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Pundit Tam McManus has backed Newcastle United to potentially make two more signings in January before the transfer market shuts at the end of the month.

What’s the word?

The big recent news coming out of the club is the exit of Chris Wood who has joined Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season, with an option to make the transfer permanent.

However, in terms of incomings, only Garang Kuol has arrived and he was instantly loaned out to Hearts anyway so won’t be making any impact for the club this term.

This time last year, though, Newcastle spent big in January making five signing with the likes of Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Matt Targett all arriving.

Despite the lack of activity so far, in an interview with Football Insider, McManus has claimed that he wouldn’t be shocked if there was still business to be done.

Indeed, he said: “I know it has been quiet at Newcastle so far this month, it’s been quiet everywhere. But we saw this in the summer. There was nothing and then Matt Target was on his way for a medical.

“There was nothing then Nick Pope and Sven Botman arrived out of nowhere. Isak came completely out of the blue. I don’t even think Newcastle had been linked with him when the news broke that he was in the air on his way to St James’, that’s big for them,

“It would not surprise me at all if Newcastle got a couple of players over the line before the deadline. They are capable of that. A lot of clubs aren’t. There are messages to journalists and agents and then it makes its way onto social media and a deal hasn’t even been agreed.”

Time to act?

Clearly, the current ownership at Newcastle has proven their willingness and ability to operate in the winter window but time is running out if the club do have any major plans.

According to The Telegraph, the Magpies could move for any one of Chelsea trio Hakim Ziyech, Conor Gallagher or Ruben Loftus-Cheek. While a new right-back is also said to be on the agenda to provide cover for Trippier.

According to reports, Ivan Fresneda could be the defender to come in and do that role but it seems as though Arsenal currently lead that race for the Spanish youngster.

And so, as we hurtle towards the final week of the window, it feels as though something a little out of the blue may have to pop up for the Magpies if they are to land multiple new signings.

Newcastle United are back in action away to Southampton in the Carabao Cup semi-final this evening, with the Magpies hoping to move one step closer towards ending their lengthy barren run without silverware.

For all the importance of potentially finishing in the top four come the end of the season, manager Eddie Howe has previously insisted that it would be a “dream” to secure a major honour for the club, with such a triumph set to be just reward for what has been a remarkable turnaround in fortunes over the last 12 months or so.

The Tynesiders head into this first-leg encounter at St Mary’s following what was another frustrating stalemate away to Crystal Palace at the weekend, having now recorded a goalless draw in three of their last four Premier League games.

The solitary win in that run of games came at home to Fulham courtesy of a late winner from club-record signing, Alexander Isak, with the Sweden international having been gradually eased back into the action following his frustrating injury woes prior to the World Cup break.

While Howe will likely be fearful of risking losing the 23-year-old once again, it may well be time for the former Real Sociedad starlet to be handed the chance to impress from the start, with goals clearly having been in short supply of late.

Despite his limited involvement so far this term, the one-time Borussia Dortmund “monster” – as described by journalist Chuck Booth – has illustrated just why the northeast side were so keen to secure his signature this summer, having scored three goals in his five top-flight outings to date.

While the 6 foot 4 powerhouse was not able to add to his tally off the bench at Selhurst Park, the £120k-per-week gem did certainly make an impact in the closing stages, having guided a header straight into the arms of opposition goalkeeper, Vicente Guaita.

That brief cameo also saw Isak lay on one key pass from his nine touches, with journalist Thomas Hammond subsequently stating that the Swede simply “has to start” against the Saints.

With the departure of Chris Wood to Nottingham Forest having limited Howe’s attacking options, it may well be wise to thrust Isak into the fray from the start in order to allow fellow forward Callum Wilson the chance of rest.

Alternatively, there could also be a benefit in playing the pair together in attack against Nathan Jones’ men, with Wilson having notably teed up his strike partner to help clinch victory against the Cottagers just over a week ago.

Whatever forward line the Newcastle boss does decide to deploy, it would seemingly be an astute move to have Isak at the forefront, with unleashing the rarely-seen asset potentially able to help terrorise the south coast side.

Arsenal are ‘exploring’ a deal to sign Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Gunners eye new midfielder…

The Gunners are thought to want a new midfielder as manager Mikel Arteta seeks to reinforce his options in front of the back four.

The Premier League title chasers have been linked with summer moves for names like West Ham star Declan Rice, who is thought to be keen on joining them, but additions this month also haven’t been ruled out.

Caicedo, who has been attracting real interest from Chelsea for most of this month, is also admired by Arsenal as they explore a possible deal – according to Romano.

The Latest: Arsenal ‘exploring’ Caicedo move…

It is believed that the Gunners have thrown their hat in the ring for Caicedo with Romano namedropping them as an interested party.

The journalist explained (via Twitter):

“Three clubs are exploring Caicedo deal after new agents statement: Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are informed on the situation, as revealed on Monday.

“Brighton, not intentioned to sell unless they receive really huge proposal.”

The Verdict: Perfect player?

The 21-year-old. who also featured for Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been called Brighton’s ‘star player’ by members of the press.

According to WhoScored, the tough-tackling ace certainly backs that label with his performances, having averaged Brighton’s highest rate of successful challenges per 90 in the top flight.

Still very young, Caicedo would come to the Emirates Stadium as a signing of real longevity and quality given he also ranks in Brighton’s top two for interceptions made per 90.

Called a ‘marvellous player’ by former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson, the South American has already earned plaudits from past Three Lions internationals.

Arsenal are arguably in need of a defensive midfield addition who is both proven in England and can come in to contribute to their title challenge immediately.

The issue is Brighton and their tough selling stance, but if Arsenal were willing to spend big, then there isn’t any doubt they would land a very exciting player.

Crystal Palace have reportedly had a bid accepted for Stuttgart midfielder Naouirou Ahamada…

What’s the word?

According to the Evening Standard, the south London outfit have succeeded with a £10.5m offer for one of the Bundesliga club’s most coveted young assets.

The 20-year-old Frenchman is now scheduled to complete a medical ahead of a move to Selhurst Park, where he could join a talented crop of young players under Patrick Vieira’s tutelage.

This follows on from The Athletic‘s Crystal Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam, who stated several days prior that negotiations were in full swing.

Vieira’s own Musah

With midfield being something of a problem position for the Eagles this season, as highlighted by Woosnam, Vieira has seemingly taken the requisite steps towards trying to bolster that position and leaving the club in good stead to remain well above the Premier League relegation zone.

Blossoming into his own this season, Ahamada could bring the fire back to a furnace depleted of coals following the departure of loanee Conor Gallagher last summer, with the Chelsea man having scored eight Premier League goals in south London during his loan spell at Palace.

Contrast that to the current campaign, with none of the Eagles’ central or defensive midfielders even managing one top-flight goal just beyond the halfway point of the season.

Having made 18 appearances this season – including 17 starts in the league – the “crazy” talent (as Ahamada was dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig) has emerged as a key cog in Stuttgart’s system, following a 2021/22 campaign which saw him make only seven appearances across all competitions, albeit with injuries playing a large part.

As per FBref, the starlet ranks within the top 27% of midfielders across Europe for rate of goals and assists, the top 21% for dribbles completed and the top 17% for progressive passes received, illustrating a dynamic and forward-thinking nature which has seen him score twice and provide two assists so far in 2022/23.

FBref lists the Stuttgart gem as a comparable player to Valencia’s Yunus Musah, who has been of interest to the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool this season following his feats in La Liga and on the international stage with the USA.

Musah ranks among the top 9% of positional peers for dribbles completed and progressive passes received, and indeed serves as one of the most exciting transitional players on the market at present.

Ahamada’s injury history is worrying for a player so young, but his capabilities alone prove that signing him seems a gamble worth taking, and Vieira could yet unleash his very own Musah in swift time by bringing his compatriot to Selhurst Park. He could be just what the Eagles need in order to reinvigorate a goal-shy midfield.

James Maw of The Athletic claims that Djed Spence could have some form of future with Tottenham Hotspur despite a loan move to Stade Rennes last month.

The Lowdown: Spence makes loan move

Spence left Antonio Conte’s side this month and will be on loan with the Ligue 1 outfit until the end of the season.

The deal contains no obligation or option to buy for Rennes, meaning he will definitely head back to north London at the end of the season.

Tottenham only bought the player last summer, but he’s struggled for game time this season. Spence has only featured four times for Spurs in the Premier League.

The Latest: Maw makes Spence claim

Speaking to The View From The Lane podcast, Maw claimed that the straight loan is not something you see often in football nowadays and claims the player will be at Spurs next season.

He stated (22:24), “It’s quite rare that you’ll see a loan deal like this with no option or obligation these days. Normally, it will come with one or the other.

“So maybe that’s quite telling the fact that there this is an expectation that he’ll be back at Tottenham next season, and that things will suddenly be different.”

The Verdict: An uncertain future

We believe that if Spence is to have some sort of future with Tottenham, then he’ll have to really impress on loan at Rennes between now and the end of the season.

A straight loan certainly indicates that Spurs have no intention of letting him go immediately, but in our view, there’s one factor around his Spurs move that is a concern.

Conte claimed that signing the 22-year-old was not his decision, it was the club who saw him as an ‘investment’ and not the Italian.

This could mean that the full-back will have to make a massive statement if he’s to impress Conte, he could be harder to impress if he wasn’t signed by him specifically.

What could work in his favour is if Conte leaves at the end of the season when his contract runs out, a new manager may give Spence more opportunities in the first-team next season.

Ex-footballer Trevor Sinclair labelled Spence as ‘the real deal’ when he joined the club after his loan spell with Nottingham Forest.

He told TalkSport that he ran Arsenal players Kieran Tierney and Gabriel Martinelli ‘ragged’ in an FA Cup match last season.

Spence has bags of potential and shown what talent he has last season, but he needs to grasp this loan opportunity with both hands if he is to have a long-term future at Spurs under Conte or another manager.

Southampton were keen on appointing Torino boss Ivan Juric before Nathan Jones arrived, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Jones under-fire…

Jones was appointed in early November to succeed long-serving former head coach Ralph Hasenhuttl but their Premier League form hasn’t exactly turned a corner.

The Welshman has guided his side to just one league win since he was hired from Luton Town with Southampton supporters quickly losing their patience.

Reports have also suggested that Jones is losing players in the St. Mary’s dressing room, but according to a fresh claim, things could’ve been totally different.

The Latest: Southampton wanted Juric…

According to Firenze Viola.net, in late Autumn last year, Southampton were keen on a move for Juric, with the Serie A coach also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest, Wolfsburg and ‘beyond’.

However, the tactician said ‘no’ as he wished to stay with his current side.

The Verdict: Missed out?

The £2 million-per-year boss might have turned out to be shrewd appointment by Sport Republic at Southampton.

Juric is currently getting his team to perform at their highest level since he took over with this report claiming Torino have never been higher in the standings under his tutelage.

The Turin side are currently seventh place and somewhat in contention for a European-qualifying spot with eight points currently separating them and league champions AC Milan in sixth.

Juric seems to be seriously impressing for his club, and going by Torino’s form, it appears his decision to remain loyal to their cause has paid dividends.

Meanwhile, at Southampton, Jones was recently the author of a bizarre rant comparing himself to the best coaches in Europe, with scrutiny continuing to surround his position.

Liverpool could be ‘ones to watch’ in the race for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: January tug-of-war

The Ecuadorian was the subject of strong interest in January, with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal both battling it out for his signature in the closing stages of the window.

The Gunners had two late bids worth up to £70m rejected by the Seagulls, who insisted that the 21-year-old was not for sale, but that hasn’t stopped clubs from planning a raid in the summer.

The Reds have a long-standing admiration for the Amex maestro, and whilst they are yet to submit any kind of formal offer, that could be about to change in the months ahead with Jurgen Klopp looking to revamp his central options.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Speaking to TEAMtalk, Jacobs name-checked Liverpool as a potential dark horse in the race for Caicedo given the club’s firm interest.

“Liverpool might be ones to watch as well, as they’ve had a historical interest in Caicedo since from before he moved to Brighton.

“However, they never bid in January, contrary to what reports said. The reason for that is two-fold, one because they didn’t see value at the kind of figures being quoted and two, because the agent situation was complicated and those are not the type of deals that Liverpool normally do. But if we get to the summer and the deal becomes simpler and falls within Liverpool’s valuation then they could go for Caicedo too.

“Liverpool need a new engine room too, so those are the three clubs to watch. But we have to now determine what the actual price is going to be in all likelihood for Caicedo. And that will depend on the volume of suitors but also other available midfielders that are available in the market.”

The Verdict: Splash the cash

Caicedo has been dubbed a ‘machine’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and should the opportunity to sign him arise in the summer, Liverpool should grab it with both hands and splash the cash on their target.

The Brighton star is naturally a defensive midfielder but also has the versatility to operate centrally, where he’s currently averaging 2.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per league game (WhoScored).

The Santo Domingo native is also a threat in the final third having made 17 goal contributions throughout his career, making him the complete package to put pen to paper at Anfield.

West Brom are set to be missing Australia international Tom Rogic for their Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers this evening.

The Lowdown: Baggies flying…

The Baggies, after appointing Carlos Corberan to replace Steve Bruce, have been flying in England’s second tier and are in real contention for Premier League promotion.

West Brom have won ten out of 13 league matches since Corberan’s appointment, prompting interest from out-of-manager Leeds United in the Spaniard.

In a boost for the Midlands side, Corberan opted against pursuing a move to Elland Road and instead committed his future at West Brom last week.

The Latest: West Brom team news before Rovers…

Relaying the latest team news before a crunch encounter with Blackburn, journalist Lewis Cox has shared what Corberan has said in regards to who will be available.

Kyle Bartley has suffered an injury setback, and alongside the Englishman, Rogic is also out with a hamstring issue.

Cox explained:

“Just been to see Carlos Corberan. Kyle Bartley out for another 5-6 weeks after scan outcome on quad injury. Another setback for the centre-back.

“Tom Rogic also misses Blackburn tomorrow with hamstring issue. Latter not serious.”

The Verdict: Setback for Corberan?

As West Brom look to put their recent losses against Burnley and Birmingham City behind them, not having Rogic or Bartley still does come as a dampener.

In the case of Rogic, Celtic’s former star could’ve provided an injection of quality as a back-up option.

The 30-year-old, since signing as a free agent in the summer, has contributed to West Brom’s promotion push with three assists and a goal in 13 appearances overall (WhoScored).

Corberan has also raved over the ‘excellent’ midfielder when he has played this season, even if the manager has occasionally left Rogic out of the squad.

Having the ex-SPFL sensation as an option off the bench would have been ideal but it appears West Brom won’t have that luxury tonight.

Leeds United are keen on appointing Marcelo Gallardo as their next manager…

What’s the latest Leeds manager news?

According to journalist Jason Burt of the Telegraph, the Argentine is seen as the ‘true long-term successor’ of Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road, despite initially rejecting the club’s advances.

It’s thought that the 47-year-old is keen to return to management, but only in the summer, meaning the west Yorkshire outfit could be made to wait.

Whites director of football Victor Orta is a huge admirer but faces the worrying prospect of the club being relegated before they could hire him, and then they’ll likely be a far less attractive option.

Can Gallardo finally replace Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road?

Gallardo is arguably one of the more impressive options available on the market, having guided River Plate to 14 trophies in eight-and-a-half-year tenure and subsequently became their greatest-ever manager.

The former Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain maestro won the equivalent of the Champions League, Europa League and European Super Cup all within the first 14 months of taking the helm, which ended Los Millonarios’ near 20-year duck in continental competitions.

In the end, Gallardo managed a 54.7% win rate and 1.88 points per match at the Estadio Monumenta, via Transfermarkt – both longevity and success that Leeds could only dream of.

There are many similarities between the legendary ex-River boss and the aforementioned Bielsa, which can be seen by Marcelo Tulbovitz’s glowing endorsement of the man he worked with for half a decade.

“His main quality is how gets across his ideas. The way he conveys what he wants the team to do on the pitch. Another great virtue is how he manages the work. He is all about the details,” he said to DelSol FM.

“If he has to sub off someone, he does not count to three. He’s not capricious in those things. He has an aggressive and offensive vision of the game. He is pragmatic, not tied to a system, and he is quick to read his rival.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is also a noted admirer of Gallardo, once claiming (via The Athletic):

“What Gallardo has done with River is incredible. Every year three coaches are named as the best in the world, and he’s never among them.”

Guardiola has never been shy of waxing lyrical about Bielsa, who he believes is the “best coach in the world” and would’ve won more titles than he did at Barcelona with the same squad.

Meanwhile, the three-time South American Coach of the Year was renowned for giving youth plenty of opportunity, handing debuts to no fewer than 30 academy graduates, including the likes of Manuel Lanzini, Sebastian Driussi, Giovani Simeone and Julian Alvarez.

In further likeness to Bielsa and in a bid to squeeze every little edge out of his side, Gallardo became the first manager in Argentina to appoint a female member of staff after he brought in Dr. Sandra Rossi to help train the mental side of things – clearly, he’s a pioneer and a progressive sort of coach.

Given the above evidence, few hold better credentials to finally see fellow coaching legend Bielsa replaced at Leeds.

Jesse Marsch was never going to be the answer, then again, anyone who took the reins after the Argentine was going to struggle but Gallardo could be the man to bridge that gap and get the Elland Road faithful excited once again.

Orta must do all he can to lure the Bielsa-esque boss to west Yorkshire, before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Leeds could get the very best out of Ayling by appointing “perfect” 40 y/o manager…

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is a major injury doubt for this afternoon’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United, according to The Mirror.

The Lowdown: Rashford injury scare

The 25-year-old helped the Red Devils to advance in the Europa League on Thursday against Barcelona, but it wasn’t all positive on the night, with the England star being replaced for Scott McTominay late on at Old Trafford with a potential injury.

He appeared to pick up an issue in the closing stages of that match, which has thrown his availability for today’s Wembley showpiece into question as United look for their first trophy since 2017.

The Latest: Rashford travels with Man Utd squad

Samuel Meade shared a story for The Mirror on Saturday evening, sharing images of the United squad heading to London on the train with Rashford amongst them.

However, the reporter said that the forward is a ‘major injury doubt’ despite travelling and could join fellow attacker Anthony Martial on the injured list.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Rashford appears to be in the form of his life, contributing to 33 goals in 37 games this season. The 25-year-old has mainly lined out on the left and has scored five goals and provided two assists in United’s run to today’s final.

Therefore, being without the attacker from the off would be a huge blow for Erik ten Hag, who could be forced into going with Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho out wide, with Bruno Fernandes in behind Wout Weghorst.

As mentioned, Rashford has travelled with the squad, so we could see him feature in some capacity, and all eyes will be on the team sheet an hour before kick-off.