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Nottingham Forest are eyeing a move for Hull City defender Jacob Greaves as he impresses in the Championship under Liam Rosenior.

The Lowdown: Reds battle relegation…

Steve Cooper’s side are battling Premier League relegation despite a summer and January of serious spending, with injuries taking a real toll.

Indeed, Forest have had to deal with the absences of Willy Boly, Scott McKenna, Taiwo Awoniyi, Moussa Niakhate, Dean Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ryan Yates, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards, Cheikhou Kouyate and Serge Aurier (premierinjuries).

Cooper’s men currently sit just four points off a relegation place and face off against Everton this Sunday, a potentially crucial decider of who drops to the second tier.

The Latest: Forest making transfer plans…

However, despite their on-field concerns, it is believed Forest chiefs are already making transfer plans.

The Daily Mail claim they’re now eyeing Hull star Greaves as they look to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Forest are said to be in the mix alongside Aston Villa as the 22-year-old builds his reputation and attracts real interest.

The Verdict: Exciting defender…

Greaves stands out as an exciting defender and it’s little wonder Forest have taken note of his exploits.

As per WhoScored, the versatile centre-back, who can also play at left back when required, stands out as Hull’s second-best performing player by average match rating.

Greaves has also averaged more tackles per 90 than any Hull star over his 31 starts this season, marking him out as a star man for Rosenior.

Former Hull boss Grant McCann also said the player is ‘going to be special’ during his time at the MKM Stadium, a prediction which looks to be coming true.

Tottenham Hotspur have held investment ‘discussions’ with interested parties, and a possible windfall ‘could yet happen’ to boost the club.

The Lowdown: Spurs takeover talk…

Last week, news broke of US-Iranian billionaire Jahm Najafi – through MSP Sports Capital – plotting a multi-billion pound bid for Spurs. That offer is expected within the next few weeks, but the magnate may fall short given chairman Daniel Levy and owner Joe Lewis’ valuation of Tottenham.

Reports also suggest that both Levy and Lewis are undecided as to whether they wish to give away a minority stake, sell the club outright or take no action.

The Latest: Gold makes Spurs investment claim…

Writing in a Q&A for football.london, reliable reporter Alasdair Gold has claimed that Spurs have ‘certainly’ held discussions with interested parties over investment in the club.

Making a promising claim, the journalist also suggests ‘that could yet happen’ to boost Antonio Conte’s side financially.

Gold explained: “Spurs have certainly held discussions about potential investment with interested parties so that could yet happen to help them compete.”

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The Verdict: Good news…

The Premier League’s financial powerhouses are beginning to take monopoly of England’s top flight, and there could be a worry from Levy’s perspective that Spurs get left behind.

London rivals Chelsea have spent more than £500m since new owner Todd Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich last year, a sum which Tottenham can’t match in such a short space of time.

News of possible off-field investment comes as positive for the Lilywhites, and if Najafi ultimately fails in his proposed takeover bid, supporters may be hoping that the club can at least secure a windfall through minority investment.

Arsenal have reportedly already tested the ground to sign Juventus central midfielder Adrien Rabiot this summer.

The Lowdown: Contract expiring

Rabiot’s contract expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave Juventus as a free agent.

The France international would offer a much cheaper alternative to the likes of West Ham United’s Declan Rice, who Arsenal are reportedly willing to break their transfer record for, and Brighton and Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo, who they had a £70m bid rejected for in the January transfer window.

The Latest: Tested ground

As per Italian news outlet Calciomercato, the Gunners, as well as Newcastle United, have ‘already tested the ground’ for Rabiot, who has failed to agree terms with Juve over a contract renewal.

The Old Lady have offered him a net salary of €7m (£6.2m) per season, whereas Rabiot wants €10m (£8.9m).

The Verdict: No-brainer

It is surely a no-brainer for the North Londoners to sign Rabiot on a free transfer.

Lauded as ‘outstanding‘ for France in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar by football analyst John Molinaro, the 27-year-old ranked as the finalists’ sixth-best performer, scoring one goal and supplying one assist in his six appearances (WhoScored).

At club level, he ranks in the 85th percentile for all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals, as well as in the 83rd for progressive carries per game, 82nd for touches and 80th for aerials won (FBRef).

Rabiot consistently shows that he can perform on the big stage, and signing him for free could mean that the Gunners would have the budget to sign Rice or Caicedo alongside him to really bolster their midfield options for next season.

Leeds United correspondent Adam Pope has been giving his thoughts on the club’s possible move for Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Deal agreed

The Whites appear to be closing in on securing McKennie’s services, with the player now set to travel to England to undergo a medical and sign the relative paperwork.

Leeds look set to pay Juventus a €1.2m (£1m) loan fee and will have the option to make a move permanent in the summer for €33m (£29m) plus add-ons for the player who Football Talent scout Jacek Kulig has branded as ‘incredibly underrated’.

The Latest: Pope wowed by McKennie deal

Pope took to Twitter on Sunday to share his thoughts on the news regarding a loan-to-buy move for McKennie.

He said “it would be some window” if a deal is finalised, adding that he “can’t recall a more significant January in the club’s recent transfer history if that is the case”.

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The Verdict: Spot on…

We have seen first-hand this month in the Premier League that there is always time for a move to fall through, with Mykhailo Mudryk joining Chelsea instead of Arsenal and Arnaut Danjuma choosing Tottenham over Everton.

However, should a move go through for McKennie, it would cap off a successful month for Victor Orta and co, who would have strengthened all areas of the pitch after signing defender Max Wober and forward Georginio Rutter.

It’s not as if McKennie has fallen out of favour in Italy either, as he has made 96 appearances over the last two and a half years, so a transfer could turn out to be a major coup. Leeds fans haven’t been used to busy January windows either, completing the majority of their business under Marcelo Bielsa in the summer, so Pope’s comments are spot on.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in 2023 with the once-sharp performances at Anfield turning stale this season but now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of two midfield targets.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are preparing a double swoop for Jude Bellingham and Matheus Nunes in the summer.

As per the report, Bellingham continues to be Jurgen Klopp’s top transfer target but the club will not settle for just one midfield signing and are keen to add Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Nunes as well.

Huge upgrades for Klopp

Links to the Borussia Dortmund wonderkid are nothing new for the Reds who have been part of the conversation in terms of the player’s return to English football for a while now, whilst Nunes was a reported target for the Merseysiders last summer before he joined Wolves.

There is no doubt that the signing of both midfielders would be a big coup for Klopp as they represent two of the most talented central players on the continent, with their potential additions undoubtedly having the ability to breathe fresh life into Anfield.

Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, James Milner, Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino are all well into their 30s at this point with the Liverpool boss having already fielded the club’s oldest starting XI since 1953 this term.

Last night’s FA Cup victory over Wolves, however, was a perfect example of why injecting youth into the centre of the pitch is a good idea with Stefan Bajcetic lighting up Molineux during his fresh and energetic performance.

When comparing Klopp’s most experienced midfielders; Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho, to the prospective targets that could join Liverpool the pair outperform their potential positional competitors in many attributes this season so far.

Bellingham has outperformed all three for shot-creating actions (56), tackles won (26), goal-creating actions (6), goal contributions (5), ball recoveries (128), aerial duels won (62.9%), tackles and interceptions won (69) and progressive passes (86).

Meanwhile, Nunes outperforms the trio for goal contributions (3), goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.34), tackles won (20), successful crosses (20) and progressive passes received (60).

It is reported that the Bundesliga ace will cost Liverpool a whopping £130m whilst the Wolves sensation will command a more modest fee of around £44m should the club make a move for both players in the summer.

With that being said, the signing of the talented duo would clearly be a huge upgrade on the midfielders in the heart of the team at present and as a result, will help Klopp form the next generation of talent to compete for success and trophies at Anfield.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has slammed the recent Manchester United links to Al Nassr forward Vincent Aboubakar.

The Lowdown: Man United reportedly submit loan bid for Aboubakar

According to Saudi outlet Okaz (via the Daily Express), the Premier League side have submitted a loan bid for the Al Nassr forward. This could lead to former Man United star Cristiano Ronaldo registering a space in the Saudi Pro League side.

Manager Erik ten Hag stated in a previous press conference that club need more competition in their squad.

Meanwhile, the club have also been linked with Burnley striker Wout Weghorst per The Athletic, with the Red Devils reportedly offered the chance to sign the on-loan Besiktas striker on a temporary basis.

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The Latest: Aboubakar move would be ‘appalling’

Speaking on The United Stand, Goldbridge described a potential move for the Cameroonian striker as ‘appalling’, claiming that the addition of Aboubakar would just be another body and wouldn’t improve the club.

He stated: “Pretty physical; not super fast, but not slow; not a bad finisher. Highlight of his career was a few years at Porto, then I think he went to Besiktas and then he’s been in Saudi Arabia. So he is not an elite striker.

“I do not see United doing this deal. And if they do do this deal, it would be appalling,

“Ten Hag would have to take it if that’s all there is – of course he would – and he’d have to big it up. But I put this there with Jack Butland, it’s just another body – they’re not actually coming to dislodge a first-team player. They’re just coming to give us another body, aren’t they? And that cannot be acceptable.”

The Verdict: Signing Aboubakar would be pointless for Man United

The Cameroon striker has found success in France, Portugal, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, while he’s picked up five goal contributions in 11 league games for Al Nassr this term.

Aboubakar’s most prolific campaign was at Lorient in the 2013/14 season, when the forward scored 16 times in Ligue 1 for the French side. In recent times, his most successful season arguably came at Besiktas, hitting the back of the net 15 times in just 26 Super Lig games during the 2020/21 campaign.

So clearly, it’s been a long time since the striker has had a successful campaign in one of Europe’s major leagues, so it would perhaps be wise to avoid signing him if you’re Manchester United.

The Red Devils has been linked with the likes of Joao Felix recently, who would be a much better fit for a loan move. Felix has had a solid campaign with Atletico Madrid this season where he has seven goal contributions in 13 La Liga games, proving he can perform in one of Europe’s top leagues.

Celtic reportedly fluffed the chance to signing Poland sensation Robert Lewandowski over a decade ago, with the Parkhead outfit no doubt having been left to rue that notable blunder on the Barcelona hotshot.

The suggestion is that agent Raymond Sparkes offered the then-youngster to the Old Firm giants back in 2009, with the Hoops having the chance to land the centre-forward from Lech Poznan for a reported fee of just €1.75m (£1.5m).

As it proved, the Glasgow side did not heed that recommendation as the Warsaw-born ace would go on to join Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund a year later, albeit with Sparkes himself seemingly admitting to some of the blame for that missed opportunity:

“I said to Celtic: “I’ve found a striker you should be looking at. But I probably talked myself out of a deal because I also said to them I didn’t think he justified that kind of fee so early in his career.”

Those at Celtic Park have since been forced to watch the “goal-scoring monster” – as described by Arielle Castillo – go on to emerge as a leading figure in European football since then, with the now veteran ace having plundered a truly staggering haul of 527 club career goals in total.

That includes a simply eye-watering stint at former club Bayern Munich in which the 6 foot 1 machine scored 344 times and registered 72 assists in just 375 games, while notably beating a record set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring 81 times in just his first 100 Champions League games.

Now at Camp Nou – where he has 18 goals in just 19 games for the La Liga giants – the 34-year-old is a truly prolific and potent attacking threat, having also showcased that talent on the World Cup stage in recent weeks.

While Poland crashed out in the round of 16 at the hands of holders France, following a Kylian Mbappe-inspired victory, Lewandowski scored twice in his four outings in the competition, including in the vital group stage win over Saudi Arabia.

That outing also saw the £346k-per-week maestro lay on an assist as well as complete four of his six dribbles in what was an all-round centre-forward display, having unsurprisingly received a match rating of 7.9, as per Sofascore.

The striker’s subsequent, consolation strike from the penalty spot against Les Bleus ensured that he now has 78 goals in 138 games for his country at senior level, moving him ahead of Brazilian legend Pele into tenth place in the list of all-time top-scorers in international history.

To think that Celtic could well have landed such a talent – who is now said to be worth roughly £52m according to CIES Football Observatory – for a mere bargain price all those years ago will no doubt sting somewhat for both the club and its supporters.

Of course, few could have predicted the career that the Pole would go on to have, although it will still seemingly smart as far as the Bhoys are concerned.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Raphael Guerreiro to Elland Road.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Fussball Transfers (via Sport Witness), who claim that Victor Orta has shown a recent interest in the Borussia Dortmund left-back ahead of launching a potential move for the 28-year-old in either the January transfer window or next summer, when it seems as if the defender will be available to sign on a free transfer.

Indeed, a further report by the same publication claimed that the Whites have ‘recently put out feelers’ for the Portugal international. It is also suggested that Guerreiro himself has ruled out the possibility of signing a new deal with the Bundesliga club – something which will come as a huge boost to Orta considering the player’s £22m asking price last summer.

Would be an unreal signing

While Guerreiro’s form for Dortmund in recent years is undoubtedly more than enough to convince Orta to launch a move for the 28-year-old in January, considering just how impressive the full-back has been in Qatar so far this winter, it is undeniable that the Portugal sensation’s signing would be an unreal deal for the Spaniard to pull off next month.

Indeed, over his three outings at the World Cup so far, the £17.5m-rated talent has played a key role in helping his country reach the quarter-finals of the competition. He has scored one goal, registered two assists and created one big chance for his team, in addition to taking 0.7 shots, making 1.7 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles (at a success rate of 100%) per game.

The £58k-per-week defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making one interception and one tackle and winning 2.7 duels (62% success rate) per match. He has also found a team-mate with an average of one long ball, played 2.7 chipped passes and completed 37.7 passes (90% success rate) per fixture.

These returns have seen the “unreal” 28-year-old average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.37, not only ranking him as Fernando Santos’ fourth-best performer in the tournament but also as the joint 33rd-best player in the 2022 World Cup as a whole.

As such, considering the world-class talent that Guerreiro has showcased in Qatar, the argument that the left-back would be an unreal signing for Orta to get over the line in January is indeed an extremely easy one to make. The Dortmund defender is evidently not just one of the best players in his position, but he currently ranks as one of the best in world football.

Julen Lopetegui was confirmed as Wolves’ new manager late last week and the Spaniard could get the Old Gold back to their best by unleashing Toti.

The 56-year-old manager, who will take charge of his first Wolves game after the World Cup break, has a huge job on his hands if he wants to be a success at Molineux, as his new side sit 19th in the Premier League following their 3-2 defeat against Brighton at the weekend.

After Wolves were so defensively strong last season, with only the top four conceding fewer, the Midlands outfit have been a shambles at the back so far this season, shipping 22 goals in the Premier League, including seven in their last two home fixtures.

One explanation behind this was Bruno Lage’s decision to switch from a five-at-the-back formation to a four-at-the-back formation, as well as allowing club captain Conor Coady to join Everton on loan.

This left the Old Gold incredibly short of centre-back options, which was emphasised under the Portuguese manager earlier in the season when Ruben Neves was deployed in defence after Nathan Collins’ sending-off against Manchester City.

Steve Davis opted to call upon Toti for the games against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, and while he struggled at Stamford Bridge, he earned an impressive 7.18 rating and a clean sheet against Steve Cooper’s side, helping the Old Gold to just their second win of the Premier League season.

The young centre-back’s average rating of 6.67 in the top flight actually ranks him as the second-best performer at Wolves so far this term, so it is peculiar that he hasn’t seen any more minutes after that Forest win.

While Collins and Max Kilman is the strongest partnership as a two, Lopetegui might consider playing Toti alongside them in a back five, if he wants to make Wolves more defensively secure.

The 23-year-old, who was described as a “top player” by his Wolves teammate Max Kilman, has made just seven appearances in his time with the Old Gold but could be in line for a more regular role if he can impress his new manager.

While the goalscoring issues were still there last season, Wolves looked far more comfortable when playing three centre-backs, while they also enjoyed success with that formation under Nuno Espirito Santo, finishing seventh in their first season back in the top flight after promotion.

Therefore, when Lopetegui takes charge of his first game after the World Cup break, he should consider unleashing Toti alongside Kilman and Collins at the back.

Glasgow Rangers are set to compete for a place in the semi-finals of the League Cup tonight as they host Dundee FC at Ibrox under the lights.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst was appointed as the Light Blues’ manager after the team had been knocked out of the competition by Hibernian, thanks to a hat-trick from Martin Boyle, last season and he now has the chance to win the trophy this term.

The Dutch head coach led his team to the final of the Europa League and won the SFA Cup in the 2021/22 campaign, which shows that he has a knack for managing in knockout matches.

Rangers come up against Championship side Dundee FC and the manager may look to rotate his side in order to avoid burnout whilst handing opportunities to players on the fringes of the squad, given that the match is against lower-league opposition.

One player who must finally be unleashed from the start is academy central midfielder Charlie McCann. Malik Tillman, who scored a wonder goal against Motherwell at the weekend, should be rested for this game – ahead of Premiership and Champions League clashes – and the Northern Ireland international should come in to replace him.

The former Manchester United man has not started a game since the 2-1 win over Dundee United on the 17th of September and was an unused substitute in the recent success over Motherwell.

He played 14 minutes off the bench in the last round of the League Cup against Queen of the South and picked up an assist in the 3-1 win, which provides an insight into the quality he can provide from midfield.

During pre-season, journalist Josh Bunting heaped praise on the youngster by Tweeting: “Charlie McCann is a quality player for Rangers, a real natural number 8 who must be knocking on the first team door. His goal today was stunning but his all round play is very sharp. Has a nice pass selection, always wants to get on the ball and make something happen.”

He has made plenty of things happen since the start of the competitive season as he has racked up two assists in eight appearances for Rangers at youth and senior level, including three goals in four Lowland League outings.

The 20-year-old dynamo has the ability to provide a spark in the final third by bursting forward from a central midfield position to score a goal or create a chance, much like Tillman did against Motherwell on Sunday.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst must finally unleash the youngster from the start to see if he can stake a claim for a regular place in the team moving forward, as he has the potential to develop into a top player if he can regularly contribute with goals and assists for the first-team.