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Leeds United have struggled defensively in recent months, with Jesse Marsch’s side shipping 22 goals over their last ten Premier League fixtures – including seven in their last two top-flight outings – with their total of 26 conceded ranking the Whites as the joint fourth-worst defence in the division.

Indeed, Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch have all struggled at centre-back, currently ranking as the club’s 10th, 12th and 13th-best performers respectively in the league, with makeshift left-back Pascal Struijk – who himself ranks as the Whites’ fourth-best player this term – arguably being the only of the Leeds defenders to have truly impressed so far in 2022/23.

However, while the vast majority of the club’s defenders have not been in the best of form this time out, there is one centre-back currently on the club’s books who has been catching the eye for all the right reasons this season – in the form of Charlie Cresswell.

Since making the move to Millwall on a season-long loan deal this summer, the 20-year-old has already become an integral part of Gary Rowett’s backline – as well as reportedly becoming a target of second-tier promotion hopefuls Norwich City.

And, it is not difficult to see why the defender is attracting admiring glances, as the £4.4m-rated talent has highly impressed over his 14 Championship appearances, helping his side keep three clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 2.4 clearances and winning 7.1 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

The £5.4k-per-week youngster has also chipped in for the Lions going forwards, scoring three goals, providing one assist and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots, making 0.4 key passes and playing 3.8 long balls per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Joe Wainman dubbed “unbelievable” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.14, not only ranking him as Millwall’s third-best performer in the league but also as the joint 26th-best player in the second tier of English football as a whole.

As such, with it being reported that Leeds do possess an option to recall the 20-year-old in the January transfer window, considering just how impressive Cresswell has been this season, it would appear advisable for Marsch to activate this clause, as the 48-year-old manager could well solve his huge defensive problem by unleashing the centre-back in his starting XI.

Southampton are ‘set to be offered’ the chance to sign Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Jones era begins…

Former Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was recently given his marching orders after almost four years at St Mary’s, with the club quickly turning to former Luton Town boss Nathan Jones as his replacement.

The latter’s Premier League arrival marks a new era on the south coast, and owners Sport Republic will need to back their new head coach financially if they are to stand the best possible chance of maintaining their top-flight status.

All eyes will duly turn to January, with a report now sharing who could make a return to Southampton mid-season.

The Latest: Saints ‘set to be offered’ Oxlade-Chamberlain…,

According to Football Insider on Wednesday evening, Southampton and Jones are now ‘set to be offered’ a chance to sign Liverpool midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The Englishman has struggled for game-time at Anfield this season, with manager Jurgen Klopp no longer viewing him as a key player moving forward.

As such, the Reds could turn to Southampton as they attempt to rid themselves of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s £125,000-per-week wages.

The Verdict: Do it?

The 29-year-old has suffered with a plethora of injury issues since joining Liverpool from Arsenal in 2017, and we believe that the price tag must be a reasonable if Jones is to consider signing the midfielder.

That being said, with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract set to expire in 2023, Southampton would be in a position to demand a reasonably cheap fee as Klopp’s side risk losing him for nothing next summer.

Pundit Alan Hutton has had his say on Harry Kane’s future at Tottenham Hotspur, with the Spurs captain currently away with England at the World Cup. 

The Lowdown: Kane’s previous exit link

During the 2021 summer transfer window, the striker was heavily linked with a move away from the north London club, with fellow Premier League side Manchester City reportedly keen on signing him.

However, the Englishman, who is currently leading his country in Qatar for the World Cup, ultimately stayed with the Lilywhites and has remained a pivotal figure for Antonio Conte.

With some questions still in the air over whether he will sign a new contract at the club, one pundit has shared their thoughts on Kane and what his future could hold.

The Latest: Hutton on Kane’s future

Speaking to Football Insider, BBC man Hutton was reacting to a recent update which revealed that the club will have to offer Kane an “extraordinary” new contract to keep him at the club. Asked if the striker could leave in the summer, he said:

“It will always linger in the background. There is no getting away from the fact that he wants to go and win things. Tottenham have not been able to.

“I think he really did buy into Antonio Conte coming to the club and there was a real feeling that there was an opportunity for them this year to go and get something.

“I think it all depends on their recruitment. Who they bring in, are they building for the future, does he want to be part of that? If he sees them going in the right way then I think he will stay.

“He is about to turn 30, it is possibly his last chance for a big move for him. He has got lots of football left in his legs. I would like to see him stay and have Tottenham continue to build round him.”

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The Verdict: Spurs must keep hold of Kane

Having started all 22 of Tottenham’s games this season across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists along the way, this shows how important the 29-year-old is for the club.

While it would be a no-brainer for Spurs to do all they can to get Kane to sign a new deal, giving Conte the freedom to build a squad that is capable of winning silverware on a regular basis would also be a good way of convincing the striker to continue his journey with the club.

This could then take any contemplation from the player over potentially moving to a club where winning trophies is a more regular occurrence.

Bayern Munich chiefs are ‘working’ on a potentially ‘massive deal’ for Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Kane back in form…

Following a briefly regrettable spell out of form under former Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo this time last year, the 29-year-old has certainly returned to his best.

Antonio Conte’s reign has lead to Kane rediscovering the very best of his ability in a sole striking role, having racked up 12 goals in just 15 Premier League starts this season (WhoScored).

The England captain, who is currently at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is unsurprisingly attracting interest, with his Spurs contract set to expire in 2024.

The Latest: Bayern ‘working’ on Kane move…

According to reports out of Germany, it appears that Bayern are still very much in the running for Kane.

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg claims that the Bundesliga side are ‘still working’ on a move ‘in the background’ as they eye a potentially ‘massive deal’ to bring him to Bavaria.

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However, in a possible boost for Tottenham supporters, chiefs at Bayern are ‘skeptical’ as to whether they can pull off what would be a huge agreement worth between €80m and €100m (£69m-£86.1m).

It’s added that Kane has made no decision on his future yet but will do after the World Cup.

The Verdict: Crunch time…

Kane has made no secret of his desire to win trophies and Bayern could provide the perfect platform to clinch major silverware at the back end of a stunning career.

This will undoubtedly be a temptation for the Tottenham striker, especially if he allows his contract to run down, which could force chairman Daniel Levy into making a tough decision.

Aston Villa have not had the best start to their Premier League campaign but Unai Emery will be hoping that the World Cup break has given him time to settle in and players to recover ahead of the second half of the season, with some promising news emerging from Dubai.

What’s the latest?

According to Birmingham Live, Diego Carlos has travelled with the Aston Villa squad to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp ahead of their return to action in the Premier League later this month.

As per the report, Carlos is looking like he will be able to return to action in the new year as he has stepped up his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon injury that has left the player sidelined since the beginning of the season after undergoing surgery.

Emery will be thrilled

There is no doubt that Emery will be thrilled that Carlos is starting to show signs that he could be ready to return in the very near future as the new manager sets out to continue his transformation of Villa when they return to Premier League football after Christmas.

The Villans managed to climb back up to 12th in the league table with Emery taking two consecutive victories against Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion away from his first two league games in charge at the club, showing promising signs to the Villa Park faithful that a change in fate could be sealed over the second half of the season.

Indeed, Carlos’ return from injury will be another welcome boost and will feel like a new signing for Aston Villa as the defender has only made two appearances so far after securing a four-year deal in the summer.

Over his two Premier League appearances, the talented Brazilian tallied up an 85% pass completion rate in his own half and won 50% of his aerial duels, as well as averaging 70 touches, one clearance and 50 accurate passes per game, proving that he is a progressive defender who could be beneficial in linking build-up play with the Villa midfield.

With that being said, Villa supporters have a lot to look forward to when the team get stuck back into their top flight campaign, Carlos’ return combined with a new leader in Emery will surely be the huge boost the club needs to climb the table over the remainder of the season.

Arsenal have been excellent thus far during the 22/23 campaign, topping their Europa League group and perching atop the Premier League table as the season paused for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

And with the tantalising, agonising thought of securing the league title after almost two decades now emerging from the obscurity of the fog like a towering, gleaming pillar, the Gunners are searching for shrewd signings in the January transfer window to bolster the pack, and prevent a slide from grace in the latter half of the campaign.

Gabriel Jesus was recently felled while performing for Brazil at the World Cup, now facing an extended period on the sidelines, and while the frontline still boasts considerable might, the slick, cohesive model has lost a chunk of its brilliance.

Should another key figure be lost to injury, Arsenal’s finely-poised balance may just take a detrimental tumble, and as such, the hierarchy are looking to act swiftly.

With The Sun reporting in October that Gunners owner Stan Kroenke is set to bless manager Mikel Arteta with funds this winter, with a winger, centre-midfielder, and defender the priority.

And one ace that could slip his way into transfer plans is Adrien Rabiot, who has been excelling at the World Cup with France, cementing a starting role in the world champion’s team.

His influence and presence have indeed earned plaudits, with Frederic Piquionne tweeting: “Adrien Rabiot is the Emmanuel Petit of 98 best player in the World Cup.”

Such a comparison is high praise indeed, with the 27-year-old exhibiting attributes of tenacity, guile and intelligence that embodied Petit’s starring role as France clinched gold on home turf at the 1998 World Cup.

Rabiot has recorded an average rating of 7.35 in Qatar, scoring during the opening group game against Australia and completing 88% of his passes as France breezed into the quarter-finals, where a clash against England awaits.

Also averaging 1.8 shots per match, making 2.5 tackles and 1.3 interceptions, the “complete” dynamo’s versatility has proved invaluable for Les Bleus.

Now emerging as a “key player” for the side, as praised by teammate Ibrahima Konate, the £21.5m-rated star would be a sterling addition to this title-chasing Gunners team, tightening a formidable grip on the hold the team has on the domestic scene at present.

With the player’s club Juventus willing to sell him to Manchester United in the summer, with the move failing to pass the finish line, Arsenal will know that they might just have some success in drawing him over to north London, and should do so with swift conviction.

Back in 2016, Aston Villa were relegated from the Premier League for the first time in their history, and the skies above Villa Park looked very bleak indeed. 

And flagging fortunes were nailed in by a veritable hammer following former manager Paul Lambert’s revelation during an interview with The Express, stating the club attempted to sign several big names during his tenure, one being prolific hotshot Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 

He stated that had he been granted his wishes the likes of Aubameyang, who then plied his trade with Borussia Dortmund in Germany, might’ve signed for the midlands outfit and steered the ship in a direction more befitting of a club of such high stature.

During his time with the Yellow Wall, the Gabonese striker amassed 141 goals and 36 assists across just 213 outings, winning the DFB Pokal and two DFL-Supercup trophies.

Following his exploits in the German Bundesliga, the “phenomenal” talisman – as dubbed by Mikel Arteta – earned a high-profile transfer to Arsenal, where he continued his golden goal-scoring touch with 92 goals and 21 assists across only 163 appearances. 

In his most prolific campaign for the north London giants, the 2018/19 term, Aubameyang plundered 31 goals and eight assists from 51 displays, including a 22-goal haul in the Premier League that won him the division’s Golden Boot, sharing the individual honour alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. 

In a career capped off by a stint with FC Barcelona, before arriving back in England this summer to serve as Chelsea’s centre-forward, the 33-year-old will go down as one of the most devastating finishers of his generation. 

This level of clinical prowess would have provided Aston Villa with a focal point up front to add a sheen to their offensive drive that almost certainly could have been the catalyst for a shift in momentum, a turning of the tide to lift the club back towards prominence.

Notably, Villa’s stunning 2014/15 FA Cup run, where the club ultimately lost 4-0 to the Gunners in the finale, could have recorded a very different outcome had Lambert been granted his prior wish of installing a striker into the team with world-class credentials, bringing silverware back to to the club for the first time since the 1995/96 term, where the club won their fifth English League Cup.

Almost a decade ago, when the Claret and Blue seemingly had their interest in the forward, the Villa hierarchy were not to know that he would go on to have such an impressive career laden in goals, but the club’s fortunes might have been very different indeed had they forged ahead with what would have been a monumental deal.

West Ham United have now been handed a boost in their pursuit of Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri.

The Lowdown: Moyes’ long-term interest

West Ham manager David Moyes has a long-standing interest in En-Nesyri, dating as far back as January 2021, when the club submitted an offer worth £22.5m to Sevilla, which was rejected as it did not reach their £40m valuation.

While Moyes was initially deterred by the Spanish club’s valuation, he again made his interest in the Moroccan clear in the summer transfer window, lodging a £34m bid, as relayed by Sport Witness, but his current employers had no interested in selling him at this point.

However, it appears that standpoint has now changed, and the door could be open for the Hammers to sign the 25-year-old in January, with journalist Dean Jones recently telling GIVEMESPORT that he is ‘someone that they still like.’

The Latest: Sevilla happy to sell

According to Spanish sources, via Football Espana, Sevilla are now looking to cash in on the forward, as they believe that his recent World Cup displays mean that there will be increased demand in his services.

Despite rejecting a £34m bid in the summer, the same outlet claim that the Rojiblancos would actually be willing to accept a lower bid, which may tempt Moyes into reigniting his interest in the 6 foot 2 finisher.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Gianluca Scamacca has failed to hit the ground running at the London Stadium since arriving for £35.5m in the summer, and although it is still early days, the striker will be disappointed by a tally of just two goals in 13 Premier League appearances.

With West Ham 16th in the standings, they could definitely do with signing some competition for the Italian, and En-Nesyri is in red-hot form, no doubt capable of firing the Irons up the league table.

The 57-time Morocco international, who has previously been lauded ‘very dangerous’ by journalist Josh Bunting, has a solid goal record for his country, netting 17 times in 57 caps, and he displayed his talents yet again at the World Cup, most notably notching the winner with a remarkable header in a 1-0 quarter-final victory against Portugal.

This aerial prowess would offer Moyes something different in the attack, with En-Nesyri averaging 3.27 aerials won per 90 over the past year, compared to just 1.98 for Scamacca.

West Ham United are eyeing a move to sign Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips after missing out on the midfielder last year.

The Lowdown: Long-term interest

The Hammers tried to sign Phillips from Leeds United last season, with a £50m move in January 2022 rejected by the Whites.

David Moyes is now once again in need of reinforcements in the centre of the park, as the Irons dropped to 17th place in the table this weekend thanks to a defeat against Brentford and Everton’s shock 1-1 draw at Manchester City.

And it’s the Etihad where Moyes is now looking, with GSBK apparently reigniting their interest in Phillips.

The Latest: Price dropping…

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, West Ham have been alerted by Pep Guardiola’s recent criticism of Phillips’ fitness.

They ‘expect’ to lose Declan Rice this summer, while Phillips is admired by Moyes and ‘seen as capable of replacing Rice’.

The England international could even be available for less than the £45m Man City paid during the summer window.

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The Verdict: Wait and see?

There’s no questioning Phillips’ abilities on the football pitch. The former England Player of the Year was “unbelievable” at Elland Road – in the words of BBC pundit Alan Hutton – and shouldn’t be chastised for failing to budge the ever-present Rodri from Guardiola’s first-choice XI.

During his two top flight seasons with Leeds, the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ racked up 43 league appearances and played a significant role in making Marcelo Bielsa’s side one of the most exciting in the division.

All that said, the Irons may want to officially decide Moyes’ future before they splash any major cash in the January transfer window – a new manager may have a completely different philosophy and therefore completely different targets in mind.

GBSK can’t sit and linger though, so a definitive decision on the Scotsman’s role in the dugout needs to be made as soon as possible – one way or the other.

Jamie O’Hara has suggested that Antonio Conte’s time at Tottenham Hotspur could be up if he does not change his ways.

What’s the word?

The Spurs manager has come under fire with his side struggling for form and putting in underwhelming performances, and the Italian’s stubbornness over tactics and selections has been criticised.

Speaking on TalkSport, O’Hara slammed Conte’s attitude, with his constant negative comments in the media helping to create a toxic environment, and said that he should leave the club if he did not show more adaptability to change.

He said: “I don’t think he’s giving out the right message to the media in the way he talks about the players and he talks about the team.

“What’s he like at the training ground with his meetings and the way he’s talking? If the players have lost confidence that he believes in them, because he obviously doesn’t, because he’s coming out and saying that he hasn’t even got 14 players to pick from.

“If he’s coming out and saying that, what’s his messages across in training, in team meetings? And I think the message is that the players have lost belief in him and he’s lost belief in them. And if that doesn’t change quickly, then he’s going to have to go.

“I thought his interview yesterday was a bit of a disgrace. He’s talking about we’ve got to do this, and we’ve got to spend money – I get that, everyone’s got to invest. But I also look at it and go, well, you’re just putting the blame on the board.”

Patience running out?

Conte’s contract runs out in the summer, and there has been much speculation over whether he will stay at the club or depart at the end of the campaign.

It is clear that the club will need to spend big to bring the players he wants to convince him to stay, but given his comments as well as the current performances, patience may run out at Spurs in terms of how much more uncertainty they can deal with.

If performances do not improve and Conte refuses to commit his future to the club, the Spurs board may even consider making a change sooner rather than later to help prepare them for the long-term beyond Conte’s tenure instead of signing players requested by the Italian.