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Leeds United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of a teenage sensation…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Gianluca di Marzio (via Sport Witness), who claims that Jesus Vazquez may have now come available for a permanent transfer rather than the loan deal Valencia earlier touted.

With Torino still in the race, it will not be a comfortable deal, but Whites chief Victor Orta has retained an interest since mid-November.

The Spanish club are reportedly willing to part ways with their 19-year-old defender for a fee of just €5m (£4.3m).

The next Gareth Bale

Boasting one of the most notorious elevations through the game, the start of Gareth Bale’s career is one now well-documented.

Having started out as a left back, Harry Redknapp was struggling to accommodate him alongside the first choice Benoit Assou-Ekotto. As such, he decided that his pace and power could be better suited to a more offensive position, and in doing so created a monster.

In the 2011/12 campaign he would begin his ascent to the top with a ten-goal and 14-assist campaign, a tally he would obliterate the season following as he scored 21 and assisted nine.

More than earning his move to Real Madrid, despite a long-standing feud with fans and some of the hierarchy, he would score 106 goals for Los Blancos on his way to winning five Champions League titles.

Whilst to follow such a career path is a lofty ambition for Vazquez, he has been likened to the Welsh wizard in a report made by Breaking the Lines.

They would write: “In fact, watching him is like watching Gareth Bale from his left-back days at Tottenham. He is over 6 feet tall like Centelles, and carries the ball into advanced positions like Bale used to. He even looks like that early 2010s Bale with the hairstyle. “

Whilst a glowing recommendation, the Spaniard only boasts 22 senior appearances for his club.

Despite this, he has impressed on every occasion, and last season he recorded a 74% dribble success rate alongside his 1.6 tackles per game.

Whilst unlikely to dominate the game in the way Bale did, Vazquez remains the “exciting prospect” that talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him.

And for the cut price he has now become available for, surely this move marks a no-brainer for Orta in January.

Newcastle United have reportedly opened talks over a move for Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Santos to Chelsea…

It has recently been reported that the St. James’ Park outfit have ‘given up’ on the signing of young Brazilian midfield talent Andrey Santos, as he is ‘very close’ to signing for fellow Premier League rivals Chelsea instead.

After missing out on Santos, it seems as if they are looking to explore the Brazilian market again for upcoming stars, this time for Flamengo’s 18-year-old prospect Franca.

The Latest: Talks opened

As per ge.globo, the North East club have ‘opened negotiations’ with Flamengo to try and sign Franca, who have reportedly already turned down a €14m (£12m) bid from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Franca is thought to have a €100m (£87m) release clause in his contract, but clubs will be looking to negotiate that figure way down, as Leverkusen have tried.

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The Verdict: Get it done quickly

After missing out on Santos, the Tynesiders need to learn their lesson and get a deal done for Franca as quickly as possible, before any other teams come in for him.

At just 18 years of age, he has already played 25 times for Flamengo, scoring six goals (won both the Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores.

He looks to be another future star from Brazil, and so the Magpies must make sure that they are first to his signature.

Everton have been linked with a move for Ben Brereton Diaz since the summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source ahead of the transfer window reopening at the end of this week.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Dean Jones, Everton have the “strongest links” to the Blackburn Rovers striker in their pursuit to improve their attacking threat.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“At the moment, the strongest links are to Brereton Diaz or [Viktor] Gyokeres at Coventry.”

“And that level of signing, yes, those players have got a lot to prove, so will have a lot of drive, have good goalscoring instincts, but they’re not guaranteed to step up and deliver. And that’s probably the biggest gamble when going for players like that.”

Next Everton goal-machine

It is no secret that Everton are in desperate need of more clinical and natural finishers in the final third after scoring just 12 Premier League goals so far over their first 16 outings.

The Toffees’ goal-shy approach to their top flight performances have cost them dearly in their pursuit for a more comfortable campaign this season and are now just one point clear of the relegation zone heading into their New Year’s Eve Premier League clash with Manchester City this weekend.

As a result, manager Frank Lampard must take the golden opportunity in January to land his next Everton goal-machine after losing Richarlison in the summer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin still struggling with injury issues.

Brereton Diaz has been a stand-out performer once again in front of goal in the Championship for Rovers after failing to make a move to Goodison Park in the summer.

Over 24 Championship appearances so far, the 23-year-old – who was hailed “elite” by Forest legend Gary Brazil – has scored nine goals, delivered three assists and created five big chances, as well as averaging one key pass, 2.7 shots on goal and 2.7 duels won per game.

Not only that, the Chile international can offer Lampard depth across the front three as the player has a wealth of experience playing on both the left and right wing as well as in the centre-forward role, and with just a reported £20m transfer fee needed it would give Everton a player who can bolster each position in the final third.

With that being said, the signing of Brereton Diaz – who has also been described as a “goal machine” by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon – would be a great piece of business for the Toffees as even when Calvert-Lewin returns, the talented forward can still feature in the first team by partnering the Everton striker in the wide-forward position instead.

Aston Villa have reportedly entered the race for Las Palmas’ teenage midfield maestro Alberto Moleiro, who is considered to be in the same mould of FC Barcelona sensation Pedri…

What’s the word?

Before the World Cup, a report from Mundo Deportivo stated that Liverpool and Manchester City were set to rival Barcelona and Real Madrid for the signing of Moleiro, who has recently distinguished himself as his Canary Island outfit’s most coveted asset.

And now, according to Spanish outlet AS, the European giants have been joined by the Villans, who have set their sights on completing the acquisition of one of the countries most talented young starlets.

The reports state that the 19-year-old holds a release clause of £26.4m by his club, Moleiro certainly has a vibrant pick of options when considering his future, and Villa boss Unai Emery will have to put forth a compelling case if he is to lure him toward the Midlands.

Villa’s own Pedri?

The reports from Spain state that while Moleiro’s release clause will double should his club achieve promotion to the Spanish La Liga, and with Las Palmas currently the Segunda Division table-toppers, interested suitors might be scrambling to clinch his signature this January, before potentially having to part with a extortionate sum for an untested commodity at top-flight level.

Dubbed a “treasure” by statistical site Opta, Moleiro has made 14 starting appearances from his playmaking role in the team, earning five assists for his exemplary passing play.

Moleiro has been described as the next Pedri of Spanish football, with the 20-year-old Barca phenom captivating for club and country since himself signing for the Blaugrana from Las Palmas in the summer of 2020.

Making 94 appearances thus far for his current club, Pedri has clinched 12 goals and provided seven assists from his deep-lying role at the heart of the Nou Camp, dictating the play with supreme ball-playing abilities that belie his youthful years.

With clear semblance between the two maestros, and Las Palmas clearly possessing something of a knack for developing and nurturing young prospects at the centre of the midfield, Villa chief Johan Lange would be wise to take a punt and pay the release clause quickly, bringing the starlet to Villa Park and warding away the interest of some of the continents top outfits.

Newcastle United have Premier League playmaker James Maddison as their ‘main target’ this year, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Long-standing interest

The Magpies saw a £50m offer for the Leicester City midfielder rejected last summer as a result of the bid falling short of the Foxes’ £60m valuation, but it sounds like they haven’t given up the chase.

Eddie Howe recently admitted that getting any big-money deals over the line in the winter market will prove difficult, but reports in recent months have suggested that the Tynesiders still retain a very strong interest in the 26-year-old.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones revealed that Newcastle consider Maddison to be their priority target, alongside Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram, with whom the St James’ Park club have also been heavily linked.

The journalist said: “The other main target would still be Maddison, from everything I’m hearing. Again, there are all sorts of hurdles to get over with that one, and there will be lots of work to do.”

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The Verdict: Splash the cash

PIF won’t want to go overboard with significant payments in January, but it’s important that they cash out to secure Maddison’s services given the excellent first half of the season that he’s had.

The England international has so far clocked up seven goals and four assists in 13 top-flight appearances this term and currently ranks in the 99th percentile for total shots among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, as per FBRef.

The Magpies are flying high in third place following an outstanding run of form, and the potential arrival of Maddison would surely only increase their chances of nailing down a place in the Champions League for next season.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost in their pursuit of an exciting young target…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who thinks Sporting Lisbon winger Marcus Edwards could be very keen on a return to north London.

He would tell GIVEMESPORT:

“Marcus Edwards would give serious consideration to a move back to Tottenham.

“Obviously, he did very well against them in the Champions League this season, and I think the whole point of him leaving England in the first place to go to Sporting Lisbon was to get first-team football and to prove himself with the ultimate goal of probably coming back to England.”

Whilst the Englishman boasts a £52m release clause, the Lilywhites retain a 50% sell-on clause in his contract. Therefore, any fee they agree on will be halved due to this intelligent move.

Edwards could reignite Son

Given the promise shown at the back end of last season, which saw Antonio Conte lead his side into the top four ahead of rivals Arsenal, few would have expected this season to have gone the way it has.

The Gunners sit eight points clear atop the Premier League table, whilst a five-point gap has opened up between Spurs and fourth-place Manchester United.

What has dramatically hampered their performances this season is the poor form of Heung-min Son, with the South Korean uncharacteristically toothless in front of goal.

Other than his debut campaign in north London, the 30-year-old has hit double figures every season in the league, with his most recent two years seeing him bag 23 and 17 respectively.

So to see him with just four goals in January is a far cry from the standards he sets for himself.

Therefore, the addition of another attacker to compete for places could be instrumental in resurrecting his form, especially one who is starring like Edwards.

In all competitions this season the 24-year-old boasts nine goals and nine assists, already building upon his 18-goal contribution tally from the year prior.

As such, when compared with other attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe, he ranks in the top 7% for non-penalty goals and the top 6% for assists per 90. 

He has unsurprisingly been labelled a “generational talent” by The Guardian’s Sid Lowe when speaking to ESPNUK, with his talents having only flourished since leaving his boyhood club in 2019.

Now, upon returning, he would have an important task that could be imperative in turning around their season. Should he translate his creative form back to the English game, he can not only reignite Son but offer him another facilitator with which to allow him to thrive.

West Bromwich Albion are reportedly interested in Leyton Orient youngster Daniel Nkrumah and the teenager could prove to be a repeat of Brandon Thomas-Asante at the Hawthorns.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, West Brom and Middlesbrough are battling it out to sign the youngster this month, with an enquiry having already been made by the Baggies.

Nkrumah only broke into Leyton Orient’s first team last season, making seven appearances for the O’s in all competitions, but he has been sent out on loan to Welling United in the National League South recently, with Richie Wellens no doubt prioritising the club’s automatic promotion push rather than developing youngsters at this moment in time.

The forward boasts one goal in his four appearances for Welling and recently saw his loan extended until the end of the campaign, so it will be interesting to see how he develops in the sixth tier over the next few months.

Upon signing his first professional contract at Brisbane Road, Nkrumah earned plenty of praise from former manager Kenny Jackett.

He said:

“We felt he excelled in pre-season and has regularly been training with the first team group. Although he’s still 17 years old, we felt he had earned a professional deal, and to continue to aid his progress in every way he can.”

“He has a great attitude, he’s humble and he’s hard-working. These are good qualities if you want to make it, so I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Should he complete a move to Carlos Corberan’s side this month, he will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of Thomas-Asante, who has adapted to the Championship extremely well after impressing in League Two with Salford City.

The 24-year-old striker has seven goals in his first 19 appearances for the Baggies and looks set to be an important part of Corberan’s side as West Brom look to continue their surge up the Championship table.

Like Nkrumah, the young striker spent time out on loan in non-league but didn’t really pull up any trees, only really coming to the fore for Salford last season in the fourth tier.

Therefore, with the right development, there seems no reason why Nkrumah can’t progress in the same way as Thomas-Asante and become a big success with the Baggies in the future, should Lai Guochuan complete a deal for him this month.

Journalist Craig Hope has claimed that Scott McTominay is keen on a move to Newcastle United and the club will try and sign him if he becomes available.

What’s the word?

While it is certainly good news that key midfielder Bruno Guimaraes looks set to only miss a few weeks out with injury, when it had been feared that he could be sidelined for months, it has served as a reminded of just how badly the Magpies could do with some more depth in that position.

With that in mind, Manchester United midfielder McTominay could be an exciting option for Eddie Howe this winter. However, according to Hope, while the 26-year-old is up for a switch, the Red Devils are less sure about letting him go.

While speaking about it all on the True Faith podcast, the journalist explained his understanding of the situation, saying: “The player is keen, we’re told. And if for whatever reason, Man United turned around and said, ‘Okay, there’s a deal to be done with Scott McTominay’, I 100% would expect Newcastle United to act on it.”

Winter switch on the cards?

While Newcastle are known to be extremely wealthy, they are yet to spend big this winter on any new players. This does mean they should still have the funds to splash out on McTominay if he becomes available.

The Scotland international, who was hailed as “immense” by BBC journalist Bill Rice, has only started six times in the league so far this term for Man United and so it’s not hard to see why he would be happy to leave.

What’s more, with 113 appearances in the English top flight, it probably wouldn’t take him long to adapt to his new environment. Still, Erik ten Hag is probably key here and if the Dutchman doesn’t want to let McTominay go, Newcastle will have to shop elsewhere.

Should that change, however, all the ingredients are there to potentially make this a pretty quick transfer.

Everton have discussed a possible alternative to Marcelo Bielsa in West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan.

The Lowdown: Lampard sacked…

The struggling Toffees, who lay joint-bottom of the Premier League, sacked former boss Frank Lampard nearly a year after the ex-England star was appointed.

Despite steering them away from relegation last season, a run of poor results and performances resulted in his dismissal with the search now beginning for his replacement.

Former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is thought to be a leading candidate to succeed Lampard, but according to The Times and reliable journalist Paul Joyce, they have other names in mind.

The Latest: Everton discuss Corberan…

The Merseyside outfit, as per the report, have ‘discussed’ appointing Corberan and the Spaniard is ‘also’ on the shortlist to replace Lampard alongside Bielsa.

It is claimed that other names like Sean Dyche have been mentioned, although there is hesitancy, as well as Ralph Hasenhuttl given Farhad Moshiri has appreciated his past work with Southampton.

This comes as Kevin Thelwell, Everton’s director of football, leads the charge for a new manager.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The 39-year-old has reignited a spark in the Baggies’ season since they sacked ex-manager Steve Bruce in October.

Indeed, West Brom are now vying for a Championship play-off place as they compete in one of the division’s most competitive seasons to date.

They’ve won four of their last five games and are well in contention for promotion to the top flight via the league’s play-offs – a far cry from how they looked under Bruce.

Corberan has his squad playing with professionalism and maturity, and this isn’t his only impressive job in the second tier to date.

Following a 20th-placed finish in 2020/2021 with Huddersfield, he sensationally guided them a Championship play-off final just one season later.

Called ‘outstanding’ by former Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley, we believe he could be a stand-out candidate, but the question remains – would he leave West Brom so soon after arriving?

Everton have now had a £22m bid accepted for Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, according to the Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Everton eyeing Sulemana

Journalist Dean Jones stated last week that the Toffees had ‘made inroads with agents’ over a deal to bring the Ghanaian to Goodison Park, with transfer insider Alex Crook later claiming that they were the favourites for his signature.

The need for a new winger has become a more pressing concern for Sean Dyche since the recent departure of Anthony Gordon, who has joined Newcastle United for £45m, and the new Everton boss is edging closer to getting a suitable replacement.

The Latest: Bid accepted for Sulemana

According to the Daily Mail, Everton have had a £22m bid accepted for the 20-year-old, with Dyche said to be keen to rectify the Merseysiders’ struggles in front of goal by bringing in another player in an attacking area.

However, Southampton have also had an offer accepted for the Rennes maestro, so the deal may now come down to which club is able to offer better terms to the youngster.

The Verdict: Great news

The most remarkable aspect of the Ghanaian’s game is his ability to take the ball past his opponents, ranking in the 98th percentile for dribbles completed per 90 over the past year with an average of 3.71. Meanwhile, his constant threat in the final third is highlighted by an average of 5.23 touches in the attacking penalty area, placing him in the 80th percentile.

Those figures are vastly superior to the respective metrics totalled by Gordon in the same timeframe, which suggests that Everton could be able to bring in a better player than their academy graduate for less than half the fee that they reaped for the now-Newcastle winger.

Hailed as a ‘brilliant player’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, Sulemana has not been in the best of form this season, scoring just once in 14 games in Ligue 1, but he is still very young and has demonstrated his ability in the Europa League, weighing in with two assists in four matches in that competition.