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As per Calciomercato, there has been a fresh update on the future of Cagliari star Nahitan Nandez and it involves Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Spurs make Nandez approach…

Over the summer window, the midfielder was earmarked as one of managing director Fabio Paratici’s transfer targets for Tottenham.

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Indeed, reliable sources like Sky Sports backed an approach from Spurs to sign the Uruguay international, with a summit between the club and player later confirmed.

Back in September, Cagliari’s sporting director Stefano Capozucca announced that Nandez had ‘meetings with Tottenham, Inter, Naples and Rome’, but the player couldn’t secure a move away (L’Unione Sarda via Calciomercato).

As the 25-year-old and his agent Pablo Betancur seek to finally seal an exit from the Sardegna Arena in January, there has been an update on Spurs’ pursuit.

The Latest: Spurs in the hunt…

As per Calciomercato, Tottenham are still very much in the race and pose as the most likely suitors outside of Serie A, with Napoli and Inter also remaining interested.

The Italian source also reiterates a message from Nandez’ representative in the form of a ‘discount’ for interested clubs.

As per agent Betancur, Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini has ‘promised’ to do ‘everything possible’ to facilitate Nandez’ mid-season exit, apparently ‘giving his word’ that he will ‘lower the price’ on his €36m (£30m) release clause.

The Verdict: Time to take advantage…

After Tottenham announced pre-tax losses of £80.2m for the latest financial year, with club debt now increasing to £706m (The Guardian), the club must take advantage of any bargain deals available.

Nandez certainly represents value for money if Spurs can secure him for a discounted fee, especially going by his versatility and ability to plug many gaping holes in Antonio Conte’s squad.

The South American can play as a central midfielder, right wing-back and as a traditional winger (Sky Sports), while there has been no shortage of praise for him.

Serie A journalist Mina Rzouki called Nandez ‘unstoppable’ for his performances over the back end of last campaign, whilst fellow Italian top-flight expert Conor Clancy dubbed him a ‘machine’ (This Is Futbol).

The 25-year-old could be a more than ideal signing for Spurs as Conte seeks to usher in a brand new era.

In other news: ‘Coming from Tottenham’ – Journalist makes exciting transfer claim with big offer on the table, find out more here.

Celtic pundit Frank McAvennie believes it is a ‘boost’ that forward Daizen Maeda remained in Glasgow during the international break, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Fitness concerns for Celtic

The Hoops have a crucial Glasgow derby on Sunday and may well be sweating on a number of players for the trip to Ibrox.

David Turnbull made a first appearance since December from the bench before the international break, whereas there is hope that Kyogo Furuhashi could play some part against Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

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Maeda remained in Scotland instead of linking up with Japan due to concerns about his fitness, while Tom Rogic pulled out of the Australia squad with an ankle problem.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments on Maeda

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie actually labelled Maeda staying at Lennoxtown during the international break as a ‘boost’ for Celtic.

He then described the possibility of Maeda, Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis all being fully fit at the start of 2022/23 as ‘magnificent’, saying:

“So Maeda’s not on international duty which is a boost for him.

“I think everyone expected a little bit more from him, not to say he hasn’t been really good.

“But here’s what I’m thinking, looking at Giakoumakis. It took him ages to settle in.

“Now he’s scoring a couple of goals in every game. Could the same thing happen to Maeda?

“He started a bit better, I know he scored on his debut. He’s not hit Kyogo levels.

“At the start of next season, after a full pre-season with the club, could we see him fully up to speed and scoring loads of goals?

“I think there’s a good argument to say it does happen. So we could be starting next season with Kyogo, Giakoumakis and Maeda all fit and firing, wow, that would be magnificent.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

With 34 goals between them already this term, the possibility of the attacking trio all being fully fit next season is an exciting prospect, as McAvennie mentions, but Celtic have bigger fish to fry before the 2022/23 campaign.

They are still on course for a domestic treble in the final stages of the current season, and having Maeda and Rogic available against Rangers on Sunday could be crucial.

Postecoglou appears to be sweating on the condition of both players, and we should know more over the coming days in the manager’s pre-match press conference.

In other news: Update emerges for Ange on Celtic ace stretchered off during international duty

A huge Newcastle United transfer claim has been made regarding their pursuit of Diego Carlos…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies will make another move to land the Brazil defender this week as they attempt to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad. Sevilla are said to be working hard to avoid cashing by rejecting the Toon’s interest so far.

Romano tweeted: “Newcastle will push again in the next hours for Diego Carlos. Sevilla are trying to resist in every way as they did for Koundé/Chelsea deal last summer – but Newcastle are willing to insist. Key hours ahead. #NUFC Diego already agreed personal terms days ago. He’s waiting.”

Fans will be delighted

Newcastle fans will be delighted with this update for several reasons. Firstly, the claim that Carlos is ‘waiting’ after agreeing personal terms with the club shows that there is a willingness from the defender to make the switch to St James’ Park.

This shows that he is eager to join the club and is passionate about a transfer to Newcastle, which fans will surely love in comparison to a player who needs to be convinced. The 28-year-old wants the move and the Magpies now need to find an agreement with the Spanish outfit to get it done.

The supporters will also be buzzing with Romano’s tweet as it shows that Nick Hammond, Eddie Howe and PIF are not willing to give up easily. They could have admitted defeat and moved further down their list of targets, potentially lowering the ceiling on the quality of player they can bring to the club, but instead are doing their best to land the man who could be their top target.

Fans will love this as it shows ambition and a desire to sign the best possible players to bolster the squad in the January transfer window. With Newcastle currently sat 19th in the Premier League and on just one win after 20 matches, reinforcements are needed to aid their bid to avoid relegation from the top flight, and this is why working hard to sign a player like Carlos could delight the Toon Army.

The centre-back has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.16 in La Liga this season, showing that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis in a top European league. The newly-signed Kieran Trippier is the only Newcastle player (7.30) who has averaged a higher rating than Carlos this term, and that is based on a small sample size, which highlights how big of a potential signing the Sevilla defender could be.

AND in other news, “He is set to join Newcastle”: Insider’s early morning update will leave fans buzzing…

Fabio Paratici is reportedly now ‘insisting’ on signing Dejan Kulusevski for Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: On the shortlist

Speaking live on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), Italian football journalist and transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio recently revealed that Kulusevski is ‘one of the names’ on Spurs’ list for potential signings this month, and that both Paratici and Antonio Conte ‘like’ him.

It is not surprising, given that they know all about him from his time at Juventus, as Paratici used to work with the Old Lady, and Conte was managing in the Serie A with Inter Milan before moving to North London.

Nonetheless, Kulusevski is certainly one player to keep an eye on as the window progresses.

The Latest: Paratici ‘insisting’

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Paratici is now ‘insisting’ on signing Kulusevski for the Lilywhites, and is ‘keen’ on offering him to Conte.

They could also offer a player as part of a deal, with Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele and Japhet Tanganga the names who have been mentioned.

The Verdict: Sign

At 21 years of age and already playing at the highest level with Juve, Kulusevski is a player whose stock is only going to increase.

Described as ‘lethal’ for Sweden by Swedish and Italian football writer Maxi Angelo, he has played for his country at every level, including at Euro 2020, where his two assists in a 3-2 win over Poland ensured that they reached the knockout stages of the tournament. He also grabbed an assist against Spain in a FIFA World Cup qualifying win (Transfermarkt).

At Juventus, he has managed great talent’.

Nonetheless, the prospect of Conte working with him is quite frankly mouth-watering given the versatility and creativity he could inject into the attack, and so THFC should do everything that they can to sign him up.

In other news, find out who Conte is now eyeing a move for here!

As per a source close to Flamengo forward Gabriel Barbosa, speaking in an interview with Globo Esporte, there has been more news involving West Ham United and the player.

The Lowdown: West Ham enter talks…

The 25-year-old is a name we keep hearing through the press as David Moyes aims to bolster his attacking options before the January 31 deadline.

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Sky Sports first broke news of West Ham’s interest in Barbosa as they went on to lift the lid on talks and a loan-to-buy offer for him earlier this month.

Indeed, the Irons and recruitment chief Rob Newman lodged a proposal to take the striker on a temporary spell for 18 months with the option to make his stay permanent for €30m (£25m), according to Sky Sports.

Sharing an update, a source very close to Barbosa has now made a further admission.

The Latest: Agent confirms Barbosa offer…

Speaking to South American news outlet Globo Esporte, the former Inter Milan striker’s representative Junior Pedroso has claimed that West Ham have indeed tabled a formal offer to take Barbosa on loan.

First revealing an approach from Newcastle, Pedroso then went on to confirm West Ham’s involvement, saying: “The other club that actually went about with a formalization of a loan offer was West Ham. And then I didn’t even take that offer to Gabriel, I directed it to Flamengo , who gave a negative.

“Flamengo doesn’t see a loan as a possibility, even paying a fortune, and we wouldn’t consider a loan issue at the moment either.”

The Verdict: Time to move on…

The prolific forward has been nothing short of a revelation in Brazil, having scored a phenomenal 29 goals in all competitions throughout 2021, but he could be a gamble in the English top flight.

Barbosa’s only spell in Europe to date came at Inter, which was a regrettable one to say the least, so you can understand why Moyes and co want to test the waters with a loan deal before discussing any permanent move.

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham are still interested in a loan deal for the ‘big name’ striker, as Graeme Bailey worded it. However, after this interview with his agent, it could be time for the Irons to move on to other targets.

In 0ther news: ExWHUemployee claims West Ham are eyeing ‘absolutely incredible’ ace with loan-to-buy move in discussion, find out more here.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur have agreed on a new contract with promising midfielder Oliver Skipp and it could be announced very soon. 

The lowdown: Breakthrough season

The 21-year-old came through the ranks at N17 and has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2021/22 following a successful loan spell at Norwich City.

Skipp spent the entirety of last season at Carrow Road and helped guide the East Anglia club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, drawing praise from Daniel Farke, who even wanted to buy him permanently.

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Having returned to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium though, the £18million valued ace has established himself in the first-team plans, making 28 appearances prior to a pelvic injury that has ruled the defensive midfielder out for 12 fixtures so far.

The latest: New deal set to be announced

According to Spurs sources at FI, despite the ongoing injury issue, Spurs have ‘reached an agreement in principle’ to extend the contract of the England youth international and it could even be just a matter of time before it’s confirmed, with Newcastle looming this afternoon.

Indeed, it’s claimed that the new deal is set to be ‘announced soon’ and contains a ‘major pay hike’ for Skipp – who ex-Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho tipped to take the captain’s armband in north London.

The new contract had been in the offing for some time as a previous report from football.london Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold revealed that Fabio Paratici was in discussion with the midfielder, and Spurs fans will now have to wait anxiously to see if it gets announced before the Newcastle match.

The verdict: One of our own…

Securing the future and indeed rewarding players such as Skipp is a wise move from the club.

So far this season the tenacious midfielder – who was praised for his ‘great intensity’ by Antonio Conte – has produced on average 55.6 touches per Premier League outing, as well as 1.8 tackles and 42.3 accurate passes from 18 top-flight appearances (Sofascore).

Whilst some Tottenham fans may prefer to see Paratici’s behind-the-scenes work produce lavish summer spending or perhaps a new deal for Harry Kane, it’s undoubtedly another plus point to tie Skipp down beyond a current contract that expires in 2024 (Transfermarkt).

In other news, Tottenham are eyeing a swoop for EFL free agent! Find out more here…

Manchester United could bring in Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor much sooner than originally anticipated.

What’s the story?

The Norwegian was relieved of his duties over the weekend after a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of Watford on Saturday, and the Red Devils’ hierarchy stated that they will appoint an interim manager until the end of the season.

That led to speculation surrounding the future of Pochettino, with several reports claiming that he would be open to taking over the United hot seat at the end of the current campaign.

However, Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst has provided an update on the situation, claiming that the 49-year-old would be willing to join the 20-time English champions immediately.

He tweeted the following six words: “Pochettino wants to join #mufc now” in what he claimed was a “brief but vital update” to his original story on the speculation surrounding the Argentine’s potential appointment at Old Trafford. 

Man Utd fans will be buzzing

News that Pochettino could become United’s new boss over the coming days or weeks will surely leave many of the club’s supporters buzzing with excitement.

Throughout his time in English football, at both Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, the 49-year-old showed himself to be an extremely astute tactician capable of implementing an exciting style of play and achieving quality results.

Although he failed to claim a major trophy during his tenure at Spurs, four consecutive top-four finishes and a place in the Champions League final are evidence of his top-class credentials.

In Paris, Pochettino finally secured his first piece of major silverware as a manager, seeing off Monaco 2-0 in the French Cup final and putting major criticism to bed in the process.

His high-octane pressing style and track record of developing youngsters will also be appealing qualities to anyone associated with United, but it remains to be seen whether the Glazers make an approach for his services.

Pochettino could be the ideal candidate to restore the Red Devils to their former glory, and the club’s fanbase will surely be hoping to see him make the switch from PSG sooner rather than later.

In other news…”I’m told” – Sky Sports journalist drops big Man United manager update, fans must be elated

Wolves are still keen on Sporting CP’s Joao Palhinha, though they will face a challenge to bring him to Molineux going by the latest reports.

What’s the latest?

Filipe Dias via Football Daily, revealed that Wolves are “interested” in Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha last summer.

And whilst they were aware of Spurs’ reported interest in the holding midfielder, they may face further difficulties in acquiring their target, with the latest reports from Portugal revealing that Manchester United have been scouting the 26-year-old.

Bruno Lage has been upfront about his star man Ruben Neves’ future at the West Midlands side, claiming that he is unsure as to where the future lies for the 25-year-old. A move for Palhinha could provide a more than viable replacement option for the Old Gold side.

Palhinha could fill Neves-shaped hole

With star midfielder Ruben Neves linked with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal to name a few, a move for Palhinha would surely be welcomed by Bruno Lage.

A move for the midfielder dubbed “all-round” by Squawka would be an astute deal for Wolves with the fee to prise him away from Sporting CP said to be as low as 30m euros (£25m), which in this market for that calibre of player is an absolute snip.

Despite the links to fellow Premier League outfits, Manchester United and Spurs, Wolves would surely hold an advantage given their Portuguese transfer philosophy, Portuguese manager and links with super-agent Jorge Mendes, having worked closely with his Gestifute agency over the last few years.

Whilst he has been described as one of the “most complete ever” by Copa 90, Palhinha shines brightest defensively speaking, having put himself within the 99th percentile for pressures and successful pressures, showing his best work within the midfield and defensive thirds of the pitch.

Should Neves depart the Old Gold side in the summer, a move for Joao Palhinha could fill the void for a fraction of the potential fee that they will receive.

In other news – Forget Otto: 12-pass Wolves gem proved he’s fulfilling his “enormous potential” v AVFC – opinion 

Crystal Palace shared details regarding their fourth-round FA Cup clash with Hartlepool next month on Thursday.

However, a number of Eagles fans weren’t happy with the club due to the pricing of tickets for the clash with the League Two side.

Patrick Vieira’s side came from behind in the third round to defeat rivals Millwall and will now take on Hartlepool at Selhurst Park on Saturday, February 5 at 3pm.

It will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2004, with Palace confirming that adult tickets will be priced at £20 in advance and £25 on the day of the game.

The Eagles also shared details regarding hospitality tickets and stated to fans that the best way to book would be online.

Palace fans react

This is what these fans had to say regarding details of tickets following the club’s official Twitter post, with many not exactly thrilled and one labelling it as ‘pathetic’.

“£20 is an outrage. Shame.”

Credit: @Wheddsta

“Pathetic making this £20 a ticket. Gonna be more Hartlepool there then Palace”

Credit: @cpfc_griff

“£20 adult ticket is a disgrace”

Credit: @CieronHem

“An Fa Cup game on Saturday at 3pm wow very rare”

Credit: @Ukhilal1957

“Greed”

Credit: @RussIIWestbrook

“If that’s what the fourth round is, the final is going to be starting at £120 isn’t it”

Credit: @palace_tommy

In other news: Matt Woosnam drops morning CPFC transfer news, names most likely signing. 

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has praised Kalvin Phillips’ decision to have surgery, also hinting at him staying put beyond the summer.

The Lowdown: Phillips undergoes surgery

The Whites have suffered yet another injury blow with the news that the England midfielder is going to be missing for a significant chunk of action.

The 25-year-old has suffered a hamstring injury and is likely to miss around two months of football, having undergone successful surgery.

Leeds will have to battle on without their talisman during a hectic period in the season but he should be back for the business end of the campaign.

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The Latest: Whelan finds positives

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claims that it is a wise decision to have surgery immediately, rather than risk Phillips not being at his best for a long time. He said:

“It’s a really sensible move. We know how integral and important Kalvin is, and his value to this team will have demanded the surgery to take place in order to sort it out properly.

“No one wants to be without their talisman, but Leeds United will also realise that having him long-term is better than playing with a Kalvin Phillips that might be in and out of the team with the same problem.”

Furthermore, Whelan hinted at the Leeds hero staying at the club for a further 12 months at least, seemingly ruling out the idea of a summer exit amid rumours of other Premier League sides eyeing a swoop for him. The 46-year-old stated:

“It’s vitally important that he gets the treatment he needs. If that means we have to go without Kalvin for two months, but then we get him for the next 12 – then brilliant.”

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The Verdict: Better in the long run

Whelan is right- losing Phillips midway through the season is a big blow, but the decision to have surgery immediately is the right one, taking the hit now rather than letting it going on for several more months.

This way, the England international should return in good shape in February or March, rather than playing with an injury for the entirety of the campaign.

Regardless of where Phillips is playing his football in the future, it is important that he isn’t hampered in the long-term because of delaying surgery and making the situation worse.

In other news, one Leeds player has been linked with a summer exit. Find out who it is here.