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With David Moyes clearly keen on bolstering his back line, West Ham United have yet again been linked with a central defender…

What’s the latest?

As per Dean Jones, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Hammers are reportedly eyeing a move for Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips.

The 25-year-old is currently on the outskirts of the Reds’ first team and could prove something of a coup should Moyes tempt him to the London Stadium. He does still have three years left on his £65k-per-week deal, however.

Jones claimed about potential Anfield exits: “The strongest interest I guess you could say would be West Ham and Nat Phillips.

“They’ve had a keen eye on him, they’ve had good reports on him and they considered going for him strongly in the summer window. So I can see that one coming around again.”

Another Dawson masterclass

Although what might seem a rather unassuming signing, with Moyes one can never rule out the potential revival of a career: particularly as a defender.

When the Irons introduced Craig Dawson after his initial loan spell, it was suggested that the ageing stalwart would simply provide added cover for the bigger names.

However, he has since featured 83 times for the club, earning praise for his solidity and goalscoring proficiency from set pieces. He has bagged nine times during this period and was instrumental in their European run last season.

In Phillips, there is precedent to suggest that the Scotsman could repeat his success once again with another hulking defender who has had an unspectacular career thus far.

What instantly could draw comparisons between him and Dawson is the praise that Jamie Redknapp lauded over him, claiming: “He’s a throwback defender. He wants to make blocks, he wants to make tackles, he’s got great anticipation.”

Ranking in the top 2% for aerials won across Europe’s top five leagues also suggests that he could be the physical monster needed to perhaps supplement Kurt Zouma, whilst replacing that threat from set pieces that the loss of Dawson would bring.

The Melwood graduate also does have a goal for the Merseyside club, as he coped with the physical demands a game against Burnley brings with a powerful header.

He is hardly the most exciting signing in the world but has all the attributes for Moyes to mould him into his ideal defender. Given his relative youth too, this would likely turn into a brilliant signing.

With the World Cup break now in full effect, many Premier League clubs will have set off on their various training camps as they await Boxing Day to come back around.

For some, this six-week hiatus comes at the perfect time, however, for Leeds United, it almost kills the momentum they had built in recent weeks.

Despite their recent loss to Tottenham Hotspur, it marked yet another spirited performance as they fell to defeat after their two straight victories beforehand in the league.

These games all marked the continued absence of Patrick Bamford, who was a substitute in their win over Liverpool and subsequently missed Bournemouth and Spurs due to a training injury.

The sad fact of the matter is that the 29-year-old simply cannot be relied upon anymore, with Jesse Marsch’s interest in Chimy Avila standing as proof that he feels the same way.

With reports in Spain detailing their pursuit of the Argentine striker Chimy Avila, it seems the American is ready to move on from his English marksman.

A fee of £20m is already being prepared, which sits below his €30m (£26m) release clause.

At 28 years old, the Osasuna forward would offer some much-needed goalscoring experience, and could even offer some of his know-how to the youngsters who all seem to be knocking on the door for a spot in the first team.

Wilfried Gnonto was signed in the summer from FC Zurich with high hopes he can be the future of the Whites, and he is one that might benefit particularly from this deal.

Having already made three appearances in the Premier League, the 19-year-old even notched an assist in their win over the Cherries. Perhaps Avila could now feature alongside him to help him heighten his goalscoring.

This season has seen the Rosario-born speedster score six times in 13 La Liga appearances, already matching his tally from last season.

Perhaps now, as he strides into his prime years, might be the perfect time to invest in bringing him to Elland Road.

With experience playing on the right wing too, it really could facilitate a fine partnership between him and the young Italian who has excelled on his start in west Yorkshire.

The hunger that Avila could bring might reignite their survival bid after the World Cup break, as he self-proclaimed that he plays every game “as if it were the last”.

This mentality could be integral not only to their season but shaping the future of players like Gnonto – it is the perfect mindset for the budding superstar.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson thinks Lucas Moura is “well within his right” to leave and said his former club would be “silly” not to offer the forward a new contract.

The Lowdown: Moura’s season so far 

So far this season, the Brazilian has made 11 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions but only started two of them.

This shows that the 30-year-old is not currently at the top of the pecking order at Tottenham under Antonio Conte.

With that in mind and the fact that his current contract at the club is set to expire in 2024, it seems as though the player has been backed to move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Latest: Moura backed for Spurs exit

Speaking to Football Insider, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who contributes to Sky Sports, had this to say about Moura’s current situation and his future at the north London club.

“Lucas Moura has cult hero status. He is well within his right to leave if he is not happy with the bit-part role that he has at the moment. He would leave with every Spurs fan’s blessing I’m sure.

“It seems as if he is way down the list. He is behind Richarlison, [Dejan] Kulusevski and [Heung-min] Son. He is not getting many minutes.

“If there is not the offer of a new contract, nobody would begrudge him running down his contract and leaving on a free. Everyone understands that he will want to play.

“If he signs a new deal he will not be playing that much. The question is, is that a role he is willing to accept? From Spurs’ point of view, it would be silly not to offer him a new contract.”

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The Verdict: A big decision for Spurs

Across the 98 minutes of Premier League action he’s had this season, Moura has racked up five shot-creating actions, leaving him with the second-highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.59) at the club.

Having also picked up a combined total of nine tackles and interceptions, which is four more than Harry Kane has this season despite playing significantly more minutes, this further highlights just how useful the Brazilian can be when called upon.

Taking all of this into account, it seems as though a decision will have to be made at some point in 2023 between the club and the player regarding whether or not a new contract will be offered to Moura and whether or not his current role in the squad is something he’d want to continue with.

Reported Newcastle United transfer target Martin Terrier would easily be able to adapt to playing in the Premier League, according to French football reporter Jonathan Johnson.

The Lowdown: Newcastle scout Terrier

Last month, 90min reported that the Magpies were among a litany of English top-flight clubs to have scouted the £30m-valued Rennes star off the back of an excellent start to the 2022/23 season.

The 25-year-old has struck 11 goals in 20 games in all competitions for his club this term, including three in the Europa League [Transfermarkt].

There was even genuine hope that he could have been included in France’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar, but an untimely injury a month ago ultimately counted against him.

The Latest: Terrier backed to thrive in England

Johnson was speaking with GIVEMESPORT about Terrier, believing that the winger would thrive in the Premier League if he were to join Newcastle or another English top-flight club.

The journalist said: “I can understand why Newcastle would be taking a look at him. It’s my feeling that after this World Cup, he’ll probably start to play a bit of a role for the French national team as well.

“And obviously, after a fairly slow start to the season, he’s really started to get motoring in Ligue 1 as well. So, there is the possibility that they qualify for the Champions League between now and the end of the season, and obviously that would add a substantial amount to his price tag as well.

“But I think in terms of a fit, he would be able to play and perform at the highest level in the Premier League, but I do think probably needs a bit of consistent exposure to continental football.

“And that’s not something that Newcastle will be able to offer immediately. The assumption is that they will finish in the European places based on how they’re performing in the Premier League so far.”

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The Verdict: He could adapt quickly

As Newcastle supporters can testify, some imports adapt immediately to the Premier League while others can take their time to settle.

While Bruno Guimaraes was an instant hit at St James’ Park after arriving last January, posting their third-highest WhoScored rating for 2021/22, Joelinton was written off as a flop following his big-money 2019 arrival before a positional shift prompted an upturn in fortunes for the 26-year-old.

With Terrier already proving well capable of scoring in European competition and earning favourable comparisons with French football legend Thierry Henry, there seems a strong chance that he would take quickly to Premier League football if he were to swap Rennes for Newcastle.

If he comes to Tyneside and proves to be a smash hit, comparisons will inevitably be made to compatriot Allan Saint-Maximin, another winger who has become a favourite of the Toom Army.

West Ham United are set to battle it out for the signature of Djibril Sow, who has recently returned from the World Cup with Switzerland.

The Lowdown: West Ham target midfielder

In light of West Ham’s poor start to the Premier League season, currently sitting 16th in the standings, manager David Moyes has identified the need for some new blood in the middle of the park, and 36-time Swiss international Sow is deemed to fit the bill.

The midfielder started every game for his national side in Qatar, before they exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage against Portugal on Tuesday night, and the Eintracht Frankfurt ace is now being eyed for a move to England.

The Latest: Sow in Moyes’ sights

As per Sport Witness, who are sharing news from Sport 1, the 25-year-old is in the sights of both the Hammers and Aston Villa for a January swoop, although Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche is not keen on a deal, saying: “We don’t want to sell any player in the winter.”

However, their stance could change if an ‘insane’ deal is offered, with the price the German club are holding out for believed to be in the region of £26m.

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The Verdict: Make it happen

The £38k-per-week earner was recently praised for his ‘extremely composed’ nature in and around the box by journalist Sam Tighe, highlighting one of the key aspects of his game, but he also excels in his defensive duties at the opposite end of the pitch.

Over the past year, the enforcer has averaged 1.64 interceptions per 90 minutes, a figure that places him in the 88th percentile compared to his positional peers and puts on show his acumen in cutting out the opposition supply.

Not only that, but the Zurich-born midfielder also put in a string of solid performances at the World Cup, displaying his creative talents with an assist in the 3-2 round of 16 victory against Serbia.

With West Ham struggling at the wrong end of the table, Moyes could really use a dependable option in central-midfield to partner Declan Rice, and Sow has proven himself as a consistent and well-rounded performer in the Bundesliga this season, averaging a 6.92 match rating, as per SofaScore.

Manchester United have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid phenom Joao Felix, with a bidding war for his services set to arise over the coming period.

What’s the word?

Reports from Spain are indicating that Atletico Madrid will listen to offers for their offensive whiz, after weeks of speculation concerning the 23-year-old’s future. 

Signing for the Spanish giants for a fee of £113m from SL Benfica in 2019, Felix has not quite enjoyed the ride he envisaged under Diego Simeone’s tutelage, with the Argentine manager’s defensive philosophy somewhat clashing with Felix’s breezing forward approach.

With United’s interest stretching back to the summer, a solution that will benefit all parties could materialise in the near future. 

Rooney 2.0

Erik ten Hag’s team are reportedly among the frontrunners to lure the forward away from the Wanda Metropolitano, and the United boss could have his very own Wayne Rooney-esque ace on his hands. 

Rooney, one of the Premier League and Manchester United’s greatest forwards, offered a unique skill-set and a towering physicality that captivated fans for years, and while Felix is not quite the same player, he could adopt the approach that the 37-year-old took with aplomb.

Both players possessing devious stratagems to outwit opponents on the pitch, and an elegance and grace on the ball that most forwards can only dream of, means that Felix can emulate the former phenom and provide a new dimension to the United attack.

As per FBref, the 27-cap Portuguese star ranks within the top 11% for progressive passes and the top 13% for completed dribbles when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues this past year.

Effectively, United would add a forward to the ranks that knits the collective offence together, aiding the transitions from midfield to attack.

And while Felix hasn’t reached the heights expected in Madrid, only scoring 33 goals and registering 18 assists in 129 matches, the abundant quality will surely shine through in a more offence-minded team.

But with the ace starring for Portugal at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, putting in an average 7.33 rating, as per Sofascore, as the nation breezed into the quarter-finals, the notion that he would serve as a focal point in a team with more onus on attack is only magnified.

If United boss Erik ten Hag is successful in his pursuit, he will wield a unique centre-forward boasting a range of offensive skills, as Rooney did, perhaps capable of bridging the gap that has left the club devoid of success for several years now.

The winds are changing at Old Trafford, and the “sensation” Felix – as dubbed by Sacha Pisani – would encapsulate the shift in momentum; United must swoop.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for George Hall ahead of the January transfer window and now a new update has emerged that could make the club’s pursuit more difficult.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, both Everton and Liverpool are set to battle Leeds for the signing of the Birmingham City midfielder.

As per the report, the two Merseyside clubs are looking to strengthen their personnel in the centre of the pitch, however, Leeds remain interested in securing the player’s services after having a bid rejected in the summer.

Marsch could finally ditch Klich

Jesse Marsch has now had plenty of time to determine who will be part of his squad for the future and those that need to be moved on after replacing Marcelo Bielsa as the head coach at Elland Road in March this year.

As a result, with only one transfer window under his belt, it would be no surprise if he continues to alter the squad and strengthen key positions in the squad when the transfer market re-opens next month.

According to MLS Soccer this week, Leeds are now in advanced talks to sell Mateusz Klich to DC United after a five-year stint with the Whites and although the deal is not done it is set to be completed very soon, making way for a new midfielder to make his mark at the Yorkshire club.

Indeed, given a lack of depth in that area of the pitch, the Whites will surely need to acquire a new body before ditching the Pole.

Hall has been a target for Leeds since the summer and it will come as no surprise that they are keen to try again for the 18-year-old midfielder when considering his output this season so far.

Over 18 Championship appearances, the talented teenager – who was dubbed “unbelievable” by reporter Phil Smith – has scored one goal, registered one assist and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.3 duels per game despite only averaging 32 minutes per performance.

The Birmingham-born midfielder was only given his senior debut in January 2022 after impressing in the U21 and U18 sides and has now clearly caught the attention of Premier League clubs too.

Birmingham City manager John Eustace has lavished praise on the youngster on many occasions and hailed Hall when analysing his development at St Andrew’s:

“George is a brilliant player, a really good young player and I expect it with all our young players. George’s performances this season have been very, very good.

“He has made 16-17 appearances now – last season he made two appearances. It’s my job to develop him properly, which I feel like we are doing. We are giving him starts, he is impacting off the bench but it’s all about his development.”

Marsch has championed youth in his team since he arrived at Elland Road with Wilfried Gnonto, Joe Gelhardt, Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood the chance to develop and polish their craft whilst competing in the Premier League, something he could offer to Hall too.

With that being said, the signing of the teenager would be a great piece of business for Leeds but now that Liverpool and Everton have joined the race the club will need to make a very tempting offer to beat their competitors.

West Ham United have been handed a major fitness boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal on Monday.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by football.london, who revealed that both Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta rejoined first-team training on Wednesday, despite both players having only recently returned from World Cup action with England and Brazil respectively.

The report goes on to state that this will come as a ‘major boost’ to David Moyes ahead of the trip to The Emirates next week, with it being said that the duo should be fit enough to take part in the Premier League fixture against Mikel Arteta’s table-toppers.

Major boost

Considering just how important both Rice and Paqueta are in the heart of the West Ham side, the fact that both players look as if they will be fit to feature against Arsenal is undoubtedly a major boost for Moyes, especially considering the Hammers’ run of awful form in recent fixtures.

Indeed, over Rice’s 15 Premier League appearances so far this season, the £70m-rated talent has undoubtedly been the Irons’ star player, having scored one goal, registered two assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.3 key passes, 2.4 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and winning 4.2 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These returns have seen the £60k-per-week midfielder average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Moyes’ best performer in the league but also as the joint 16th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole.

Meanwhile, over Paqueta’s eight Premier League fixtures in the current campaign, the £61.5m-rated summer signing has also highly impressed, registering two assists and creating one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 2.4 shots – 0.9 of which have been on target – making 0.6 key passes, 2.3 tackles and winning 5.4 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per match.

These metrics have seen the £150k-per-week Brazilian average an exceptional Sofascore match rating of 7.04, currently ranking the 25-year-old as West Ham’s fourth-best performer in the league.

As such, it is clear to see that the availability of both players for the Arsenal match would be fantastic news for Moyes and his side, with the duo undoubtedly providing the club’s chances of leaving north London with a positive result with a substantial boost.

Tottenham come into New Year’s day with a tricky encounter against Unai Emery’s rejuvenated Aston Villa side.

Spurs will be hoping for a great deal more fortune as they kick off 2023 knowing a win will take them back into the Premier League’s top four.

In order to achieve such a feat, however, they will need to be better than they ended the previous year, with Antonio Conte’s men seemingly intent on coming from behind to seal victories.

Indeed, the Londoners have now fallen behind in nine consecutive games across all competitions, a record they will need to put behind them in order to mount a serious challenge in the second half of the campaign.

Fortunately, they will be boosted ahead of their encounter with the Villans. With players set to return to the squad, here is how we at Football FanCast anticipate the Spurs XI to look like:

Spurs predicted XI (5-2-3): Lloris; Doherty, Romero, Dier, Lenglet, Perisic; Skipp, Hojbjerg; Kulusevksi, Son, Kane.

We are tipping the Tottenham boss to make three alterations to the team that drew with Brentford on Boxing Day.

The first change sees Hugo Lloris reinstated to the line-up following Fraser Forster’s Premier League debut for the Lilywhites over the festive period.

The French stopper missed that game as a result of an extended rest period following his nation’s World Cup final defeat to fellow Spurs teammate Cuti Romero.

As it happens, the Argentine defender is also set to return with his arrival on the scene a huge boost for a Tottenham team who are conceding on a regular basis.

The €50m (£44m) centre-back, who has been dubbed a “Rolls-Royce” by Sky Sports’ Adam Smithy, is likely to replace Japhet Tanganga who hardly covered himself in glory against the Bees.

He was labelled a “construction worker” by journalist Rory Robinson with the defender having been run “ragged” by Ivan Toney in the words of Football.London reporter Alasdair Gold.

The final change comes in the middle of the park where Yves Bissouma – another of the underperformers against Brentford – comes out of the team in favour of Oliver Skipp who will sit alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the absence of Rodrigo Bentancur who is out through injury.

Richarlison is still unfit for selection meaning a dangerous front three of Dejan Kulusiveski, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane will presumably take to the field.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back from their New Year’s Day defeat when they return to Premier League action this evening.

Antonio Conte’s side make the short trip across London to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, just a few days after being beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa in calamitous fashion.

The Italian head coach will certainly want to see a reaction from his team as they have slipped to fifth in the standings, some five points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

Spurs’ defensive troubles are well-documented, having gone behind first in ten straight matches now, but they have struggled in the final third too – against Villa, they managed only two shots on target, whilst their dominance against Brentford saw just two goals scored from 15 shots and 61% possession, via Sofascore.

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son were off the pace at the weekend, whilst Conte handed Bryan Gil a rare opportunity to impress, with Dejan Kulusevski absent through injury.

That’s an experiment that may not happen again as the “lightweight” Spaniard – as once dubbed by youth coach Harry Brooks – struggled to impose himself on top-flight opposition in his first start of the season.

‘Struggled to get into the game and was too often shaken off the ball too cheaply,’ is how Evening Standard journalist Nick Purewal described Gil’s outing and it’s an all too familiar story ever since his £22m move from Sevilla in 2021.

27 appearances have seen the 21-year-old dynamo return just the solitary assist and it’s not as if he did much whilst out on loan to fellow LaLiga outfit Valencia last season as he managed the same feat in 17 outings, as per Transfermarkt.

The £22m-rated winger would certainly be a gamble to start again this evening, especially if Kulusevski makes a much-needed return from the treatment table.

Patrick Vieira’s men will be buoyed by their 2-0 victory over AFC Bournemouth – a team that caused Spurs some trouble back in late October as Conte needed a last-minute winner from Rodrigo Bentancur to pick up a 3-2 victory after the Cherries had gone 2-0 up.

Gil, who “struggled to make an impact” against Villa – in the words of journalist George Sessions – must therefore be axed from the starting XI ahead of tonight’s kickoff.

Despite previously being lauded as a “game-changer” by Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that the diminutive £40k-per-week ace just isn’t up to the physicality or the standard of the Premier League and as such, he must take his place on the bench at Selhurst Park.

AND in other news, Conte must finally unleash Spurs’ rarely-seen £20m “Rolls-Royce” tonight, he’s “ready”…