8) and tackles won (3o v 19).

However, the Chelsea ace makes up for what he lacks in defensive qualities outshining Onana with his attacking and progressive play including shots on target rate (44.4% v 10.5%), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.32 v 1.17) and goal-creating actions (3 v 1), so combining the pair to balance out each other’s strengths and weakness could form an incredible midfield partnership.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Everton to push for the signing of Gallagher this month as his creativity and attack-minded approach could significantly improve the displays at the heart of the team, ultimately saving the side from a dreaded relegation to the Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane may have a release clause or gentlemen’s agreement in his Spurs contract, claims Tony Cascarino.

The Lowdown: Kane’s situation

Kane has not committed his long-term future to Tottenham with him yet to agree an extension on his current £200k-per-week deal that expires in 2024.

The 29-year-old is in his 10th Premier League campaign since making his top-flight debut for the Lilywhites in a late cameo against Newcastle United in 2012.

He’s since gone on to score 265 goals in 412 games for the north Londoners and is one away from levelling Jimmy Greaves’ club goalscoring record.

The Latest: Cascarino’s comments

Despite him being on the verge of immortality at Spurs, Cascarino questioned on TalkSport whether there is something in Kane’s contract that could see him leave in an attempt to bag the first major trophy of his career.

He said: “With 18 months on his contract now, he has to make up in his own mind what direction he goes.

“Daniel Levy’s played a big part in keeping him at Spurs, but when the last contract was signed, were words said that ‘if I’m not achieving some of the goals I want to do with the record on my CV, can you let me go for a certain amount?’”

“Harry clearly does want to win things – who wouldn’t?

“He clearly does, he plays with the type of manner that he really does try desperately hard to be as successful as he can, but it’s just not happening with Spurs, though.”

The Verdict: Career-defining decision

With Kane turning 30 before the start of next season, the end of his current contract sets up a huge dilemma that will define his career, with guaranteed legendary status at Spurs on the cards or a greater chance of winning silverware elsewhere.

England’s joint all-time goalscorer is yet to lift a single major trophy in his incredible playing career, with Spurs previously league runners-up, twice beaten finalists and four-time beaten semi-finalists in Kane’s time.

Antonio Conte is a serial winner but with his future also uncertain and no obvious winning remedy at the club, silverware doesn’t look to be on the cards at present, so it’s a huge decision that looms for the Englishman as early as the summer.

Liverpool are eyeing a January move for France international and World Cup finalist Adrien Rabiot, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reds target stars of Qatar…

The Reds have been targeting some of the World Cup’s most stunning performers with both Sofyan Amrabat of Morocco and Argentina sensation Enzo Fernandez heavily linked.

Jurgen Klopp and club owners Fenway Sports Group, going by recent claims, have used the tournament in Qatar as a potential talent pool as the Anfield side look to fight their way back to the Premier League summit.

Some way off league frontrunners Arsenal, they are also chasing a deal for Borussia Dortmund superstar Jude Bellingham, yet it appears another international has entered their sights also.

The Latest: Liverpool eye Rabiot move…

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Juventus midfielder Rabiot is a target for Liverpool as the £149,000-per-week midfielder attracts real interest.

The 27-year-old played six games under Didier Deschamps and ranked highly among the best-performing players in their squad, potentially resulting in Liverpool’s intrigue (WhoScored).

As well as Klopp’s side, it is believed that Spurs and Chelsea are also looking at Rabiot for next month – with the former currently out in front.

The Verdict: Good alternative?

The demand for both Amrabat and Fernandez after their stellar international campaigns in the Middle East could make them very tough to get, but Rabiot is a different story.

His contract at Juve expires in 2023, putting pressure on the Serie A side to either sell for a quick fee mid-season or risk losing him for nothing later in the year.

Corriere believe a bid of ‘€10-15m (£8.7m-£13m)’ would be considered and that is certainly a fair price to pay for Rabiot – who has also been called a ‘superb professional’.

Celtic-bound Alistair Johnston has been backed to cope with the heights of signing for the Premiership giants by former Scotland international Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: World Cup impact

It has taken just a single season at Montreal and two World Cup games for Johnston’s name to be fixed on the radar of Ange Postecoglou’s side, with his impressive performances for Canada in Qatar seeing him thrive in a back-three system under John Herdman. 

The Hoops are reported to have agreed a £3m deal with the 24-year-old, with a January move likely due to the absence of work permit complications owing to a UK passport through his mother (Daily Record).

The Latest: Hutton’s backing for Johnston

According to Hutton, Johnston will not be fazed by the switch from the MLS to the Scottish Premiership. 

Asked by Football Insider if the Canada defender would struggle to adapt at Celtic, the BBC pundit said: “I do not think so. I think the biggest change for him will be a culture thing and moving country. That will be the biggest thing for him.

“Could you say that it is slightly higher standard? Possibly.

“I think when you come in to Celtic and Rangers it is the pressure you are under to constantly win, to try and pick up trophies, European games, so that is something that he will have to get used to.

“He is a young player, I have watched him and he plays with no fear. I do not see why it would be a real problem for him.“

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The Verdict: A great coup

Hutton is correct. It would be a surprise to see Johnston struggle to adapt to the Premiership, with the defender accustomed to pressure, having performed commendably on the world stage in Qatar. 

In fairness to Johnston, he is experienced at international level, having made 32 appearances for Canada; and despite not bursting into the higher ranks of the professional football scene until his MLS debut in 2020, he has transitioned well. 

His efforts on the pitch reflect his defensive attributes, winning four tackles in his two World Cup appearances, with his versatility at the back sure to come as a big boost to Postecoglou. 

Assuming there are no late hitches, this is an exciting move for both parties; and based on his performances at the World Cup, Johnston seems as though he would settle in nicely at Parkhead.

Newcastle United are currently third in the Premier League which will surely leave Eddie Howe absolutely delighted with his squad at St James’ Park, however, the real test is yet to come in the second half of the season.

As well as competing to retain their spot inside the top four in order to earn Champions League football next season, the Magpies manager will be hoping his team can have a good run in the two domestic cups to earn the club their first trophy in over six decades.

To ensure that Newcastle can rotate comfortably and put out a high-quality squad throughout the remainder of the campaign, Howe could take advantage of the opportunity to acquire the services of more talent in the January transfer window.

One player who has been linked with a move to Tyneside is Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby, the 23-year-old winger who could become a valuable asset to Newcastle in their pursuit of success in the Premier League and beyond.

Despite Miguel Almiron’s incredible goal-scoring form this season, there is no doubt that the powers at St James’ Park will be on the hunt for another winger to ensure that quality is maintained on the pitch throughout, especially when they are struggling with injuries or rotating the squad due to congested fixtures.

Diaby has tallied up a huge number of goal contributions over 146 appearances for the German club, scoring 43 goals and registering 41 assists – with a goal contribution every 131 minutes so far.

In the Bundesliga this season, the £59m ace – who was dubbed a “young whirlwind” by Nils Petersen – has scored six goals, delivered three assists and created a whopping 10 chances over 15 appearances, as well as averaging 1.9 key passes, 1.2 shots on target and winning 2.6 duels per game – proving that he is a very creative attacking threat.

In fact, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is named as the second most comparable player to Diaby according to FBref, and when taking a closer look at their talents there are actually many similarities the two wingers share.

Both Salah and Diaby have six goals and three assists this season, as well as close comparisons in their pass completion rate (75.1% v 75.3%), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.31 v 3.79) and goals per shots on target (0.33 v 0.30).

With that being said, there is no doubt that the signing of Diaby would be a great piece of business for Newcastle and the talented winger could give the team the final push they need to secure Champions League football ahead of next season.

Leeds United are interested in making a move for impressive Marseille midfielder Pape Gueye, according to reports from France.

The Lowdown: Gueye impressing for Marseille

The 23-year-old has stood out as a solid performer for his club in recent times, making three appearances in the Champions League this season.

Gueye will be hoping to shine for Senegal at the upcoming World Cup, too, as he aims to add to the 12 caps he has already won for his country to date, playing in all but one match of their triumphant Africa Cup of Nations run at the start of 2022.

It looks as though there is interest in the midfielder from England, with Leeds one of those tracking his progress.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Gueye

According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux [via Sport Witness], the Whites are ‘notably’ keen on adding Gueye to their squad, boosting their midfield options in the process.

Southampton are also mentioned as potential suitors in the report, with the pair among those who are ‘attentive to the situation’, and the player himself could wish to leave Marseille due to a rarity of starts, having been selected just three times in all competitions so far this season.

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The Verdict: Good young option

Gueye could be a brilliant prospective signing by Leeds, adding defensive expertise in an area of the pitch where the Whites appear to be quite threadbare, especially with Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw both out injured.

At 23, the Marseille man is still an improving footballer, and an average of 1.5 tackles per game in Ligue 1 so far this season highlight his off-the-ball influence.

Gueye has been described as a cross between N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, and it speaks volumes that he has been compared to two men who have won the World Cup and major European honours.

If he comes to Elland Road, he could help to fill the void left by Kalvin Phillips’ departure for Manchester City in the summer.

Nottingham Forest will make the trip to the south coast this evening to take on Brighton and Hove Albion in their Premier League clash, and Steve Cooper has revealed some troubling fitness news ahead of the fixture.

What’s the latest?

The Forest boss took to his pre-match press conference on Monday afternoon to reveal an update on player availability ahead of the trip to Brighton, confirming doubts on Lewis O’Brien, Serge Aurier and Renan Lodi.

Cooper told the media: “We picked up some injuries last week, and we’re still not ready to make a final decision on whether those lads are back yet.

“Serge has had a bit of an accelerated programme since he came in, it’s a muscle injury, so we will see what today and tomorrow bring.

“Renan is more of a contact injury than a muscle injury. That is just trying to give him every chance for the kick and the swelling to come down.

“Lewis was different. He was ill with a bug, which really knocked him back.”

Worrying news for Cooper

The mounting fitness issues plaguing Nottingham Forest is certainly worrying for Cooper as he endeavours to improve the team’s trajectory, with his side currently rock bottom in the Premier League table at present.

Matching Leicester City for points, a victory this evening would not lift Forest out of the relegation zone but would put them on eight points, subsequently closing the gap on their competitors in the higher positions so the latest knocks and illness issues will surely frustrate the Welsh manager.

Indeed, the Tricky Trees have more than enough players to cover for the potential absence of O’Brien, Aurier and Lodi following their £150m spending spree over the summer, but Cooper will be wanting to establish his best starting team for the season ahead to inspire some consistency in the squad.

The trip to the AMEX Community Stadium will by no means be an easy fixture for Forest with Brighton seventh in the league table after a promising start to their season. However, they have failed to pick up a win in their last three games so it could be an opportunity for Cooper to capitalise on the Seagulls’ recent poor form.

With that being said, the Forest boss will need to quickly establish who he can trust to cover the positions needed during the quick turnaround of games this week, as they are in desperate need of picking up valuable points that could make a huge difference come the end of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur were outfought and outplayed as Antonio Conte’s side succumbed to defeat in the north London derby on Saturday afternoon.

There were times that Spurs looked dangerous on the counter and they could have easily put another one or two goals in the Arsenal net before the break but the second half was a complete disaster, summed up by Emerson Royal’s mindless red card.

He lunged in at Gabriel Martinelli, who looked to have broken away from the Brazilian right-back, and it was more foolish than malicious. A stud-up tackle, quite high on the ankle, was always ending one way.

From that point onwards, the Gunners only asserted their dominance as they ran away with it, ending the game 3-1 to extend their lead atop the Premier League table.

For all of the doom and gloom, though, that moment of madness may well have been a blessing in disguise for the Italian.

It now means he is forced into a change at right wing-back as the 23-year-old is set to miss the next three domestic matches, which are against a red-hot Brighton and Hove Albion, an unbeaten-in-six Everton and a resurgent Manchester United.

Spurs could well benefit from a change in the role, even if Emerson was available, as he has proven to be a “complete liability” defensively, as described by ex-Lilywhites midfielder Jamie O’Hara after Saturday’s game, and his attacking credentials – a key attribute in what Conte wants from his wing-backs – have been more than questionable after just three goal contributions in 51 appearances.

That much has been known since the Italian arrived in the dugout last November – by the new year, reports surfaced suggesting that the 53-year-old was unconvinced by his options and wanted an upgrade.

“Royal is just a complete liability,” O’Hara told talkSPORT. “Every single week we play him, he makes mistakes. I don’t care how much money he’s spent on trying to make himself a better footballer, he’s not good enough to play for Tottenham. It’s like having [Serge] Aurier back in the team. He’s just a mistake waiting to happen.”

Indeed, this incident brings into question the extraordinary story that the former FC Barcelona man has spent ‘nearly £1m’ on improving his game behind the scenes.

It does mean that Conte will have to turn to either Matt Doherty or summer signing Djed Spence, who is an exciting young talent that seems primed for this sort of role under the Italian.

Another possibility is utilising Ivan Perisic on the right, as he did against Leicester City, which would also see Ryan Sessegnon back in the side.

Although it’s the 22-year-old, who joined in a £20m deal from Middlesbrough, that could benefit most from Emerson’s suspension as the defender, who was lauded as a “Rolls-Royce” by Arsenal legend Martin Keown, is said to have been worked hard in training in preparation for such an opportunity.

An average of 1.6 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, as well as 1.8 dribbles and one key pass per game in Nottingham Forest’s promotion run last season (via WhoScored) certainly makes him a wonderful fit to fulfil such a role for Spurs.

Therefore, Emerson’s enforced absence could well lead to improvements on the right wing and as such, Tottenham and Conte could get their season back underway in the way they intended.

AND in other news, Forget Emerson: Conte could unearth his next Hakimi in “promising” 20 y/o Spurs gem…

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has provided an update regarding the future of Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Bryan Gil. 

The lowdown: Out of favour

Signed from Sevilla FC for £22.5million in 2021 (Transfermarkt), Gil arrived in north London with big expectations about what was to come after a promising early career.

However, following the switch from his boyhood club, the 21-year-old Spain youth international has struggled to make an impact at Spurs and was sent out on loan to Valencia in January.

Having returned from that temporary exit, now despite an initial reluctance from Spurs, it appears as though Gil could be on the move once more with the La Liga outfit keen to reunite with the versatile youngster…

The latest: ‘Last couple of days…’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth has claimed that Valencia have ‘resumed talks’ to sign the 11-cap Spain Under 21 starlet.

He said: “We do know that there were talks with Valencia earlier on in the transfer window and then that went a bit quiet, hence Conte being impressed with Gil and involving him in squads again.

“But just in the last couple of days, those talks have resumed with Valencia and Bryan Gil, so there’s a potential that one could happen and then we will see in the last eight days whether Tottenham are satisfied with what they’ve got in regard to what they’ve got in that squad, because remember he’s an attack-minded player and they’ve got a lot of those at the club.”

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The verdict: Best option

Still with a potentially bright future as a Spurs player, allowing Gil to go away and play regular football is undoubtedly the smartest move from Fabio Paratici and Co as the Spaniard is unlikely to break into Antonio Conte’s plans anytime soon.

Linked to the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Ruslan Malnovskyi, it remains imminently possible that further attacking reinforcements could be on the way to N17 and as such, opportunities would be even less for the £16.2million valued youngster.

The winger – who was described as a ‘very, very exciting’ player by journalist David Cartlidge – has remained an unused substitute for all three Premier League matches this term and seems unlikely to feature, even when the rigours of UEFA Champions League football return.

As such, a move to Valencia – where he made 17 outings last term – looks to be the ideal outcome for all parties.