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Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to make a bid of more than €25m (£22m) to ensure they win the race for Almeria striker El Bilal Toure, according to recent reports.

What's the latest Wolves transfer news?

According to a report from Fanatik, Besiktas are interested in signing Wolves striker Raul Jimenez, and the Mexican's departure could increase the need for Julen Lopetegui to bolster his frontline in the upcoming transfer window.

Lopetegui is preparing for a busy summer, according to reporter Alex Crook, with Diego Costa also set to leave at the end of the season, upon the expiration of his contract, and Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres could be targeted as a replacement.

The Old Gold are currently said to be leading the race for Gyokeres, while they have also been linked with a surprise move for Barcelona's Ansu Fati, in a deal where Ruben Neves goes in the opposite direction.

According to a report from Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), Wolves are now ready to make a bid for El Bilal Toure, which would be worth an initial €25m (£22m) plus bonuses, with the club trying to finalise the deal quickly.

With Brentford also interested in the striker, the Old Gold are keen to get a deal over the line soon, although the report does not indicate whether the bid would be acceptable to Almeria.

Should Wolves sign El Bilal Toure?

It is clear that Wolves need to bring in a new striker this summer, as their record in front of goal has been very poor in the Premier League this season, with winger Daniel Podence and midfielder Ruben Neves at the top of the goal-scoring charts.

It will not be a major loss if Jimenez does depart this summer, as, although he has had injury issues, he has not been good enough, still yet to score a league goal, and he is now 32-years-old, so younger options are required.

Costa has also failed to live up to expectations, scoring just one league goal, and the Almeria marksman could be a fantastic replacement, given that he has been impressive in a real breakthrough season in La Liga.

The 21-year-old has weighed in with six goals and two assists in 19 appearances in the Spanish top flight, which is a solid record, considering he has made a number of appearances off the bench.

Hailed as a "major talent" by members of the media, the Malian forward is at an age where he is likely to develop even further, and he could be a solid signing for Wolves, although over £22m does seem a little excessive, as he is still relatively unproven.

Arsenal dropped yet more points in the Premier League title race with a 3-3 draw against Southampton last night, meaning they have just a five-point lead over Manchester City, who have two games in hand.

Mikel Arteta’s men will realistically need to beat City in midweek in order to win a first league title in 19 years, and considering the reigning champions haven’t lost a match since February, it’s an extreme challenge.

The Gunners are masters of their own downfall, however, falling 2-0 and 3-1 behind in a nervy evening at the Emirates, with only some salvation secured through two late goals rescuing a point that looked so unlikely after 80 minutes.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were among the few players who performed to their high standards, with both grabbing a goal and making 11 key passes between them; it’s just a pity the other players weren’t at the races.

Oleksandr Zinchenko was uncharacteristically poor, winning just two duels and failing to even attempt a dribble during the tie, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6/10 for his troubles.

But it was another consistent performer who failed to build on some excellent performances of late who really let Arteta down in Thomas Partey.

How did Thomas Partey perform against Southampton?

The Ghanaian will have been expected to assert his authority in matches like this, controlling possession so Arsenal could dictate the play and create plenty of chances, yet he struggled against the Saints last night.

Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts stated that Partey was “so poor” and that several big players such as Martin Odegaard and Zinchenko “underperformed”, and this is in line with the performance they put in against the team that was sitting at the bottom of the league table before the match started.

Statistically, Partey took 100 touches and completed 91% of his attempted passes, though this was all in vain as the Gunners struggled throughout and couldn’t quite find their rhythm.

The Ghanaian won just 50% of his duels, was dribbled past four times and committed two fouls during the match, while also losing possession eight times throughout.

Considering on average this term he has only been dribbled past once per game and wins 58% of his duels, his display last night was way below his usual standards, and just when Arteta needed his key men to step up and take control of the title race following dropped points against Liverpool and West Ham United, they pretty much blew it.

Leeds United could look at former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl as a ‘credible last-minute option’ to replace Javi Gracia, according to The Daily Express’ Ryan Taylor.

What’s Taylor said about Leeds and Hasenhuttl?

Gracia took over at Elland Road back in February after the club parted ways with Jesse Marsch weeks earlier. The Spaniard penned a flexible contract in Yorkshire and has so far won three of his eight Premier League games in charge of the Whites, with the club just two points above the relegation zone.

However, Leeds have recently suffered heavy back-to-back home defeats against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, with the club already conceding a whopping 16 goals this month.

Taylor shared a story for The Daily Express in the last 48 hours, looking at four possible short-term candidates who could be considered if Gracia was sacked in a last-chance saloon.

One of those was Hasenhuttl, with Taylor saying he was a serious contender to replace Marsch and that ‘his experience battling survival in previous seasons with Southampton could make him a credible last-minute option if Gracia's situation does not improve’.

Stick with Gracia?

Hasenhuttl has been hailed as ‘outstanding’ in the media and has managed over 150 games in the Premier League with Southampton.

The 55-year-old, who likes to play a 4-4-2 system, has been out of work since leaving St Mary’s in November and has seemingly been on the radar of a number of top-flight sides including relegation rivals Crystal Palace, Everton and Leicester.

However, with just seven Premier League games remaining, you could say that Leeds have made their bed and need to lie in it when it comes to Gracia, with another change in the dugout potentially doing more harm than good.

Bringing in a new manager so late in the season has historically had very little effect on the team’s overall position, so the Whites may be keeping everything crossed they remain in the top flight under Gracia and take stock of the managerial position in the summer.

Andrea Radrizzani faces losing out on £270m if the club are relegated, so he’ll be desperate for a positive outcome before looking likely to sell up to the 49ers Enterprises. You’d expect that both Radrizzani and the 49ers will be in constant dialogue when it comes to all things Leeds, and it would be a real surprise if they were to bring in another new manager for the remaining fixtures.

Arsenal are leading the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in the summer transfer window, according to the latest report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Rice on the move?

It appears as though Rice will be on the move this summer, given that West Ham appear to have made no progress in talks to extend his contract beyond 2024, meaning the upcoming window could be their last big opportunity to cash in on the midfielder.

There are no shortage of top Premier League clubs eyeing moves for the Englishman, with it recently being reported that Chelsea have a good chance of signing him, while Manchester United are also said to be in the race.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that the Gunners ‘really appreciate’ the West Ham captain, and they will be even more impressed after his performance from England on Thursday night, scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 victory against Italy.

The Latest: Arsenal in pole position

According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal are leading the race to sign the central midfielder in the summer, and they could hold one key advantage over Man United in the battle for his signature.

The 24-year-old is keen to remain in London beyond the summer, while his ambition to play in the Champions League could sway him to pick the Gunners over Chelsea, given that the Blues are not currently on course to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.

Chelsea are still pursuing a deal for their former youth player, however Arsenal are currently leading the race.

The Verdict: Make it happen

The England international is likely to set any suitor back a lot of money, given that Man United had a £100m bid rejected last summer, however he would be a real statement signing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Teddy Sheringham recently hailed the maestro in the wake of his performance for England against Italy, saying: “If you add a couple of goals to Declan’s game, not a couple but six or seven, with what he’s got at the moment, you’re talking about an absolute world beater of a player.

“He can go anywhere, wherever he goes he’s going to make that team a better team.”

It is hard to disagree, given just how well he has performed for the Hammers over the past year, ranking in the 91st percentile for his pass completion rate and the 96th for interceptions per 90, when compared to other top midfielders.

As alluded to by Sheringham, the one aspect of the £60k-per-week earner’s game that is perhaps lacking is his goal-scoring, netting just twice in the Premier League this season, but he showed a good eye for goal against Italy on Thursday, on a night where he was rated by Sofascore as the Three Lions’ best-performing player.

Rice would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s squad in the summer window, capable of taking Arsenal to the next level as they look to establish themselves as Champions League regulars once again.

Liverpool are tracking RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol for a summer move, and he’s got his sights set on joining a Premier League club, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Liverpool struggling in defence

It is fair to say the Reds are not having the best of seasons, currently nine points adrift of the top four in the Premier League, and almost certain to be exiting the Champions League after a 5-2 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16.

Both Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk have received criticism for some of their performances, with journalist Ryan Taylor claiming that Liverpool should look to upgrade on the former this summer.

The Latest: Gvardiol targeted

According to Jacobs, who spoke exclusively to CaughtOffside, the Reds are considering a summer move for Gvardiol, who is being targeted by a number of clubs across Europe.

The reporter said: “Liverpool are tracking Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, who Chelsea almost pre-agreed a deal for last summer.

“The Croatian scored against Manchester City in the Champions League and is attracting plenty of interest, including from Pep Guardiola’s side as well as Real Madrid and PSG. There is a £98m buyout clause, but it doesn’t become active until summer 2024.

“I am told Gvardiol wants a Premier League move and the notion he’s ‘picked’ Real is incorrect. He’s also on record as saying Liverpool are his “dream club” because he watched many of their games with his dad when younger.”

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The Verdict: Make it happen

Given the buyout clause included in the 21-year-old’s contract, a move would be likely to set Liverpool back a lot of money, however they should bite the bullet, as he is one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe.

Hailed as ‘sensational’ by members of the media, the defender is assured in possession of the ball, ranking in the 99th percentile for passes attempted per 90 compared to other defenders in the past year.

Despite only just turning 21, Gvardiol is a key part of the RB Leipzig team, making 28 appearances in all competitions this season, including five in the Champions League, recently displaying his attacking threat by scoring against Manchester City.

With Matip struggling and Joe Gomez also being criticised for his performances at times this season, it is evident Liverpool need a new centre-back in the summer, and Gvardiol would be a fantastic long-term addition to Jurgen Klopp’s backline.

Pundit Frank McAvennie doesn’t think that Celtic manager and reported Leeds United target Ange Postecoglou will leave the Scottish champions in the summer.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Postecoglou

The Whites were linked with a move for the 57-year-old this month to replace Jesse Marsch, but as we know, they eventually brought in Javi Gracia until the end of the campaign.

However, those rumours haven’t gone away, with Football Insider relaying a claim from sources in Australia suggesting that the Celtic boss will quit at the end of the season for Leeds if the Whites avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Postecoglou won his 10th senior trophy as a manager on Sunday, with Celtic defeating arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments on Postecoglou

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie admitted that he has been conversing with Postecoglou and believes that the 57-year-old won’t be leaving Celtic ‘for a couple of years’.

The former Hoops striker said of the Leeds managerial target: “I think he has got principles and I really do think he is an honourable guy.

“I have spoken to him a couple of times and he seems like a really nice guy, he is what he says on the tin. He has got that authority and the players will run through brick walls for him.

“I think he has got a project at Celtic. I think he will be here for a couple of years. Of course he is that good he is going to move but he will not go for a couple of years.”

The Verdict: Leeds move seems unlikely

It seems as if the speculation regarding Leeds and Postecoglou in recent weeks was just noise, so a summer move may be unlikely, especially with the manager enjoying plenty of success in Glasgow.

The Whites’ main managerial targets appeared to be Andoni Iraola from Rayo Vallecano and Arne Slot from Feyenoord, but should Gracia keep the club in the top flight, you’d like to think that he would be in the Elland Road hierarchy’s thinking for a potential permanent deal.

Leeds must ensure that they are a Premier League club for 2023/24, though, with plenty of work still to be done between now and then amid their precarious position in the table.

Liverpool’s successes under Jurgen Klopp in previous campaigns have “clouded the judgement” of the Anfield board, according to Josh Williams.

The Lowdown: Klopp’s success

Jurgen Klopp is the man who brought the English league title back to Anfield and the first time ever in the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign, alongside a Champions League title and multiple runners-up in both the league and Europe.

However, his tenure has hit a brick wall this season with Liverpool woefully underperforming from previous campaigns under Klopp, with them currently sat ninth, ten points behind the top four and out of both domestic cups.

The Latest: Williams’ comments

Protests from the stands this season against American owners Fenway Sports Group, most notable in the 2-1 defeat against Leeds United at Anfield (Daily Mail) have taken place amid a lack of investment that has caused the decline.

But speaking on the Blood Red podcast, Williams claimed that naivety caused by recent success is also to blame, saying:

“Yes, you need investments in the squad and in this kind of situation, Liverpool obviously need a bit of investment from the ownership but for the most part over the past couple years, that hasn’t always been needed.

“It’s more a case of this weird avoidance of the midfield and this absolute commitment to the likes of Henderson, Milner, Keita and Ox and players like this who just for a couple years now maybe haven’t really been at the level required to start every week for Liverpool.

“Or maybe the success or the very near immortal success that we had last season has kind of clouded the judgment a little bit because it feels more like strategic decisions regarding squad planning has been at fault just as much as a lack of spending.”

The Verdict: Worrying summer?

Liverpool find themselves in a position where six first-team players find themselves out of contract in the summer (Transfermarkt), including £52.8m signing Naby Keita and £35m man Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The pair are the most obvious examples of what Williams is suggesting with both enduring huge injury lay-offs at Anfield. With Keita missing 84 games to injury and Chamberlain absent for 90, neither player has been able to hold down a regular spot for this reason, with the Englishman playing over 18 top-flight games in just two of five full campaigns.

Liverpool’s inability to move away from players such as those two is a valid argument for the Reds finding themselves in their current predicament, with both stars arguably incapable of attracting fees close to what they were once brought in for, limiting the club’s involvement in the window with expensive stars stuck on the wage bill.

Insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph could leave as Joseph Anang returns from loan.

What’s the word?

As we enter the final week of the January transfer window, there may yet be plenty of twists and turns as players are linked with moves both to and away from east London.

In a recent development, young shot-stopper Anang has returned from his loan spell with League One club Derby County and is expected to link up with David Moyes’ senior side.

While the 22-year-old would not be expected to play many minutes any time soon – barring injuries to the likes of Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola – this could open the door for Randolph to depart.

That is according to Ex, who explained as much in an update shared on The West Ham Way Patreon page.

He said: “A number of clubs are said to be eyeing up a move for Irish third-choice ‘keeper Darren Randolph.

“The 35-year-old is out of contract in the summer and West Ham could be about to cash in now. Bournemouth are said to be leading the race with some Championship clubs also in the mix.
“Joseph Anang has returned to the club following an injury-plagued time at Derby County. The player injured his arm and was unable to figure for the first team. It is thought his recall to the squad is said to coincide with Randolph being allowed to leave.”

Time to move on?

Anang was on the bench for just one league game during his time with Derby before injury curtailed his loan spell. While he has featured plenty of times at academy level, the 22-year-old is yet to play for the first team at West Ham.

However, as mentioned before, it’s not as if he will be expected to step onto the pitch any time soon even if Randolph does depart. Indeed, the Irishman hasn’t played once so far this season and finds himself way down in the pecking order.

At 35 years of age now, Randolph has plenty of experience – despite his lack of recent game time – with over 400 competitive games under his belt across the span of his career.

With that in mind, he could do a decent job if Bournemouth or any Championship teams do come calling. What’s more, with his contract up in the summer, he likely wouldn’t cost very much.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Moises Caicedo since the summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the player’s future.

What’s the latest?

According to The Times reporter Duncan Castles, Brighton and Hove Albion have slapped a huge £100m price tag on the midfielder after Chelsea made a £55m proposal to sign Caicedo this week – which was rejected.

As per the report, the popular Ecuadorian talent has been capturing the attention of a number of clubs and it is claimed that the south-coast club have told Graham Potter’s side they will need to meet the huge price tag in order to sign Caicedo in the summer.

Forget about Bellingham

It has been widely reported that Liverpool are monitoring Caicedo’s situation since he changed his agent this month and there is no doubt he would be the perfect signing in the club’s pursuit to rebuild the midfield at Anfield in 2023.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all out of contract at the end of the current campaign which would allow for the powerbrokers at the Merseyside club to spark a youthful revolution in the centre of the pitch, thus bringing Liverpool back to life next season.

The Reds are struggling to maintain their dominance in the Premier League and due to a number of inconsistent performances have found themselves falling into ninth in the table at the halfway point, now ten points adrift from the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four.

As a result, the signing of Caicedo this summer would be a great piece of business for Liverpool with the midfielder proving over his short career so far that he is a huge talent.

Indeed, the “world-class” talent – as hailed by Ecuador head coach Gustavo Alfaro – has been hugely impressive over 18 league appearances so far this season.

The 21-year-old has scored one goal and tallied up an impressive 88% pass completion rate, showing a security in possession of the ball. On top of that, the Brighton ace has averaged 1.1 key passes, 1.4 interceptions, 2.9 tackles and won 5.8 duels per game, a marker of his all-round game.

Not only that, but Caicedo ranks in the top 30% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for pass completion, tackles, interceptions and aerial duels won, displaying huge potential in his output that could be a massively valuable asset to Jurgen Klopp next season.

As a result, he could well be the perfect player to help Liverpool forget about Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham this summer, with a move having been mooted a great deal in the last few months.

Perhaps more so than Caicedo, the Englishman is renowned for his talent as an all-rounder, and injecting at least one of the energetic youngsters into the middle third at Anfield could set up the next generation of success perfectly.

Remarkably, however, it is the Seagulls star who comes in cheaper, with Bellingham’s price tag touted at a jaw-dropping £130m, a fee that would make him the most expensive Three Lion of all time.

It won’t be easy for the Reds to capture the services of Caicedo with Chelsea keen to also improve their midfield, however, if FSG can make a tempting offer by giving the youngster a starring role in the team it could be enough to beat competitors.

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.