Midfield playmaker Jack Collison has endured a turbulent few months in his footballing career, but the Welsh international is putting in the hours off the pitch, in order to get himself match fit for his new club, Ipswich Town.

The 26 year old is currently part of a squad vying for promotion from the Championship, with the centre midfielder having already experienced the delight of going up to the Premier League with West Ham United in 2012. Collison said he is enjoying every minute at Portman Road, with his main aim of gaining match fitness in order to get a regular spot in the starting XI.

Collison said “The boys are flying at the moment. We’ve got three wins on the bounce before the international break, and we’ve just got to continue that good momentum. It’s a great club, and it has a fantastic manager in Mick McCarthy. It looks like we’re on the up, and it’s nice for me to be involved.”

Collison also added that he is looking to extend his stay with the promotion chasers, and is putting in the graft off the pitch in order to get himself match fit and earn himself an extension to his current deal.

“The aim for me is to get a bit more security”, said the former Hammers academy star. “Obviously to do that I’m going to have to get myself fit and try and work my way into the team because at the moment I haven’t played yet, and I’ve had a couple of niggling injuries. It’s up to me to get my head down and work hard, get fit, and then we’ll see what happens.”

After coming through the famed West Ham academy under the watchful eye of Tony Carr MBE, Collison quickly established himself as one to look out for as a 17 year old. After impressing with the youth and reserve team in East London. The versatile midfielder made his debut away at Arsenal in 2008, and went on to make 105 appearances in a seven year period. Obviously, Collison still keeps an eye on West Ham’s results, saying that after last season’s difficulties, the new signings have helped the Hammers rise to a staggering fourth after 11 games.

“It was a tricky season for West Ham last season. But the new signings that have come in have all hit the ground running. It’s not often you get that. Sometimes the new players take a while to bed in, especially the ones from abroad. Looking at Sakho and Valencia, they’ve done brilliant, but with me still keeping in contact with some of the players there, they say that Aaron Cresswell has been one of the best players at the club.” Said Collison.

“It’s nice to see the boys do so well. I’ve still got a lot of friends down there, and it was a big part of my career. But Football moves on quickly and so have I, and I’m looking forward to the next challenge which is to put my stamp on Ipswich.”

Part of Collison’s move to the Tractor Boys was to regain his spot in Chris Coleman’s high flying Wales squad. With 17 caps already under his belt, Collison is aiming for more, and feels Ipswich is the right place regain his international spot.

“First and foremost, I’ve got to get myself fit and available for selection and try and force my way into the team at Ipswich. Obviously if I can do well over a long period, I think Chris Coleman will have another look and get me back involved because that’s the goal, and with the team doing so well it will be great to be part of it.”

“It’s good to see that unbeaten in the group still. I think Chris Coleman has now had a bit of time with the squad, and he’s managed to put his ideas across. From the backroom staff, to the meeting’s he has, is all down to Coleman’s hard work and the boys are in and amongst it are also doing well at club level and seem to be maturing. Looking at the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey over the last couple of seasons they’ve kicked on massively. It’s been a huge plus for Wales and everyone is enjoying the confidence.”

“It’s now time for Wales to qualify for a major tournament. There’s been a lot of talk over the last five or six years about young Welsh players all coming through at the same time. Now there really starting to get the results and long may that continue if everyone stays fit and everyone seems to be buying into Coleman’s ideas. The team spirit is excellent and hopefully by the end of qualification, they’ll be preparing for Euro 2016 in France.”

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Once match fit, it’s certain that with his vital knowledge and experience in the second tier of English football, Collison will play a pivotal role helping Ipswich gain promotion, while also getting back his place in the Wales set up.

You can follow Jack Collison on Twitter (@Jcollison31) by clicking here

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Manchester United’s new era started with the hiring of Louis van Gaal. He has masterminded a similar start to David Moyes’ Man United of last season, but there is more time being offered to the former Netherlands manager.

His first transfer window was certainly an expensive one as the Red Devils spent a national record amount on Angel Di Maria, and even signed 2 defenders – Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo.

However, having now struggled with defensive injuries along with having a generally weak defensive roster, it’s a must for them to strengthen next summer year if not January. United never really replaced the loss of Vidic, Ferdinand & Evra in the same window.

But what options do they have? Well here’s 5 options.

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON SHAW TO SEE THE FULL LIST!

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Mats Hummels

The Borussia Dortmund centre-back has been linked with Manchester United for many consecutive transfer windows, and recently he was an integral part of the Germany World Cup winning squad.

The 25-year-old is entering his best years and although he has said that he wouldn’t ever leave Dortmund for rivals Bayern because he likes being the underdog, he may want to test himself in the Premier League. Dortmund notoriously cannot hold onto their players when big money bids are offered, so there is no doubting that United could snap him up if they are wiling to spend big.

A good player who would possibly be available as early as January. Certainly worth considering, as I’m sure they already are.

Ron Vlaar

The Aston Villa captain would be a short-term fix to the Manchester defensive issue, but he is certainly a solid centre-back. He would also be available for relatively cheap and Villa could hardly expect to retain his services if the power of United arrived. There’s no doubting that Man United know all about the Dutchman after he was selected as part of Van Gaal’s World Cup squad.

The 29-year-old is into the final year of his contract at Villa Park so there’s a bargain to be had in January should United make their move before the end of the season.

Diego Godin

Another player at a club notorious for it’s inability to hold onto top players when money comes into the equation. After leading Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title and scoring in the Champions League final, Diego may well be looking for another challenge in his career.

The Uruguayan international is a traditionally feisty South-American defender and he has all the attributes to succeed as part of a Premier League team. The 28-year-old would be a relatively expensive acquisition for the Red Devils but nothing that they couldn’t comfortably afford.

Joel Matip

Another option plying his trade in the Bundesliga is Schalke’s Joel Matip. The 23-year-old Cameroon international is a real physical presence, standing at 6’4″. Impressively even though he’s just 23, Matip has a decent amount of experience. After making his Schalke debut aged 18, he has gone on to notch nearly 150 Bundesliga appearances.

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He has become a key player for both Schalke and Cameroon and although he spent some of the early part of his career with the Schalke youth academy he’s not completely emotionally tied to the club. However, he was born in Germany and has spent his professional career in the country of his birth. With the Bundesliga growing rapidly, and arguably outgrowing the Premier League, it may be impossible to prize Joel away from Schalke.

At 23-years-old he will be a costly signing, but a good one if they could pull it off.

Winston Reid

The New Zealand international is entering the final months of his contract with West Ham United and after much speculation he’s not likely to sign up anytime soon. The 26-year-old joined The Hammers from Danish side FC Midtjylland in 2010 and has impressed since day one, consequently making over 100 league appearances.

The East London club may be forced into a cheap sale of one of their best players if he isn’t willing to sign a new contract or risk losing him on a free once the season is finished. Reid has been linked numerous times with a move away to Arsenal but a deal has never surfaced. Reid is looking for a bigger challenge at a bigger club, and although he would move down the table as it stands, it would be a move forward for Winston.

A cheap deal for an excellent defender, a good option for the Red Devils.

Manchester United can consider themselves a little lucky that they didn’t sign Kevin Strootman after their top midfield target is set to undergo more surgery, the Express reports.

The 24-year-old was heavily linked with a January move to Manchester United following his return to action for Roma after coming through knee surgery in the summer, causing him to miss the World Cup with the Netherlands.

However, despite making six Serie A appearances this season, he has suffered another setback, with the Dutch midfielder confirmed to be having another operation.

An official statement from the Italian giant’s official site read: “Yesterday Strootman had another meeting with professors Kierhoffs and Van Dijk, who operated on him.

“During the visit he was found to have a mass of fibrous tissue (called Cyclops Syndrome), and it was suggested this be removed through arthroscopy.

“The surgery will be performed in Amsterdam tomorrow, and will also be used to evaluate the status of the [cruciate] ligament.”

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But Strootman has played down the seriousness of his condition and has claimed he is only having surgery to remove some scar tissue after deciding to rest his knee following Roma’s 1-1 draw with Fiorentina.

“In the match against Fiorentina I got a knock on my left knee. It’s bruised and therefore I should rest my knee for a couple of weeks.” Strootman said.

“This gives me the opportunity to remove some scar tissue which has bothered me a bit after the last surgery and this will help me further in getting back to my old level.

“It’s nothing serious and I will be back on the pitch as soon as possible.”

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Man United boss Louis van Gaal has been monitoring the situation of the Netherlands international ever since the summer, but may be forced to give up on the transfer altogether if there are no improvements on his fitness.

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Arsenal’s first half performance was excellent. 1-0 up through Olivier Giroud, the Gunners just need to stay focused and push on for the two strikes they need to get through… but Mesut Ozil has provided an unwelcome sideshow.

The German was one of the Gunners’ better players in the opening 45 minutes, but when Geofrey Kondogbia requested his shirt, he may have been better off declining. But the pass-master did the deed, and now the footballing world is well and truly divided.

In truth, there are far, far, FAR worse things that can happen on the pitch, however, swapping shirts at HT when your team are trailing on aggregate and facing Champions League elimination doesn’t send out a great message. Just ask Mario Balotelli about the storm that usually follows such an act…

Naturally Twitter reacted, and here are some of the best tweets…

https://vine.co/v/OVpMxdTea1U/embed/simple

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Arsenal are only a top goalkeeper away from winning the title. That’s the view of Phil Neville on the BBC this week.

Commenting on the back of Arsenal’s win over Hull, Neville is clearly impressed with the Gunners’ performance. They won the game at a canter against a team that have been on the up over the last few games as they try to save themselves from the drop.

Arsenal made it look easy, and that’s what Champions do. So it’s not a tough leap to say that Arsenal could be Champions next season.

When a team doesn’t win the title but finishes near the top, it’s natural to ask why they didn’t make it and it’s natural to look for ways in which they can improve on their squad in order to put up a better fight next time. And that seems to be what we’re doing with Arsenal right now.

At the start of the season, it was a midfielder and a defender. Wenger’s men were fairly light at the back when the transfer window closed at the start of September. Injuries then depleted the squad even further as Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers were ruled out of action for a while. They also seemed to lack a quality defensive midfielder, and Mathieu Flamini looked a little lost sitting in front of a back four with no help from his midfield mates.

Since then, though, Arsenal have brought in Gabriel Paulista and managed to get their injured men back. They’ve also found that Francis Coquelin is a more than competent Premier League defensive midfielder, and he’s brought some steel to the Arsenal midfield.

And so all the talk of typical Wenger buying only lightweight number 10s has gone out of the window somewhat. Arsenal had been title ‘challengers’ up until their showdown with Chelsea the other weekend, and although they didn’t put up much of a ‘challenge’, they have been very very good since Christmas time.

So Arsenal are a team tipped to do well next season, and on the showing of this season, why not? But that doesn’t mean that Arsenal are only one player away from the title.

In fact, they are at least two away.

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Phil Neville thinks that all Arsenal need is a top quality goalkeeper. Szczesny isn’t good enough, and Ospina is fairly unproven. The Chilean is a wonderful shot stopper, but he doesn’t instil too much confidence as a keeper who will command his area with authority and doesn’t really look that inspiring between the sticks. The Pole meanwhile looks to have burnt his bridges with a cigarette in the shower.

Arsenal probably do need a keeper. If Szczesny does leave in the summer they’ll at least need a deputy to Ospina, and if they need to bring in a keeper anyway, why not go for one who could be first choice?

Petr Cech may not be available – not to a Chelsea rival at any rate – but if Arsenal are serious about winning the title they’ll need someone with that sort of quality. Iker Casillas is also a name that’s been thrown about. We’ll see what comes of that.

But we still get back to the age-old problem for Wenger’s Arsenal team post-Gilberto Silva. Arsenal need a hard-hitting midfielder.

Sure, Coquelin has been a revelation. And Arsenal have been very solid at the back as well as very impressive up front with the frenchman linking defence to midfield. But it’s hard to differentiate between a player in good form who is punching above his weight and the kind of player who can do it season after season. Form is temporary, as they say.

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It’s not an attack on Coquelin to say that, it’s just that he’s unproven for more than half a season, and if Arsenal are going to challenge next season they’ll need a little bit more than that. Even if they brought in a better player, it’s not that Coquelin will be out on his ear – he’ll still have a role to play.

They mightn’t need a Makelele type of player, maybe just a player who can help out the rest of his teammates, rather than simply being a destroyer or a saboteur. Coquelin is doing this role now, but perhaps a bigger, stronger Patrick Vieira type is what Arsenal need. That way Coquelin would still have a role, he could still play lots of games and we’ll be able to see if he’s as good as his form suggests. But having options is what makes great teams great.

So Arsenal need two proven players. One in front of their defence and one behind it. And if they do that they’ll be well on their way to a title tilt come this time next season. Injuries have always played their part in Arsenal seasons over the last few years, but with extra reinforcements and lots of different kinds of players, Arsenal should be able to shuffle the pack if they need to. Being able to cope with injuries is the main thing Wenger should be prioritising.

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In a season where we’ve seen few outstanding attacking talents, we’ve seen plenty of imperious defensive displays. That’s probably been the recurring    theme of this season. The teams with the best defence have done very well indeed.

It’s not that there have been no wonderful attacking displays, though. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas lit up the league in September. Eden Hazard carried on that mantle for Chelsea for the rest of the season. Sergio Aguero deserves a very honorable mention too having run away with top scorer, he’s even been out injured this season too.

For Spurs, the attacking highlight is obviously the arrival on the elite stage of Harry Kane. With over 30 goals in all competitions and 20 league goals despite having only become first choice mid-season, he’s probably been even more impressive than the players i’ve mentioned above. And that’s high praise indeed.

Let’s hope he can keep that form going. He needs to be managed well over the next few months to maximise his contribution to club and country, but also to aid his development into a top player for years to come.

That’s what Pochettino has done well this season. He has got his team to attack well, and he’s brought through some good young players too. These are certainly two of Pochettino’s strengths as a manager.

But this season has been a strange one in the Premier League, and it’s been a strange one for Spurs.

It’s been a defensive season in many ways, yet no team has come close to beating defensive records. Chelsea have conceded almost double the amount they conceded in 2004-05 when they set the record for fewest conceded and Southampton have been impressive at the back, but have conceded a few more goals over the last few games.

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And no team is even close to 90 goals let alone the 103 that Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea managed in 2009-10. Man City are head and shoulders above the rest on 81.

So teams have been relying on their goalscorers in one game and then going on to relying on their goalstoppers in the next game. Spurs’ problem hasn’t been so much the goalscoring – though take Harry Kane out of the equation and Spurs may have been in big big trouble – but the real problem has been the defence.

Pochettino’s defence has conceded 53 goals so far this season with one game to go. That’s the same number as Burnley and more than Hull and Sunderland. And that’s been the problem, really.

When you’re able to compare Spurs’ goals conceded stats to clubs who will be relegated, you know it’s been a poor season at the back.

They’ve clearly conceded too many goals, and there’s been too much of a reliance on Kane too. And the key here is the word ‘too’. It’s probably a bad thing to rely on one player, and it’s probably a bad thing to concede lots of goals, but if the likes of Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela had been able to chip in with more goals overall, Spurs could have won more games. Conceding three goals isn’t a problem when you score five, like Spurs managed when they beat Chelsea on New Year’s day.

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But it’s much easier to win games when you don’t concede. It’s fine relying on Kane if he’s on form, but you can’t ask too much of him. And that’s exactly what Spurs’ defence has been doing. When you concede three goals, you’re asking a lot of your strikers to score five. They can’t do it every time.

Pochettino has had a fairly successful first season because he’s laid a foundation for the future in terms of young talent and in terms of some attacking play too. And I think that’ll be a benefit in the long run. But he really needs to address the problem in the defence.

If Spurs concede the same amount of goals again next season then Harry Kane’s goals may not be enough to see them challenge. It’s fine to rely on a very good player, but if you do that then you better not ask too much of him. And that’s what Spurs have to avoid next season.

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With their long-awaited move to the Olympic Stadium now just a year away, it’s time for West Ham to think big.

The appointment of Slaven Bilic, an internationally proven manager with experience in the Europa League, is the first logical step in that process. Now all he needs is a squad worthy of representing what will be the third-largest capacity ground in the Premier League.

That’s no disrespect to the current Hammers crop. Last summer’s signings under Sam Allardyce have certainly moved the club in the right direction, despite their somewhat disappointing end to the season.

But what the East London outfit lack is star-studded quality; the kind of players with the ability and experience to take them to the next level.

And with that in mind, we at Football Fancast have created this list of FIVE ‘transfer coups’ West Ham should aim for this summer – players seemingly beyond their means for financial or footballing reasons, who might be more interested than you’d expect in signing for the Hammers…

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YOHAN CABAYE

West Ham have already been linked with PSG midfielder Yohan Cabaye and indeed, he represents the barometer of quality the rest of this list intends to match.

No doubt, the France international is a fantastic footballer; a playmaker equally adept at No.10 or deeper, who offers a cultured passing game, goal threat from long-range, tenacity off the ball and lethality from set piece situations.

The 29 year-old hasn’t hit the heights expected since leaving Newcastle for PSG in January 2014 despite contributing to two consecutive Ligue 1 titles, managing just 35 league outings in 18 months, and is widely expected to leave the French capital this summer.

Cabaye’s pedigree in the Premier League, however, remains indisputable. He notched up 17 goals and 15 assists in 79 league appearances for the Magpies, spending his last six months on Tyneside as their goalscoring talisman.

The Daily Mail claim PSG are prepared to sell for around £10million – which seems like fantastic value for money.

NICOLAS N’KOULOU

The Hammers were linked to Cameroon centre-back Nicolas N’Koulou earlier this season and with his Marseille contract now into its final year, this summer is definitely the right time to buy.

The 25 year-old has been knocking on the door of the European elite for some time and has just come to the end of yet another strong season at Stade Velodrome, averaging 2.1 tackles, 3.3 interceptions, 6.6 clearances and 3.4 successful aerial duels per match.

Experienced on the international scene with 51 caps under his belt, the 5 foot 11 defender – who can also operate in midfield when required – would instantly improve the quality of West Ham’s current options at centre-half.

He’s the kind of signing who could take the East Londoners to the next level. But amid rumours of a summer move to Arsenal, Marseille president Vincente Labrune has insisted N’Koulou isn’t for sale.

MARTIN MONTOYA

Despite his agent claiming a ‘100%’ commitment to leaving Barcelona this summer and subsequent links to Arsenal and Liverpool, there’s been surprisingly little movement on the Martin Montoya front over the last few months.

With Arsenal already well-endowed at right-back and Liverpool on the verge of signing Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne, a flash of optimistic opportunism could see West Ham bag the 24 year-old as a replacement for allegedly Sunderland-bound Carl Jenkinson.

Montoya’s an athletic and sturdy defender, but he’s also blessed with all the technical quality you’d expect of a La Masia product and two-time U21 European Championship winner – typified best by his sensational strike against Malaga during the 2012/13 campaign.

Admittedly, the Spaniard does have some slightly more glamorous options than Upton Park, such as Inter Milan. But the Premier League is a lure within itself and at the very least, West Ham can guarantee the £7million-rated full-back the regular first team football he desperately craves. Maybe Alex Song can have a word.

JAVIER HERNANDEZ

Javier Hernandez may have endured two seasons of limited opportunities and turbulent form in front of goal, but let’s not forget how talented a poacher the Manchester United outcast truly is.

Despite predominantly featuring from the bench, the 27 year-old boasts an impressive return of 59 goals in 154 appearances for the Red Devils, playing an important role in them claiming two league titles during his five-year spell at Old Trafford, and reached double figures in three consecutive Premier League campaigns.

Furthermore, he offers an interesting variation from the Hammers’ current forward options, who are all predominantly of the classic No.9 mould, through his defence-splitting pace, diminutive frame and fox-in-the-box instincts. If the East Londoners create enough chances, he’s certain to score regularly.

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With just a year remaining on his contract, Louis van Gaal has made no secret of his intentions to sell the Mexico international this summer.

That suggests Chicarito will be allowed to leave on the cheap. Currently, however, he’s being linked with a shock move to Atletico Madrid.

JEFFERSON FARFAN

Schalke star Jefferson Farfan may not offer West Ham much longevity at the age of 30, but he’s a well-proven and potent wideman who would add experience and quality to their starting XI.

Indeed, Farfan boasts a career return of 153 goals in 490 appearances throughout his spells with Alianza Lima, PSV Eindhoven and the Miners, reaching the 20-goal mark in two consecutive Eredivisie campaigns. His return of 17 goals in 63 outings for an unexceptional Peru side is nothing to be sniffed at either.

Injuries have plagued him over the last few seasons but if the south American winger, currently on show at the Copa America, can rekindle his netting prowess at Upton Park, he’ll be a fantastic acquisition.

Furthermore, Farfan is reportedly keen to find a new challenge ahead of next season and with his Miners contract set to expire in 2016, the Bundesliga outfit could be forced to sell on the cheap.

Currently, however, the tabloids claim he’s being targeted by Liverpool gaffer Brendan Rodgers.

In a strange way, the off-season has been far more enthralling than the actual campaign just gone for Reds fans. While 2014/15 ended in woeful fashion, the summer transfer window has been a non-stop merry-go-round of excitement for Kopites, who have been treated to plenty of new arrivals and interesting news on a daily basis.And even though the likes of James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke are all in (the last one should be completed soon) and Raheem Sterling has finally been sold, the fascinating news is yet to stop. So, what do Reds fans need to know RIGHT NOW? Well, here are a few issues, developments and talking points to ponder…[interaction id=“noneâ€]

Benteke exit means the end of Rickie Lambert…

It’s now no secret that Christian Benteke will become a Liverpool player. The £32.5m release clause in his contract has been met and, barring the most bizarre of bizarre late twists, Brendan Rodgers will have the striker he’s wanted all summer – although whether or not he’s the right forward remains to be seen.

And the No.9 shirt may well be free for the big Belgian, with Rickie Lambert likely to head off with a host of clubs interested…

It may not just be Borini off to Lazio

With the majority of the Reds’ incomings seemingly sealed, attention is now well and truly on those going out, and it seems that Lazio are now after Mamadou Sakho following their Fabio Borini chase. The France international has been a pre-season regular so far in the Far East and Australia, but his cumbersome movement and error-prone ways divide opinion among the Anfield faithful…

How Liverpool can fit Benteke in…

Big strikers and Liverpool don’t tend to go hand-in-hand… just look at Andy Carroll, Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli! Alas, in Benteke they seem to have a new one, and Rodgers will have to work had to get him into his team and firing from the off. Here is how he could approach matters…

Transfer plans are ambitious…

Even though vast amounts of cash have been spent at Anfield over the course of the past 12 months – getting on for £200m – it seems that the transfer bonanza isn’t going away. Links have emerged with wanataway Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Gotze, although it will take a massive fee to get him…

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This biggest issue facing Rodgers…

Goals win games, so buying strikers makes sense, right? Well, not entirely, as keeping goals out at the other end is just as vital. Liverpool have struggled with this for some time, and they may do so again in 2015/16 if they don’t sort out the glaring issue…

According to reports in The Guardian, Everton have agreed a £25m deal to with Besiktas to bring striker Cenk Tosun, who has scored 63 goals for the Turkish outfit, to the club during the January transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Guardian says that the 26-year-old is set to sign a four-and-a-half deal with the Toffees when the window opens on January 1, and he is set to be Romelu Lukaku’s replacement after the Merseyside outfit failed to find one during the summer.

The Guardian says that Sam Allardyce has tracked the Turkey international, who has been in prolific form this season, for some time, and wanted to bring him to Crystal Palace when he was in charge there last term.

The report adds that Everton are set to pay £20m up front, with another £5m potentially to follow in performance-related clauses.

How good has Tosun been this season?

He has been excellent.

The 26-year-old has scored 13 goals and provided a further three assists in 23 appearances in all competitions for Besiktas, with four of those goals coming in the group stages of the Champions League as the Turkish outfit finished on top.

According to WhoScored.com, Tosun’s strengths include his finishing and his ability in the air, although he has only won 37 of the 99 aerial duels he has contested in 22 outings in the Super Lig and in Europe.

He has successfully completed 16 of the 30 dribbles he has attempted too though, which suggests he is also decent with the ball at his feet.

Will he be a good signing for Everton?

The 26-year-old has scored goals at every club he has been at during his career, and his record of 63 in 141 appearances in total for Besiktas is certainly impressive.

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Tosun isn’t afraid of a battle, is good with either foot and looks to be physically suited to the rigours of the Premier League, but it remains to be seen how quickly he adjusts and whether he can find the net as regularly as he has done before.

That said, with Yannick Bolasie returning to action and with others like Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney in the team, he should have plenty of creativity behind him.

As reported by The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur have emerged as favourites to sign exciting Bordeaux winger Malcom.

The paper say that Spurs have held talks over the last week with a view to securing his signature for £35m, although the player would not arrive in North London until the summer, with the French club hoping he stays until the end of the season.

With seven goals and six assists in French football this season, the Brazilian youth international is showing excellent promise and at just 20 years of age has plenty of room for improvement too.

Tottenham supporters certainly appear excited by his potential signing, believing he can add the attacking spark that can rejuvenate Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

They’ve lacked creativity at points this season and could do with attacking reinforcements to help Harry Kane continue his imperious goal scoring march.

Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the reported deal…

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