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Leeds United could be set to secure a like-for-like transfer swap this January if reports are to be believed…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to TuttoMercatoWeb, who suggest that Sasa Lukic is preparing to leave Torino following weeks of continued reports linking him with a move.

Although resigned to losing him, the Italian outfit will demand a fee of around €20m (£18m). This would be seen as ‘an offer that cannot be refused’.

With Mateusz Klich also ready to leave Elland Road, it could mark a sensational switch around that could see the Yorkshire outfit benefit.

Bye-bye Klich

Despite being a mainstay for large parts of Marcelo Bielsa’s reign, it seems that in recent seasons the Poland international’s influence has waned.

The 32-year-old has made 192 total appearances for the Whites, although over the summer Jesse Marsch was keen to revamp his engine room by signing Tyler Adams and Marc Roca.

As such, Klich has been limited to an average of 18 minutes per game. During that time, his average rating of 6.55 is indicative of his diminished stature.

This is not far from the equally disappointing 6.67 rating he received last season.

He has been a loyal servant to the club, with Sky Sports presenter David Prutton labelling him an “unsung hero”, but his time may be up.

His replacement in Lukic has proven himself more than dependable and has excelled in this campaign in Italy.

Having been handed a 6.96 average rating, the 26-year-old has established himself as a combative presence boasting a touch of class.

The Serbian pairs 1.4 tackles per game with 1.0 key passes, alongside an 89% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

In whichever position he is deployed he can excel and given his youth and talent, he marks a sensational upgrade on Klich.

Although, Josh Bunting did note that he looked particularly “outstanding protecting the back three.”

It may be tough to see a fan favourite depart, but when the alternative is so impressive it certainly will soften the blow.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva now appears likely to leave the Etihad Stadium, after recent comments made in an interview with Record.

The Lowdown: Silva’s Man City contract

Silva’s current contract does not expire until June 2025, so there is no obligation for Man City to cash-in on him anytime soon, but there has been previous talk about him leaving the club.

The Athletic recently reported that the 28-year-old’s future is ‘up in the air’, while stating that Pep Guardiola could choose to sell him if the right offer came in, with Barcelona being touted as a potential destination earlier this season, and 90min report that the Spanish club are still interested.

The Latest: Seeking new project

In an interview with Record, the Portugal international confirmed that he could leave Man City if the right offer was available, saying:

“In June we’ll talk again to see what’s best. I’m focused on City project and my contract would end at 31.

“I won’t hide that my goal in recent years, if something good happens elsewhere, will probably be to move to a new project.” (via Fabrizio Romano)

The Verdict: Blow for Pep

Lauded as ‘incredible’ by journalist Julien Laurens, the playmaker has been fantastic for the Sky Blues since joining the club for £43m back in 2017, and he would be a real miss in the midfield if he chooses to pursue a move elsewhere.

While Kevin De Bruyne scoops up much of the acclaim, and for good reason, Silva still contributes a lot to City’s attacking output, and he has so far scored twice and registered five assists in 15 Premier League games this season, a very solid return.

The former Benfica man is not irreplaceable, and so Guardiola should not stand in his way if a lucrative offer comes in, but it would still be a blow for the manager, as he has been a consistent performer for him over many years.

Liverpool have had a terrible start to their Premier League season by their standards, and Jurgen Klopp will be desperate for ways to improve the current form at Anfield which is hindering his team’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

The Reds are sixth in the Premier League after a string of inconsistent performances and are now 16 points adrift of leaders Arsenal and seven points shy of the top four following their first 17 games. That must drastically improve if they are to have any hope of climbing back up and claiming a top four position at the end of the season.

The January transfer window could present itself with a golden opportunity to resolve some of the issues for the Merseyside giants, as numerous injuries to key players have certainly contributed to the poor season Liverpool have endured so far.

Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Virgil van Dijk are three long-term absentees set to miss out on at least the next month of action for the Reds, although the signing of Cody Gakpo this month will certainly bolster the attacking threat going into the business end of the campaign.

Although Gakpo has been a major coup for Klopp, adding some quality in the middle of the park is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for Liverpool, with a number of the Reds’ midfielders either coming to the end of their contracts in 2023 or reaching the latter stages of their career.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to Merseyside is Teun Koopmeiners, a gifted midfielder who is currently playing in Serie A for Atalanta, thriving both at club level and on the international stage for his native Netherlands.

The 24-year-old – who was dubbed a “top talent” by Sam Tabuteau – ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, touches and progressive passes received.

Furthermore, Koopmeiners played a vital part in the Dutch team at the World Cup – registering one assist, completing 100% of his dribbles and winning 50% of his duels across five appearances for his national team during the tournament in Qatar.

Klopp could even land his very own Nicolo Barella, as the Liverpool-linked Inter Milan midfielder is the most comparable player to Koopmeiners over the last 12 months according to FBref.

The midfield pair have shared a number of similar attributes in their output this season so far including goals scored (4 v 5), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.70 v 3.60), tackles won (13 v 12), dribblers tackled percentage (60% v 55%) and dribbles completed (46.% v 45.2%).

With that in mind, signing Koopmeiners would be a great piece of business if Liverpool could secure his signature for his reported transfer valuation of €40m (£35m) this month, and it would certainly give Klopp more depth and quality in his squad in order to improve performances at Anfield.

Manchester United are reportedly set to ‘evaluate’ their pursuit of Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix, having had a short-term loan bid turned down.

The Lowdown: Felix on United’s radar

The Portuguese superstar has been linked with United endless times in recent months, with a move away from Atletico on the cards after falling out of favour there.

Felix has a number of suitors, however, including current Premier League leaders Arsenal, and it looks as though a January transfer battle is very possible.

The 23-year-old’s current Atletico deal doesn’t expire until 2026 but it would be a surprise if he remained there until that point given Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin has openly admitted a departure is possible.

The Latest: New update emerges

Taking to Twitter, journalist and transfer window expert Rudy Galetti claimed that United have seen a six-month move rejected and will now reconsider the situation:

“On Man Utd side, Atleti turned down a first 6-month proposal: MUFC will evaluate the next steps.”

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The Verdict: Let Chelsea have him

There is no doubting Felix’s magic as a footballer, with Alvaro Morata calling him a ‘special’ player and Bruno Fernandes saying he has ‘great potential’.

He is more of a No.10 than the central striker that United crave, however, and signing him could mean Erik ten Hag actually has too many similar players in one area to fit into the team.

With Chelsea reportedly closing in on Felix, we feel the Red Devils should ignore this saga and focus on signing an out and out goalscorer.

Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland return to action in the Championship today as they face Swansea at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats were held to a 1-1 draw by Blackpool last time out in the division but come into this match off the back of a 2-1 win over Shrewsbury in the third round of the FA Cup.

They found themselves 1-0 down to the League One outfit in the 81st minute of the match but two goals in stoppage time ensured that their name was in the pot for the fourth round.

Sunderland started the game with a fluid front three of Patrick Roberts, Jewison Bennette, and Amad Diallo – three wingers by trade – as Ross Stewart was rested on the bench.

However, the Scotland international was brought on in the second half and his 92nd-minute equaliser kept the game alive and allowed Luke O’Nien to win it two minutes later.

Mowbray must now unleash the centre-forward from the start as he is the club’s only natural number nine following Ellis Simms’ return to Everton at the start of the month.

Stewart is a crucial player for the Black Cats as he is their main goal threat and the one most likely to go and win a match for them.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the £2.7k-per-week forward plundered a whopping 26 goals in 49 League One outings for Sunderland as they won promotion to the Championship, whilst no other player managed more than 10.

His form in the third tier led to teammate Alex Pritchard lauding his talent, with the midfielder saying:

“[Stewart] is unbelievable. The size of him, on the ball, he can run, he can hold the ball up, he’s good with his feet. He’s got everything. He’s great in the air. Holds the ball up and he gets in behind and you see in the semi-finals – the goal he got in behind and he’s so quick. And he’s been a revelation this year for us.”

The 26-year-old has followed that up by scoring 10 goals and providing three assists in 12 matches in all competitions this term, including nine strikes in 11 Championship outings – three more than any current Sunderland player has scored.

These statistics show that he is Mowbray’s best attacking option as he is their biggest goal threat, as he has proven at both League One and Championship level.

Therefore, Stewart can be the match-winner against the Swans by being the focal point at the top end of the pitch and potentially scoring the all-important goal to seal all three points if he is given the right service.

Crystal Palace return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon as they take on a struggling Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge.

Patrick Vieira’s side have endured a difficult spell of form since the World Cup, suffering home defeats against Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and most recently Southampton in the FA Cup.

However, Sunday’s game could represent a chance to rediscover their best form as they face a Chelsea side who are extremely low on confidence, with new manager Graham Potter failing to replicate his success with Brighton at the west London club.

Here is how Football FanCast expects the Eagles to line up this afternoon, with four changes from the team that started against Southampton in the FA Cup last weekend.

After he was arguably at fault for both of Southampton’s goals last weekend, Vicente Guaita is dropped from the starting side, with Sam Johnstone handed a rare opportunity to start after struggling for regular game time since his summer switch from West Bromwich Albion.

There is one change in defence, as Tyrick Mitchell returns at left-back in place of Joel Ward, with Nathaniel Clyne switching back to his more natural right-back position, while Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen continue their partnership in the middle.

After failing to make much of an impression in the middle of the park, Will Hughes is dropped with Jeffrey Schlupp joining Cheick Doucoure and Michael Olise in midfield at Stamford Bridge, as Vieira may need a more dynamic option to help support Doucoure defensively.

£30k-per-week “magician” Eberechi Eze – as once dubbed by Micah Richards – was surprisingly left out against the Saints and considering the Eagles may be relying on a piece of individual magic against Chelsea this weekend, he looks to be the ideal man to replace Jordan Ayew in the attack.

He is joined by Wilfried Zaha and Odsonne Edouard, both of whom could be crucial to Palace’s chances of picking up a vital three points on their short trip to Chelsea this afternoon.

Predicted Eagles XI (4-3-3): Johnstone, Clyne, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Doucoure, Schlupp, Olise, Eze, Zaha, Edouard

Tottenham Hotspur are now lining up a move for a new centre-back this January transfer window, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, Spurs are set to rival Juventus for the signing of Hoffenheim loanee Stefan Posch as his versatility and athleticism is catching the eye of many suitors.

The Austria international is currently on a ‘conditional loan’ at Bologna, who could sign him for €5m (£4m), in the Serie A. However, the 25-year-old defender would command a fee of around €12m (£10.5m) to move on again this month.

Bye-bye Lenglet

Over the last few weeks, it’s become increasingly clear that Spurs’ backline is a problem once more and perhaps FC Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet wasn’t the player that many hoped he would be.

The Frenchman has played a key role in the Lilywhites’ recent downfall in the Premier League, losing 2-0 to arch-rivals Arsenal – where he played 88 minutes – and in Manchester City’s stunning comeback from two goals down to win 4-2, where he was at fault with his ‘dreadful touch’ for Riyad Mahrez’s winner.

Given that he’s only on loan, manager Antonio Conte could instantly ditch him with a move for the aforementioned Posch, who at £10.5m and £17k-per-week would represent a far cheaper alternative.

Despite playing for a midtable side, the Austrian’s performances must be respected. As per FBref, he excels at both ends of the pitch ranking inside the top 3% for non-penalty goals per 90 and the top 5% for tackles per 90 when compared to fellow centre-backs across Europe’s top-five leagues over the last year.

Interestingly, the same website compares Posch’s statistical profile to that of Lenglet, so it surely makes him a good like-for-like replacement, only one that is way more consistent as he ranks as Bologna’s top-rated performer in the Serie A (6.88) this term, compared to the Frenchman being Spurs’ 18th.

In fact, no player to have started ten or more Premier League matches has a worse rating than Lenglet (6.41).

Posch is also leading his squad with a whopping three tackles (fifth-most in Serie A) and 1.5 interceptions (joint-eighth) per domestic outing, making it seem easy to why he may have appeared on sporting director Fabio Paratici’s radar.

Therefore, the Italian supremo must look to launch a move for the versatile 6 foot 2 Bologna titan – who was once dubbed “out of this world” – as he would be a far better option than Lenglet and thus, allowing Conte to bolster his leaky and inconsistent backline.

AND in other news, Conte could finally ditch £15m Mourinho dud in Spurs swoop for “perfect” £40m “talent”…

Arsenal are reportedly on the ‘trail’ of Juventus central midfielder Weston McKennie ahead of a potential move.

The Lowdown: Kiwior signs

After Leandro Trossard walked through the doors at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal have confirmed the signing of central defender Jakub Kiwior from Serie A side Spezia.

With over a week of the transfer window still to go, the Gunners may not have finished there in terms of incomings, and will certainly want as strong of a squad as possible to help challenge for the Premier League title.

The Latest: McKennie interest

As per Italian news outlet Gazzetta, Mikel Arteta’s side are on the ‘trail’ of McKennie, and Juventus are willing to negotiate offers of between €20-25m (£17.5-22m) plus bonuses for him.

However, the likes of Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco have also been mentioned as possible destinations for the USA international.

The Verdict: Squad depth!

Although the North London club are building a healthy squad at the moment with the arrivals of Trossard and Kiwior, they could do with some more cover in the middle of the park.

Mohamed Elneny has picked up another injury, which has ruled him out of the last injury-prone in the past.

Lauded as a ‘monster‘ in the air by football writer Wes Tucker, and a ‘pressing machine‘ by journalist Chris Smith, McKennie is rated very highly, and at 24 years of age, has not reached his full potential.

The six-foot-one colossus ranks in the 84th percentile for non-penalty goals, 85th for touches, 88th for progressive passes received and 75th for blocks per match for all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year (FBRef), and would provide sufficient cover in case any more midfield injuries creep up for the Gunners.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their pursuit of a deal to sign Nicolas Raskin in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Light Blues are preparing to submit another offer to sign the Standard Liege gem, who is out of contract in the summer, on a permanent deal this month, after failing in their last attempt.

The report claims that talks are ‘ongoing’ between the two parties as Ross Wilson attempts to secure Michael Beale’s second signing as Rangers manager, following on from Todd Cantwell’s move to Ibrox from Norwich.

Belgian media, via The Sun, have stated that a four-and-a-half-year contract is in place for the 21-year-old central midfielder, who has already completed a medical with the Gers, but Liege are still holding out for a €2m (£1.8m) to sanction an exit this month.

Bye-bye Scott Arfield

The signing of Raskin, alongside Cantwell, and the contract situation of a number of Michael Beale’s current midfield options could represent a changing of the guard at Ibrox this year.

Ryan Jack, Steven Davis, and Scott Arfield are all out of contract at the end of the campaign and the arrival of a new player in that position could allow the club to part ways with at least one, if not all, of the experienced trio.

Therefore, bringing the Liege maestro to Glasgow this month could signal the end of Arfield’s playing career at Rangers as it would allow Wilson and Beale to part ways with the Canadian international in the summer.

The former Burnley man has been a fine servant to the Gers over the years, and could still be a useful option between now and the end of the season, but his form in the Premiership this season has been concerning at times.

In the Scottish top-flight, the 34-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.78 across 20 appearances – completing 79% of his attempted passes and losing 67% of his individual duels.

He has created 0.7 chances and made 0.9 tackles and interceptions per match for the Light Blues and Raskin could offer more at both ends of the pitch, if the maestro can adapt to Scottish football.

The 21-year-old Belgian talent, who was once hailed as a “pitbull” by journalist Bob Faesen, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 across 16 Pro League appearances this season – completing 84% of his passes and winning 58% of his battles.

Raskin has created 1.1 chances and completed 3.7 tackles and interceptions per outing and his statistics in Belgium indicate that the gem has the potential to take over from the experienced Arfield as a regular member in the squad – allowing the 34-year-old to move on upon the expiry of his contract in the summer.

Everton could have free agents offering themselves up as possible out-of-window signings in the coming days and weeks, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Big few months ahead

The Sean Dyche era gets underway at Goodison Park this weekend, as the Blues host current Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday lunchtime.

Everton’s new manager has a huge task ahead of him in the coming months, with his side sitting 19th in the table and in genuine danger of a first-ever trip to the Championship.

The Blues’ squad looks lacking in quality and depth following an abysmally quiet January transfer window in which there only major business was to sell a key player in Anthony Gordon, but there is a chance that new faces could still arrive soon.

The Latest: Free agents coming in?

That’s certainly the opinion of O’Rourke, who told Give Me Sport that Everton could have free agent players ‘marking their services available’ to the Blues:

“I’m sure any free agent who is looking to find a club will probably be making their services available to Everton, to say that they’re willing to join the club to try and help them in the relegation fight as well.

“We’ve seen it before, some free agents who become available and they can then be a key signing for a club.”

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

While Dyche will feel that he can improve the squad that has been handed to him, there is no doubt he needs some reinforcements to have a better chance of staying up.

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Everton have scored just 15 goals in 20 league outings this season, so a new attacker wouldn’t go amiss, though they’ve missed out on the signing of Andre Ayew to Nottingham Forest. Added creativity in midfield would also help tackle that issue, with Isco, Alejandro Pozuelo and Zakaria Labyad three of the most valuable freebies left on the market.

Labyad for example, who left Ajax in the summer, is still only 29 and has racked up 56 assists in 285 career games, winning three Eredivisie titles along the way, so would bring that bit of winning guile and experience.

Free agents aren’t necessarily ideal signings – they are without a club for a reason, at the end of the day – but needs must for the Blues and one or two additions could make all the difference.