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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte has been left excited by Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo and wants him to join, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs prepare…

Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici has been fully preparing for Conte’s first full Premier League season in charge at Hotspur Way, completing seven major signings for the club.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie have all put pen to paper at N17 with the latter man going back out on loan to Udinese.

The Lilywhites have also started this campaign in fine fashion with a 2-2 draw away to London rival Chelsea and an opening day 4-1 demolition at the expense of Southampton.

The Latest: Conte eyeing Zaniolo…

According to journalist Xavier Jacobelli, speaking on Radio Radio, Conte is personally eager to sign Zaniolo, with the reporter also sharing Tottenham’s chances.

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He explained, via Tutto Juve, that while the Italian is keen to acquire Roma’s 6 foot 3 gem, Spurs are yet to make an official move despite having ‘so much money’.

Jacobelli said:

“Zaniolo depends on Tottenham. Since when and how the English club wants to move. They have so much money. Conte wants Zaniolo at Tottenham, he values ​​him very much. “

The Verdict: Make the move?

The Serie A side reportedly value Zaniolo at around £50 million but the player’s age and quality could make this price tag a justifiable one.

According to WhoScored, no attacking player in Jose Mourinho’s team finished 2021/2022 with a higher rate of completed take-ons per 90 or attracted fouls.

The numbers point to a very tricky player in the final third, and at just 23-years-old, he’s also one for the future.

Called a ‘beast’ by members of the Italian media, Zaniolo would be the cherry on top of a productive transfer window for Spurs, and they could further be boosted by reliable claims that the player himself is ‘open’ to joining (Ben Jacobs, CBS journalist).

Wolverhampton Wanderers will not directly replace Morgan Gibbs-White as Bruno Lage is still prioritising signing a striker before the transfer window closes, according to Express and Star journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White leaves Wolves

On Friday, it was announced that the midfielder had completed a club-record move to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest after a £42.5m deal was agreed.

The 22-year-old’s departure followed extensive negotiations between the two clubs, with the Wolves boss previously adamant that Gibbs-White would remain at Molineux this summer.

Lage’s side are widely known to have prioritised signing a striker before this as a result of Raul Jimenez’s injury, from which he is only just recovering, and Fabio Silva’s season-long loan move to Anderlecht.

The Latest: Striker is Wolves’ priority

Keen has shared an update on Wolves’ transfer plans following Gibbs-White’s move away from the club.

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding report from the Express and Star, the reliable journalist claimed: “Wolves are not planning to directly replace Morgan Gibbs-White, and are instead fully focusing on bringing in a striker before the window closes. Very much a ‘watch this space’ message from Bruno Lage, who again calls for patience. #wwfc”

The Verdict: Lage is right

The Old Gold scored just 38 goals in the Premier League last season, making their record the fourth-worst in the entire division and the worst of any team to avoid relegation.

Given Jimenez’s latest injury woes, Wolves have been left without an out-and-out striker, thrusting the likes of Hwang Hee-chan into a number nine role to fill the void.

Therefore, whilst there may be a void in the attacking midfield position following Gibbs-White’s exit, Lage is right to focus on bringing in a new forward before the transfer window closes in September.

Otherwise, we could see a similar tale of goalscoring woe to last season, which could lead to a scrap for Premier League survival.

Liverpool scouts have returned positive reports about Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves amid the Reds’ search for a midfield addition, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Riddled with injuries

Jurgen Klopp’s side got off to an infuriating beginning to the season after failing to win any of their opening three Premier League games – making this their worst start to a campaign in ten years despite the big win against Bournemouth.

Whilst not an excuse, the Reds are riddled with injuries in the midfield. They are currently without the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, leaving veteran James Milner to pick up the slack in the middle of the park.

As a result, Klopp has now conceded the fact that Liverpool must dip into the transfer market for a new midfielder ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline.

The Latest: Neves reports

According to 90min, Liverpool scouts have written a number of reports on players who could potentially join the club at Anfield this summer.

Only a few options seem to fit with the Reds’ criteria, but one of the players included is Wolves star Neves, who has been linked with a move to Merseyside in the past.

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders previously worked with the 25-year-old at Porto and has since claimed that he “always interests” the Reds in the transfer market.

The Verdict: Great signing?

When looking at Neves’ underlying stats, a wide range of attributes come to the forefront, illustrating a great balance of skills to lead a side in the midfield.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the Portugal international ranks in the 88th percentile for passes attempted, in the 82nd percentile for clearances and in the 81st percentile for non-penalty goals and shots total, displaying his well-rounded game.

Possessing a likeness to West Ham star Declan Rice, Neves is already Premier League proven, meaning he can slot straight into Klopp’s XI without struggling to make an instant impact.

Therefore, Neves, who has been dubbed ‘outstanding’ by The Athletic’s Tim Spiers, could be a brilliant addition to Liverpool’s struggling squad.

Deadline day may be just around the corner but Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this evening as they travel across the capital to face West Ham United.

This London derby is usually one full of goals and drama, so we could be in for an exciting night at the London Stadium, where Spurs manager Antonio Conte will be looking for his side to continue their unbeaten run.

Whilst for Irons boss David Moyes will want to build from their first win of the new campaign at the weekend.

Tottenham were victorious in their clash against newcomers Nottingham Forest on Sunday but only just and it has led to question marks from some sections of the Lilywhites faithful.

And with this being just the second game in a hefty seven-match run over the next few weeks, we could see some rotation from the Italian.

Heung-min Son has looked off the boil so far in 2022/23, failing to replicate his attacking exploits from last term. He’s made only one assist from his four appearances and is already four goals behind his frontline partner Harry Kane, who also leads him for average shots and key passes per game too.

It could be time to make the bold call of dropping him for this encounter, something that Conte can now easily do thanks to the £60m summer arrival of Richarlison, who came off the bench to deliver a beautiful outside-of-the-boot cross for Kane’s winner only a few days ago.

We’re yet to see much of the Brazil international but that was to be expected, with Kane, Son and Dejan Kulusevski the favoured and in-form front three, though the South Korean’s recent struggles will have surely opened up a spot heading into kickoff.

Richarlison has long been the talisman for Premier League rivals Everton, where he scored 11 times and laid on five assists last season to take his total for the club to 68 goal contributions in 152 appearances.

The 25-year-old dynamo was once described as the “complete striker” by his former manager Carlo Ancelotti, a multi-Champions League winner.

“Richarlison was a fantastic talent before me [Ancelotti’s arrival last month] and will be a fantastic talent after me. He has skills and ability… power and strength and speed.”

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This surely makes the £135k-per-week star a more than viable candidate to step up in Son’s absence, to even potentially stake a claim at a regular starting spot.

He’ll be hungry to deliver exactly that, which is why Conte must look to start Richarlison this evening.

The former Watford man also has a very impressive record against the Hammers, winning five of the eight head-to-heads, in which he’s bagged two goal and assisted two more, including one last campaign.

Conte could well haunt Moyes by unleashing the Brazilian maverick, who seems to be a real thorn in his side.

AND in other news, Spurs eyeing late double swoop before deadline day…

Leeds United’s signing of Dan James just over a year ago looks ‘baffling’ in hindsight, The Athletic’s Phil Hay has said. 

The lowdown

The Whites paid £25m to sign the Welshman from Manchester United on the final day of the 2021 summer transfer window as director of football Victor Orta successfully negotiated the deal after previous heartbreak (via Yorkshire Evening Post).

Leeds had first tried to land him in 2019, during his time at Swansea, but the deal fell through even after he passed a medical.

Just a year on from finally securing his services, though, the Yorkshire club have decided to send him on loan to fellow Premier League outfit Fulham.

The latest

Hay issued his verdict on the signing of James on The Athletic’s matchday discussion forum on the day of Leeds’ 5-2 defeat at Brentford this weekend.

The journalist was left baffled that Leeds fought so hard to sign him and then disposed of him so quickly, stating: “James just hasn’t worked, has it? Such a long pursuit, £25m last summer, fleeting impact and now, off to Fulham. Somewhat baffling when you think about the time and attention devoted to him.”

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The verdict

James is the third-most expensive signing in the history of Leeds United, as per Transfermarkt, but he has not lived up to that billing so far.

The Welshman scored just four goals and provided five assists across 40 competitions in all appearances for the club.

In summer arrival Luis Sinisterra, Leeds have another right winger ready to take his place. The Colombian has got off to a fine start at Elland Road, scoring on his first two Premier League starts after notching a goal and an assist against Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.

Hay suspects that James’ career at the Yorkshire club is now over, even if there doesn’t seem to be an obligation to buy in the loan agreement. We can only watch with interest to see if the 24-year-old enjoys an upturn in fortunes during his time at Craven Cottage…

Liverpool will ‘try again’ to sign Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde in the summer of 2023, according to transfer reports from Spain.

The Lowdown: Liverpool keen on Valverde

According to some recent claims, the Reds made a late attempt to sign the Uruguayan during the summer transfer window, seeing him as an ideal midfield addition. Instead, Valverde remained at the Bernabeu and he has enjoyed an excellent start to the season, scoring in Sunday’s 2-1 victory away to local rivals Atletico Madrid to make it a third successive match on the scoresheet.

The 24-year-old’s current deal may not expire until the summer of 2027, but that hasn’t stopped further rumours from doing the rounds, in addition to the ongoing links with fellow midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The Latest: Liverpool to go again for Valverde

According to reports from Spain [via Sport Witness], Liverpool will ‘try again’ for Valverde next summer and Madrid ‘already know’ about the Reds’ interest in their player.

There is no mention about whether or not the Uruguay international would want to depart the Champions League holders, though.

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The Verdict: Superb potential signing

Valverde is maturing into an exceptional player for Real Madrid – he has been described as ‘unreal’ by Sky Sports-featured analyst Statman Dave – so these links are hugely exciting from a Liverpool perspective.

The right-sided central midfield role is currently an issue at Anfield, with Jordan Henderson arguably past his best and Harvey Elliott still a young player learning his trade.

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However, the Uruguayan’s pace, athleticism, tactical intelligence and quality could all help to take Jurgen Klopp’s side up a gear if he comes to Liverpool. Also, he has now scored three goals in five La Liga starts this season.

It is hard to imagine the reigning Champions League winners allowing Valverde to leave, though, so it could be wishful thinking on the Reds’ part to sign him unless they are willing to present a huge offer to the club who defeated them in the European Cup final earlier this year.

Leeds United have been “really impressed” with summer signing Sonny Perkins, according to Sky Sports reporter Tim Thornton.

The Lowdown: Perkins on fire

Perkins arrived from West Ham over the summer and has begun the current campaign in fine form for both the Whites and England.

The 18-year-old has netted six goals in five games for the U21s and impressed for England U19s, scoring five times and providing an assist in games against Montenegro U19, Georgia U19 and Denmark U19.

He’s mainly been featuring on the right-hand side at Thorp Arch but started in an attacking midfield role last time out, playing a key role in the club’s impressive start to the Premier League 2 season.

The Latest: Thornton’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Thornton said that he knows that Leeds officials have been ‘really, really pleased’ with the young forward for the way he’s ‘adapted’ following his summer move.

“Yeah, Perkins in particular, he’s hit the ground running since he came in.

“Leeds have been really impressed with him; he looks like he’s a real talent. So, I know that they’re really, really pleased with the way that he’s adapted. He’s really caught the eye and done well.”

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The Verdict: Good to hear

Perkins and midfielder Darko Gyabi were the two high-profile academy additions over the summer, with the latter captaining England U19 against Denmark U19.

The pair seem to have settled in Yorkshire, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Perkins made one of Jesse Marsch’s first-team matchday squads following his impressive displays.

Perkins would have surely been catching Marsch’s eye in recent weeks, so it would be deserved if he did make a squad prior to the World Cup in Qatar.

Aston Villa will be without Lucas Digne for an indefinite amount of time…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Birmingham Mail journalist Ashley Preece, who delivered an update on the Frenchman ahead of the Villans’ clash with Leeds United in the Premier League this afternoon.

“Lucas Digne the big concern; no return date for the Frenchman with Ludwig Augustinsson the favourite to come in at left-back vs Leeds,” he tweeted.

The 29-year-old full-back picked up an issue during the international break, where he was called up for France, and is set to be sidelined for “a few weeks” at the very least.

A big blow for Gerrard

Digne is a crucial member of Steven Gerrard’s starting lineup, so his absence is an obvious blow to the manager and the rest of the squad.

The France star is one of just two players to have played 100% of minutes in their seven outings in the Premier League since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, the other being goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, which proves just how important he is to the former Liverpool midfielder.

Meanwhile, only Tyrone Mings (2.4) is winning more aerial duels per game than Digne (2.1), whilst an average of 2.3 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game also suggests that he’s a very solid and reliable defender for the team.

But it’s further forward where his presence is often felt, ranking as the joint-second most creative option in the squad, having averaged 0.9 key passes per game this term, also via WhoScored.

“To sign a player of his pedigree and quality in the January window is a great addition to our squad and his arrival excites me and everyone associated with Aston Villa,” Gerrard explained after snatching the Frenchman in a £25m deal from Everton back in January.

His back-up, Augustinsson, is yet to feature for Villa since arriving on loan from Sevilla in the summer, so it’s hard to gauge whether he will be a suitable alternative or not but Digne is going to be a very hard man to replace, given his importance to Gerrard over the past ten months.

Just as Preece says, it’s certainly a big concern – and now blow – for the Villa boss.

AND in other news, Gerrard could unearth Villa’s next Ramsey in 16 y/o gem “excelling” at Bodymoor Heath…

Rangers’ recruitment record has come under scrutiny of late with sporting director Ross Wilson having failed to adequately strengthen the Ibrox outfit with quality additions, although the transfer chief seemingly played a blinder with regards to one missed opportunity over the summer.

Former Gers man Craig Moore revealed back in July that he had pushed the club to sign current Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy prior to the Australian’s move to Parkhead, while pundit Alex McLeish also suggested at the time he had “heard whispers” regarding the club’s interest in the player.

That inability to land the 31-year-old ahead of their Old Firm rivals had looked like something of a blow for Wilson and co at the time, with the playmaker having previously impressed during his time in the Premier League with both Brighton and Hove Albion and Huddersfield Town, with former Terriers boss David Wagner lauding him as a “top-class player” a few years ago.

Managing to secure that free transfer had appeared a real masterstroke for Ange Postecoglou’s side, although just a few months into the season and the 53-cap gem has struggled to make his mark in his new surroundings, making just two starts in all competitions thus far, including one in the League Cup triumph over Ross County.

The £4.5m-rated man’s only Scottish Premiership start saw him distinctly underwhelm in the Hoops’ defeat away to St Mirren prior to the recent international break, having been hauled off at half-time after seemingly being bullied by a physical Buddies outfit, as he failed to win a single duel in that 45-minute outing.

Former Bhoys midfielder Stiliyan Petrov notably criticised the 5 foot 9 dud for his role in the home side’s opener after failing to track his man, stating: “The attitude when you don’t play regularly, Aaron Mooy, that was his man.

“If he doesn’t usually play, he isn’t on the field all the time, then you get sloppier. You don’t track runners, you do the right things you do, especially off the ball.”

Pundit Charlie Nicholas was equally as critical as he suggested that the one-time Bolton Wanderers man has struggled to get up to speed, writing that:

‘I also feel that every time Aaron Mooy has come into the side he looks a yard off the pace. He needs more minutes and a run of matches but I’m not sure he’s going to get them.’

To compound matters, Mooy – who has been unable to provide a goal contribution in 11 appearances in all competitions this term – is currently out of action due to injury, with his capture already looking like a potential mistake for those at Celtic Park.

As such, it may well have been a bullet dodged for Rangers, with the Glasgow side avoiding a repeat of their signing of another “technical” asset – as described by Amiens sporting director John Williams – in Bongani Zungu, with the South African also failing to make his mark in Scottish football.

The 29-cap midfielder had joined on loan from Amiens in October 2020, with the aforementioned Williams suggesting that the club were getting something of a “bargain” at the time, such was his quality.

Much like with the case of Mooy, however, the 6-foot machine was unable to make an impact during his solitary season in Scotland, making only 20 appearances and also failing to provide a single goal contribution under Steven Gerrard.

Zungu appeared to struggle to get up to speed in his new surroundings, with his woes notably seeing him win just 43% of his total duels in 14 league games, having never truly showcased his potential talent.

Throwing another creative asset such as Mooy into the engine room at Ibrox could have seen a similar scenario occur, with the club arguably thankful not to have won the race for his services.

Tottenham Hotspur insider and pundit John Wenham is ‘sure’ that the Premier League club are now close to agreeing a new stadium naming rights deal.

The Lowdown: Spurs confirm partnership

In September, the Lilywhites announced that they had created an official partnership with Coca-Cola, with top-flight rivals Liverpool also making the statement on the exact same day.

Earlier in the year, reports suggested that the club’s consistent attempts to seal a naming rights deal for their new ground had taken a huge step forward, with talks being held over an agreement worth a staggering £500m, and Wenham believes their latest commercial deal is a step in the right direction.

The Latest: Wenham’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, the pundit praised Tottenham’s chief commercial officer and claimed that a naming rights deal is the next in the pipeline.

“Huge credit to Todd Kline for securing that deal with Coca-Cola.

“I noticed Liverpool also announced a partnership with Coca-Cola on the exact same day so it is obviously where Coke were looking to get involved with a few Premier League clubs.

“I am always pleased when clubs want to partner up with Tottenham. We are a great outlet for promoting brands all around the world.

“It also helps to increase the global standing of Tottenham. It’s more money into the club, I just wonder how our friends at Monster Energy feel as our official drinks partner.

“Maybe this deal with Coca-Cola could affect that. For me, it’s the more the merrier with partnerships and sponsorships.

“I have raised this with the club in the past, when you look at the sites of the other “big six”, Man United and Liverpool have 31 or 32 sponsors, at the time I mentioned it to the club we had about 18 or 19.

“I thought our social and marketing teams could be doing more to bring Tottenham in line with those other clubs and it looks like they are.

“Hopefully there are more to come along with the stadium naming rights deal which I’m sure Todd Kline will secure.”

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The Verdict: Exciting times ahead

Antonio Conte’s side played their first home game in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium three years ago, but chose not to open it with a sponsor.

Daniel Levy and Co invested a huge sum into building the arena, not to mention the financial impact the pandemic would have had, so it’s understandable that the club decided to wait to pursue the perfect partner to attach to the new ground.

These developments sound hugely exciting though, and it shouldn’t be too long before the club are announcing another new off-field deal, seemingly catching up with their ‘big six’ counterparts every day.