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Tottenham Hotspur fans’ chants for Daniel Levy and the ENIC Group to leave the club have left Spurs pundit John Wenham in disbelief.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s form

Tension has been boiling up for years in north London but it has now all come to a head following Spurs’ dire run of just two wins from seven Premier League games.

They dropped more points again on Sunday at home to Aston Villa, with Emi Buendia’s opening goal meaning the Lilywhites have conceded first in their last 10 games, slipping out of the Champions League places that they once had a stronghold of in the process.

The Latest: Anger towards the board

During Spurs’ 2-0 home defeat against Villa, the home crowd aimed angry chants at chairman Levy and majority shareholders ENIC.

The scenes left Spurs reporter Wenham shocked as he explained the fans’ frustration to Football Insider.

He said: “For the first time in the ground, there were chants about getting the chairman out, the investment group out.

“That was quite damning, really. Yes, there have been small social media groups before, some fans have tried to get things going.

“I’ve never actually heard it vocally in the ground until [Sunday], I still can’t believe it, it was a bit of a surprise. I think the reasons why are three-fold.

“The form of the team coming into the last two games, Arsenal’s form and the way Liverpool wrapped up the signing of Cody Gakpo.”

The Verdict: Huge month ahead

The January window could be a catalytic moment in Tottenham’s season and the next couple of years, with the window providing the club’s best chance to get back on track and win the fans back over.

With Antonio Conte and Harry Kane’s futures yet again up in the air, as always seems to be the case when Spurs hit a rocky patch, there is a serious chance a finish outside the top four could spell the end for either or both at the club.

That scenario may see the hostilities worsen and potentially boil over beyond mending point.

Gakpo’s deal leaves Spurs fans yet again questioning why their transfer business is always a hardship, and with The Athletic reporting that funds could be tight, it’s a challenging month ahead for the Spurs hierarchy to keep relationships intact.

Aston Villa are confident they will sign a new forward for Unai Emery soon, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Ings and Watkins crucial

Villa have scored 20 goals in 18 Premier League games so far this season, with their two main strikers Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins scoring nine of those.

Ings has actually been linked with a move away from the club this month, with Villa turning down a loan offer from top-flight rivals Everton. It is believed that NSWE will only consider permanent offers for the 30-year-old, and it seems as if they are working on an attacking addition of their own.

The Latest: New forward alongside Moreno?

Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey shared a transfer update on Sunday morning, revealing that Villa are close to a breakthrough in talks to sign full-back Alex Moreno.

Villa are submitting a new bid for the Real Betis defender, while Veysey added that the club ‘are also confident of completing a forward signing soon’.

The Verdict: Good news for Villa

Emery has been chasing a new A-list forward ever since taking over in the Midlands, so it is positive to hear that one could be about to arrive at Villa Park.

Who that is remains to be seen, although the club have been linked with a number of forwards such as Vedat Muriqi, Nicolas Jackson, Gerard Deulofeu and Samuel Chukwueze.

One of those could end up moving to Villa or it could be someone else, and it will be interesting to see where that leaves Ings going forward, should an attacker arrive in the coming weeks.

Liverpool are reportedly keen admirers of Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, with Jurgen Klopp still seeking to freshen up his midfield ranks.

What’s the word?

According to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, the 21-year-old is certainly a player who is on the Anfield outfit’s radar at present, with the Merseysiders having seemingly held a long-term interest in the Ecuadorean international.

The transfer insider revealed on Twitter: “Liverpool do really like Caicedo, and have a historical interest, but they didn’t move for him at Independiente del Valle due to unwanted costs away from the low fee.”

Jacobs – who previously suggested that the Seagulls were looking for a fee of around £70m – then noted that as yet, the Reds have not made an offer for the youngster, with rivals Chelsea also seemingly in the equation for his signature:

“As previously reported, Liverpool have not placed a bid this month. #CFC more likely to be the ones who meet #BHAFC’s valuation in January. Summer perhaps a different story.”

Boldly ditch Henderson

It is hard to deny that the six-time European champions are in need of reinforcements in the centre of the park, with the signing of Caicedo helping to offer a more youthful presence to replace the likes of Jordan Henderson in the side.

The latter man – who turns 33 later this year – is far from on the wane, although the long-serving skipper may well simply be unable to match the exuberant quality of the Brighton man at present.

That is evidenced by the fact that while the England international has averaged just 0.8 tackles and 0.6 interceptions in the league this season, Caicedo has averaged 2.9 and 1.4 for the same two metrics, respectively.

Not only is the younger man proving far more effective at winning back possession, but the 5 foot 10 ace is also outperforming Henderson in an attacking sense, as he has scored once and registered one assist in the top-flight this season, while the Three Lions veteran has failed to get off the mark in either metric.

That lack of creativity is showcased by the fact that the former Sunderland machine has averaged 0.9 key passes per 90 so far this season compared to 1.1 in that metric for Caicedo, while the latter man appears to show greater composure on the ball after enjoying a pass accuracy rate of 88%, compared 83% for Henderson.

While there may be concerns over losing the Liverpool captain’s experience and presence in the dressing room, his potential replacement is also seemingly a player who can be something of a talismanic figure, having been described as a “future leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

It would, no doubt, be a bold call to part ways with a player who has been integral to a period of remarkable success in recent years under Klopp, although in Caicedo the Reds appear to have identified a figure who could prove an ideal successor to Henderson in the side.

The race is now on to see just who will be able to pluck the highly-sought maestro from the Amex, although those at Anfield would be wise to ensure that they are at the front of the queue.

Journalist Craig Hope has claimed that a Newcastle United transfer for Conor Gallagher is unlikely with the player preferring to stay where he is for now.

What’s the word?

In recent times, the Magpies have been linked with a possible move for the Chelsea midfielder in the remainder of the January transfer window.

The Blues have recently signed the likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk, Joao Felix and Andrey Santos. Consequently, the Englishman could find regular minutes hard to come by and his side may need to make a sale to help balance the books.

Despite the potential for both clubs to be keen on a sale, it sounds as though Gallagher is prepared to stay and fight for his place in the team for the time being.

While speaking about it all on the True Faith podcast, Hope explained: “I’ve since been told on Conor Gallagher he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge, so I wouldn’t expect that one. I’d be less confident if that one happened.”

Patience key?

It’s certainly no secret that Newcastle are in the market for a new midfielder this winter. For instance, Manchester United man Scott McTominay has also been linked with a move recently.

And with Bruno Guimaraes set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury in the win over Fulham last weekend, the club may well feel as though they need to act fast.

However, if Gallagher isn’t open to a move then it feels as though this one may have to be put on the back burner for the time being. Still, the 22-year-old has just eight league starts to his name this term and if that rate doesn’t improve before the end of the season, perhaps he would be ready to leave Chelsea in the summer.

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Torino right-back Ola Aina this month, and the Nigeria international could be a big upgrade on Nathaniel Clyne in Patrick Vieira’s side.

Reports from Nigeria in recent weeks suggest that West Ham, Leeds United and Palace have all been keen on the former Chelsea man, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

While that means that the Eagles would be free to approach him now with the view to signing him on a free transfer in the summer, Vieira’s obvious need for a right-back suggests that the 26-year-old could arrive at Selhurst Park this month, with a fee of €10m (£9m) likely to be enough to bring him back to England.

The Palace manager has alternated between Joel Ward and Clyne in that position so far this term, with the two experienced defenders ranked as the ninth and 15th best performers respectively in Vieira’s squad according to WhoScored, which suggests that an upgrade is needed in the second half of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Aina is ranked as the best player in Torino’s squad by the same site after averaging a strong 6.74 rating across his 10 Serie A appearances so far this season, which emphasises the quality that he could add at Selhurst Park.

He has also averaged more shots (0.6 vs none), key passes (0.7 vs 0.4) and dribbles (1.1 vs 0.2) than Clyne in the current campaign, which suggests that he would be a significant upgrade from an attacking perspective, something which is further emphasised by one “unreal” assist for Nigeria – in the words of compatriot journalist Michael Oti Adjei – back in 2019.

Former Torino team-mate Christian Ansaldi was full of praise for the former Fulham loanee in 2021, saying: “I see him (Aina) very often. He has an intelligence that allows him to play in many positions, then physically he is an animal.”

The versatile defender featured 31 times for Fulham in the 2020/21 Premier League season and averaged a decent 6.63 rating from WhoScored, so he could definitely be trusted to do a job at Selhurst Park.

Therefore, given the comparatively poor performances of the 31-year-old Clyne so far this season – his WhoScored rating is a lowly 6.27 – Vieira should definitely look to bring in a younger, more adept replacement such as Aina this month.

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Inter Milan midfielder Roberto Gagliardini, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Gagliardini profiled

Gagliardini is 28 years of age and is an out-and-out central midfielder. He joined Inter back in 2017 from Atalanta and has made 175 appearances for the club, contributing to 25 goals.

Sponsored by Nike, Gagliardini has won seven senior caps for Italy but is out of contract at the end of the season.

The Latest: Forest interest

Sky Sports shared a transfer update regarding Forest on Tuesday, with interest emerging on Gagliardini. They claimed that Forest are looking at two potential moves for the midfielder, one of which would see him make the move to the City Ground before the January 31 deadline.

The other would see the Reds look at pre-contract terms with Gagliardini ahead of a free transfer in the summer.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Steve Cooper has plenty of midfield options at this moment in time, however, not many have Champions League experience like Gagliardini.

The likes of Jack Colback, Cafu and Harry Arter are all out of contract at the end of the season, so Forest may see the Italian as an upgrade in midfield and a shrewd signing in a cut-price deal.

It seems to be one to watch over the coming days, but if a winter window transfer fails to materialise, Forest can still look at agreeing on pre-contract terms ahead of the summer.

Presenter Derek Clark has slammed Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos after he missed a number of big chances in the club’s most recent game.

What’s the word?

On Saturday, the Ibrox outfit picked up all three points in the Scottish Premiership as they claimed a solid 2-0 home win over St Johnstone.

James Tavernier opened the scoring with a penalty, while Nicky Clarke then managed to get himself sent off before the break. Glen Kamara added a second later on in the game to see the victory.

Despite the win, it seems not everyone in a Rangers shirt was quite at their very best on the day. Indeed, Clark made this point after the game.

While taking on the Rangers Review YouTube channel, he singled out Morelos for some criticism, saying (5:02):  “Not the best of afternoons for El Buffalo. He missed a couple of sitters in the first half.

“Linked up well at times it seems it’s fair to say. Set up Kamara with his goal as well. So it did have a decent enough game in terms of linking up play…

“But at the end of the day, he should have had a couple of goals to his name after this one, and he just fairly fluffed his lines on two occasions.

“So yeah, certainly room for improvement for Alfredo Morelos.”

Bad day at the office

While it is true that Morelos did finish the game with an assist to his name, his stats certainly suggest that he struggled to deliver in other areas against St Johnstone.

As per SofaScore, he missed two big chances, won just one out of six attempted ground duels, lost the ball 11 times, made two fouls and was even dribbled past on two occasions.

For a striker who has scored 119 goals during his time with Rangers – including seven in just 871 league minutes this term – it certainly was an off day for Morelos.

Perhaps his mind was elsewhere. After all, as per Dean Jones (via GIVEMESPORT) his future seems to be “up for grabs” with his contract running out and supposedly Inter Milan in the mix to sign him.

Sunderland defender Bailey Wright is set to join Rotherham United on loan, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Movement at Sunderland

Tony Mowbray’s side have been busy on deadline day so far, securing the arrival of centre-back Joe Anderson, who has joined on a three-and-a-half-year deal (via ChronicleLive).

The 21-year-old is yet to make a senior bow in his career after playing 106 times in the Everton youth setup from U18 level and above.

With another defender added at the Stadium of Light to aid their Championship play-off bid, he’ll hope to force his way into the side as another makes way.

The Latest: Wright on the move

According to Football Insider, the Mackems are happy to let Wright leave for more game time following Anderson’s incoming, with him on the verge of joining Rotherham on loan until the end of the season.

Going from a play-off-battling side to a team who lurch precariously above the relegation zone, the 30-year-old now has the chance to shine after limited minutes this campaign, starting just six times in the league after playing 46 times last season, even captaining Sunderland nine times as they won promotion back to the second tier.

The Verdict: Surplus at Sunderland

Wright has clearly found himself out of favour under Mowbray and it’s no surprise to see him head out the exit door considering his reduced game time this season.

The 30-year-old has previously played at Championship level for Preston North End and Bristol City, racking up 144 appearances at this level. He could be the experienced head at the back that Rotherham will be delighted to bring in to boost their survival bid.

With Wright struggling to impose himself under Mowbray and with Daniel Ballard irreplaceable when fit – playing all nine league games he’s been available for so far – it’s unsurprising to see Wright cast aside given Anderson’s ability to play at left-back as well, which is something he did on plenty of occasions at Everton.

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and William Saliba are both deserving of ‘massive’ new deals, according to pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: What’s the current situation?

At the beginning of January, the Gunners extended the contracts of both players by an additional year, amid continuing talks about new long-term deals.

Both contracts are now set to expire in 2025, but it is important that Mikel Arteta gets them tied down for the foreseeable future, with Manchester City interested in Saka, and Saliba already turning down one proposal from Arsenal.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Speaking to Football Insider in the wake of Gabriel Martinelli committing his future to the club, Whelan urged Arsenal to seek a similar agreement with the aforementioned duo, saying:“Martinelli 100% deserves a contract with the season he’s having.

“But it’s about Saliba and Saka now. That is two integral parts of the squad.

“They’ve got to go all out to get them signed up.

“I think the sticking point was about Champions League qualification, but they’re 100% going to be playing in that competition next season.

“And that’s if they don’t go one step further and win the league.

“There’s no doubt that they look both happy and they deserve a massive new deal for what they’ve brought to this club.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Recently lauded as ‘wonderfully talented’ by Gary Lineker, Saka has been nothing short of fantastic for Arsenal over the past two campaigns, scoring 11 Premier League goals last term, while this season he has already matched the previous season’s output of seven assists in the top flight.

Transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT earlier this month that ‘vultures will be circling’ for the winger if there’s ‘any signs of discontent’, so it is important that the Gunners move swiftly, before a rival club spots a window of opportunity.

At the other end of the pitch, Saliba has emerged as a key player for Arteta this season, making the centre-back spot his own, having appeared 20 times in the Premier League, helping his side on their way to the second-best defensive record in the division.

Considering he has already rebuffed one offer from Arsenal, it is paramount that the 21-year-old is tied down to a new deal before he grows frustrated, as given his age, he could be a vital cog in the backline for years to come.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has suggested Tottenham could make a move for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi with his summer transfer ‘very possible’.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new midfielder?

Over the January window, Spurs were linked with moves for new central midfielders, with one example being USA international Weston McKennie.

The former Schlake star eventually ended up joining Leeds United, leaving manager Antonio Conte without a new midfield signing last month.

Deals were instead completed for exciting right-wing-back Pedro Porro and winger Arnaut Danjuma, with the latter man joining on a temporary deal from Villarreal.

The Latest: Jacobs hints at Zubimendi move…

Writing on his CaughtOffside substack, CBS reporter Jacobs has urged supporters to ‘keep an eye’ on Spurs when it comes to Zubimendi.

The 23-year-old’s transfer away from Sociedad is ‘very possible’, according to the journalist, with Jacobs suggesting that Tottenham are now in the frame and could make a move.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The Spain international has a €60m (£53m) release clause in his Sociedad contract and, if Spurs decide to trigger it, they could end up getting a very promising player.

Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil heavily favours Zubimendi with only goalkeeper Alex Remiro playing more La Liga minutes than the defensive midfielder.

Zubimendi is a key cog in their system and heavily reliable in front of the back four – ranking among their very best for tackles won, interceptions and blocks made per 90 (WhoScored).

Barcelona manager Xavi has also lavished the Spaniard as a ‘great player’ who is more ‘physical’ and ‘faster’ than Nou Camp legend Sergio Busquets.

Endorsements from such a legend point to Zubimendi potentially being a great investment on Spurs’ part with the only issue being their already-stacked midfield ranks.