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According to a report from the Daily Mail, Manchester United are considering a move for Brentford’s attacking midfielder Christian Eriksen. 

The lowdown: Eriksen enjoying fairytale comeback

When regulations in Italy ruled out the possibility of a career in Serie A following a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 clash with Finland, Eriksen had to be released by Inter Milan.

The 30-year-old subsequently signed for Brentford on a short-term deal and continued a fairytale return to professional football in west London on the weekend, netting a first Premier League goal since joining the Bees against Chelsea.

This came just after the former Tottenham star scored twice upon his comeback to the international stage recently.

As the end of the season and the conclusion of a deal at the west London club comes into view, it appears that Brentford may struggle to retain the Dane’s services…

The latest: United watching Eriksen

As per the Daily Mail, the Red Devils are believed to be ‘monitoring’ Eriksen ahead of a potential summer swoop.

With the 30-year-old set to become a free agent in July (as per Transfermarkt), Manchester United and Tottenham are both attentive to the 111-cap playmaker’s situation at Brentford.

The verdict: Perfect Pogba replacement

As Eriksen becomes a free agent, there can be no doubting the logic in pursuing a deal for the £13.5m valued man, particularly as United brace themselves for the seemingly imminent departure of Paul Pogba.

Boasting an enviable trophy haul along with 230 English top-flight appearances, signing the Denmark star would be the ideal tonic to boost the Old Trafford squad in terms of quality and experience.

Previously hailed as ‘world class’ by former Spurs team-mate Dele Alli, adding Eriksen’s impressive technical ability to the squad to dovetail alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho would surely be an exciting prospect, particularly on a free transfer.

In other news: Source makes worrying claim regarding Man Utd star. Find out more here!

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte could be without one of his key first-team stars this afternoon…

What’s the latest?

Spurs welcome Newcastle United to north London as both teams return to Premier League action following the international break, and the Italian will be hoping to maintain ground in the race for a top-four finish.

But ahead of kick-off, some worrying news has emerged as Sergio Reguilon could be a surprise absentee after pulling up in training on Thursday, as revealed by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold.

‘football.london understands that Sergio Reguilon pulled up in training on Thursday with a problem and had to leave the session,’ he wrote.

Huge blow

Whilst not in the best of form, the absence of the Spanish wing-back would still be something of a major blow to Conte and the Spurs squad, especially as this game will be too soon for his alternative, Ryan Sessegnon, to return.

“The good news is that [Oliver] Skippy and Sessegnon are very close to being back with the team, to having training sessions with us. They are not yet ready for the game against Newcastle, but they are improving,” the Italian revealed in his pre-game press conference.

The prospect of playing the Magpies without an out-and-out left wing-back is certainly cause for concern, even more so given the fact that Conte’s system relies so heavily on attacking influence in the role.

Reguilon is amongst Spurs’ most creative options, averaging 1.3 key passes per game, a feat only bettered by frontline duo Heung-min Son (two) and Dejan Kulusevski (1.7), as per WhoScored.

Elsewhere, the former Real Madrid dynamo has been a key influence defensively too, where he has registered an average of 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game; numbers that exceed that of Sessegnon.

If unavailable, it leaves Conte with little options.

Matt Doherty could switch across to the other flank, something he has done only three times across his last 50 competitive appearances in all competitions, whilst there could be a change in formation that sees Ben Davies deployed in his natural left-back role amongst a back four, rather than three.

That’s something the Italian has done just once since being appointed as Nuno Santo’s successor, resulting in a 2-0 defeat to his former club, Chelsea.

Without Reguilon, Conte will be handed a late dilemma over team selection and that will surely leave him absolutely gutted, if not fuming as injuries show no sign of easing up at Hotspur Way.

AND in other news, Forget Davies: Conte must start £27m-rated Spurs “beast” today, it could be game-changing…

Wolves are still prioritising the signing of a new centre-back in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Wolves impress at the back

Bruno Lage’s side are enjoying an increasingly impressive season, sitting eighth in the Premier League table after 20 matches.

Wolves’ success has been built on an excellent defence, with the go-to back-three of Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss ensuring they have conceded just 15 league goals.

Despite this, a new defender could be needed this month – Saiss is currently away at AFCON – and a key update has emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Journalist makes centre-back claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed Lage still sees a centre-back addition as a fairly strong possibility in January:

“I don’t think they’re desperate to bring in another centre midfielder. I think a centre-back is Bruno Lage’s top target in this window if he is to bring somebody in.”

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

While Kilman, Coady and Saiss have all impressed this season, added depth is required in the squad, in case one of them gets injured or fatigue sets in.

Willy Boly’s ongoing fitness issues mean Wolves feel light in that area especially while Saiss is away, so bringing in someone such as Duje Caleta-Car from Marseille would make perfect sense.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Molineux and has averaged 1.2 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game in Ligue 1 this season, not to mention winning 20 caps for Croatia.

In other news, Tim Spiers has made a key claim regarding Wolves’ transfer business. Read more here.

With three new players through the door during the current January transfer window, Aston Villa could be set to miss out on a big opportunity to strengthen their squad even further before the end of the month.

What’s the news?

After being mentioned with a move to sign Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, it seems as though the Midlands club could be set to miss out on signing the Swiss international after journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared a post on his official Twitter page with the latest details regarding the midfielder.

In the tail off to his update about the midfielder, Romano uttered the dreaded five-word update: “Premier League move seems unlikely.”

He then went on to suggest that Bayern Munich and Dortmund were pushing to sign him.

Fans will be gutted

Since joining Monchengladbach back in the 2017 summer transfer window, the 25-year-old has gone on to make a total of  146 appearances for the club across all competitions with five of those appearances coming in the Champions League last season, showing the sort of top-level experience the midfield maestro has under his belt and why he would be a useful asset in Gerrard’s squad.

With all of that in mind and the fact that Gerrard apparently wants to add a midfielder to his squad before the end of the month, Zakaria could be a valid and cheap option for Villa to sign after they reportedly had a bid of £25m rejected by Brighton & Hove Albion for Yves Bissouma.

Thus, if Zakaria does end up moving to Bayern or Dortmund this month for the relatively low transfer fee Romano speaks of, it would surely be disappointing for the Villa fans to see their club not do all they can to bring him to Villa Park.

That’s especially when you consider how active they have been in the transfer window so far and how capable they have been when it comes to spending money on new players.

Consequently, the Villans would then have to make sure they bring a different midfielder in before the window closes to give Gerrard the best possible chance of ending his first season in charge of Villa as strongly as he can.

In other news: Talks ongoing: Sky Sports journo drops big Villa update on live TV, fans surely elated – opinion

Crystal Palace will no doubt be looking to return to winning ways, after sustaining losses to Chelsea and Leicester City, respectively.

Both losses saw the Eagles deploy two different formations, as they temporarily stepped away from their 4-3-3 system.

When they played Leicester City in their most recent league game, Palace attempted to gain a numerical advantage throughout the centre of the pitch by deploying a 4-2-3-1 system against Brendan Rodgers’ 4-3-3 shape.

And in the FA Cup semi-final, Vieira looked to nullify Chelsea’s attacking threat by the means of a 3-5-2 system.

Across both fixtures, Vieira’s side conceded four goals and scored just one. That is a sure-fire sign for the return of the system that had seen them pick up 11 points from a possible 15, across their last five games.

On the chalkboard

One player who has drastically struggled for minutes this season is the 23-year-old talent, Ebere Eze, someone dubbed “special” by the Coaches Voice.

Eze has made just seven appearances in the Premier League this season, after struggling for fitness as a result of an achilles tendon problem that he sustained at the end of the last Premier League campaign.

Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Chelsea saw him play a full 90 minutes for the first time this season, with Eze now reported to be fully fit by Crystal Palace correspondent, Mark Wyatt, and ready to make his claim as an Eagles regular.

The game against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side is the perfect opportunity for the England starlet to make his presence known and get back to the form that saw him chip in with ten goal contributions in 34 Premier League appearances for Palace last season.

Vieira can give the £37k-per-week livewire creative freedom up top, with a simple tweak to his usual 4-3-3 formation.

Quite simply, a switch to a 4-3-2-1 system (replacing the two wing positions with two attacking midfielders) would suit Eze’s game down to a tee.

The £18m-rated star played his best football as an attacking midfielder for QPR in a 2019/20 season that saw him bag eight assists.

This slight tweak could help him reach these numbers once again in a move that could, quite simply, terrify Eddie Howe and Newcastle United.

In other news: Vieira eyes CPFC move for “sensational” £14k-pw maestro, it could be bye-bye Gallagher…

Glasgow Rangers recorded a 3-1 victory over Motherwell on Saturday lunchtime, with the win moving the Ibrox outfit to within three points of the current Scottish Premiership leaders.

The Light Blues scored the opener after only 15 minutes, with James Tavernier swinging a cross in that eventually resulted in Motherwell’s Liam Kelly scoring an own goal, harshly denying Scott Wright.

Leon Balogun was sent off for the Gers after half an hour following a poor challenge and this initially swung the momentum to the home side, who equalised shortly after.

However, following the half-time interval, Rangers went up a gear and secured all three points with goals from the impressive Wright and Tavernier sealing the victory at Fir Park.

And, in the absence of both Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos, the real hero for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side was Fashion Sakala, who terrorised the Motherwell defence throughout the tie.

Sakala passed Van Bronckhorst’s test

In possession, the Zambian was a constant threat in the final third, registering one shot, making two key passes, completing all four of his attempted dribbles and creating one big chance for his teammates – proving that he was extremely lively in Rangers’ attempts to secure the win.

However, the biggest moment came when the player Alan Hutton claimed “plays at 100mph” was through on goal and managed to win a penalty for Gers, giving Tavernier the chance to put his side two goals ahead, with the captain duly delivering.

The Zambian international also made two tackles, one clearance, and won eight of his 12 duels – a success rate of 67% – showing that he can get his hands dirty and help the team out defensively, this was vital when Motherwell had all the momentum after Balogun’s sending off.

Overall, Sakala was fantastic – something that was reflected in his 7.6 SofaScore match rating, the best of any Gers player on the day – with his performance undoubtedly pleasing Van Bronckhorst greatly, as the £10k-per-week hitman certainly passed the Dutchman’s big test ahead of the club’s upcoming Europa League semi-final.

AND in other news: Van Bronckhorst can brutally axe “shaky” Rangers dud in deal for “annoyingly brilliant” £0 machine

Marina Granovskaia is Chelsea’s transfer chief, and she’s largely taken over the mantle from Michael Emenalo at Stamford Bridge. Typically, she’s involved in everything from contractual renewals to big money signings to handling incoming transfer offers.

She’s had a big role to play, then, in the future of Callum Hudson-Odoi. Indeed, according to the Telegraph, she has informed Bayern Munich that Chelsea’s talented teenager is not for sale – which is a huge decision. The Blues have, as a result, turned down millions of pounds in an effort to give a young player a chance.

Throughout her tenure, she’s made some huge decisions, like bringing in Maurizio Sarri and playing a part in the signing dozens of players, but it’s her decision on Hudson-Odoi that could end up being her crowning achievement at Stamford Bridge.

In the past, this isn’t a decision that Chelsea would have taken. The Blues have regularly been willing to cash in on young players in favour of bringing in more established names, and for a while, it looked like this would go down the same path.

However, Granovskaia has taken a different path, and if it works out, it could be huge for the club. If Hudson-Odoi is able to make an impact in the Chelsea first team, not only will her decision be vindicated, but it could also open the door for Chelsea’s other young players to force their way into the team. After all, if Hudson-Odoi is rated so highly and has proven his worth; why can’t they?

Of course, it could all go poorly. If he has a poor second-half of the season, Chelsea will live to regret not taking the money and running.

That’s a risk, though it had to be taken, and the results could be huge.

Forget the sackings and the hirings. This is a decision that could have huge consequences for years to come – and it could be a defining 6 months for Granovskaia as a result.

Thoughts?

A Sunderland training ground development has emerged, regarding versatile gem Luke O’Nien…

What’s the latest?

The Chronicle Live have reported that the midfielder is back out on the field on Wednesday as he looks to complete his comeback from an injury.

O’Nien has been out of action since November due to a shoulder problem and he is now easing his way back to full fitness.

Buzzing

Sunderland fans will be buzzing with this news as the return of O’Nien could be a big boost to manager Lee Johnson for the second half of the season.

The Black Cats are working hard to battle their way out of League One and having as many of their players fit and available as possible could help them to achieve their goal. The midfielder is a proven performer at this level as he has previously shown that he can consistently deliver quality displays in a number of positions, which is why this update could delight fans and Johnson.

Wigan and Wycombe are the two teams above Sunderland in the table as it stands, with the latter sitting top and one point above them and the former having a whopping four games in-hand but currently level on points. This shows how tight it is at the top of the table and why every little advantage the Black Cats can accrue could be crucial in the coming months.

Only Ross Stewart and Tom Flanagan have averaged higher SofaScore ratings than O’Nien in League One this season and this illustrates his importance to the team as he has been one of their top performers this term. He has averaged a score of 7.11 across 16 appearances, playing in a plethora of roles throughout the XI – highlighting the versatility he brings as he can play at centre-back, right-back, right midfield, central midfield and in a holding position.

The ex-Wycombe man has won an impressive 65% of his duels and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the third tier. Fans will surely be delighted to see his tough-tackling midfield performances again in the coming weeks and this is why they will be buzzing with the news that he is back in training and working to shake off his shoulder injury.

AND in other news, Johnson must secure SAFC deal for £3.1k-p/w gem who has “all the raw tools to succeed”…

Newcastle United return to action this evening as they face off against Wolves at St James’ Park in the Premier League.

The Magpies are currently on a run of three straight defeats and will be looking to put their poor form to an end with a positive result against Bruno Lage’s side.

Eddie Howe’s men were given a thrashing last time out in the top flight as they were hammered 5-1 by Antonio Conte’s Tottenham last weekend.

The ex-Cherries head coach will surely make changes to his team in the hope of turning in an improved performance, and one player he must finally unleash from the start is Bruno Guimaraes after benching him last week.

The midfielder came on as a substitute against Spurs and caught the eye with a strong showing amid a number of poor displays from his team-mates. As per SofaScore, he won seven of his nine duels, made four tackles and completed 96% of his attempted passes – resulting in one key pass – in just 31 minutes on the pitch.

To put those statistics into context, Joe Willock (six), Jonjo Shelvey (three) and Joelinton (two) all failed to win as many duels as the Brazilian despite all of them starting the match, with the former two playing the full 90 minutes and Joelinton coming off in the 59th minute.

His former Lyon team-mate Houssem Aouar dubbed Bruno as someone who “constantly offers solutions” for his team’s defenders by sweeping up ahead of them. This was on full display in his cameo performance in north London as the 24-year-old got stuck in and won possession back for his team in the little time that he had on the pitch.

Howe previously hailed the midfielder as a “standout” player and that is exactly what he can be for Newcastle against Wolves if he is named in the starting XI.

In his last Premier League start – against Everton in mid-March – Bruno impressed in the middle of the park. As per SofaScore, he won seven of his nine duels and made three tackles, whilst completing 97% of his passes and all nine of his long pass attempts.

This display – along with his ability to outshine Willock, Shelvey and Joelinton against Spurs – suggests that he has the quality to run the midfield for the Magpies. He can excel both on and off the ball and it is time for Howe to throw him in from the start at St James’ Park tonight.

AND in other news, Signed for free, now worth £9m: Ashley sealed his final NUFC gift in £35k-p/w “dream”…

According to a report by Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna (relayed by Sport Witness), West Ham and Newcastle have ‘made an approach’ for Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, and both sides ‘could make an offer’ for the player.

The Lowdown: Badiashile a hot prospect

Badiashile has taken Ligue 1 by storm, as he has secured himself as one of the hottest young prospects in the country. The 20-year-old centre-back has made 12 appearances for Monaco this season, and this total would have been even greater if it weren’t for a hamstring injury which kept him out for the second half of November and early December.

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The France U21 has also played a part in the club’s Europa League campaign, having played in the home and away fixtures against Real Sociedad and PSV Eindhoven. Impressively, he leads the side in defensive clearances made in the competition, averaging a mammoth five per game.

The Latest: Irons have ‘made an approach’ for Badiashile

According to a report by Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna (via Sport Witness), West Ham have joined Newcastle in having ‘made an approach’ for the Frenchman, who have contacted Monaco and the player’s representatives directly.

As a result, it is said that both Premier League clubs ‘could make an offer’ for the 20-year-old in the January window.

Aouna has previously reported that the Magpies and the Hammers were ‘both interested’ in securing the youngster’s signature. At that point, it was claimed that the Irons ‘should’ make an offer, whilst Newcastle were waiting to assess the situation, due to the pursuits of Sven Botman and Diego Carlos. However now, it seems the two English clubs are set to go toe-to-toe for the player.

The Verdict: A phenomenal signing for the next decade

Unfortunately, the youngster has recently picked up another injury, potentially ruling him out for at least a month (NUFC 360), so this would definitely be a signing for the long-term.

Despite being just 20 years old, Badiashile has already received vast interest from big clubs across Europe. In the summer of 2020, former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was supposedly keeping a close eye on the youngster. He was even compared with current Manchester United defender Raphael Varane, with that report detailing Zidane’s keen eye for talent and affection for Badiashile.

Monaco Vice President Oleg Petrov has also previously expressed how the player was considered ‘bankable’, due to his ‘great talent’ and potential to play for ‘one of the best clubs’ in the world.

This international attention clearly illustrates Badiashile’s quality and outstanding promise as a youngster. Therefore, if West Ham can beat Newcastle to the player’s signature, this could prove to be a phenomenal signing for years to come.