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West Ham United have reportedly identified Torino’s industrious midfielder Sasa Lukic as a viable January target to lure to the London Stadium this winter.

As per Tuttosport, Hammers boss David Moyes is singling the 26-year-old out as a top winter target, and with the Torino ace reportedly available for £13m, it is a deal that certainly could cross the finish line – although with increasing interest this figure may start to creep upwards.

With Lukic’s contract with his Italian club is set to expire in the summer of 2024, meaning that unless a renewal can be agreed there will be a desire to cash in on a player that has been an ever-present in the starting line-up since arriving from Partizan Belgrade as a 19-year-old in 2016.

But the hierarchy at the east London outfit will indeed need to act swiftly if they are to take the lead in the race for the Serbian sensation, with Calciomercato claiming that Leicester City, AS Roma and Napoli are all eyeing a move. 

Imagine him and Lucas Paqueta 

Torino currently sit in ninth place in the Italian top-flight, and Lukic has been integral to the team’s success, recording an average rating of 6.95 and flourishing with his crisp passing and assured presence, serving as a pivot and offering both defensive fortification and attacking flair when an apt opportunity arises. 

He is tremendous across a variety of roles, possessing the whole gamut of requisite attributes to prosper in the Premier League.

His particular skill set could merge nicely with that of Lucas Paqueta, who has failed to live up to the £51m price tag thus far, following his move from Olympique Lyonnais in the summer.

Paqueta, a robust and industrious maestro with a keen eye for a forward pass, has recorded an average Premier League rating of 6.93, which is by no means disappointing, but there is a feeling that there is a lot more to offer, and Lukic could aid the rise to the brim of his potential at the London Stadium.

The Brazilian maestro has failed to score for the Hammers, and having clinched 11 goals and seven assists last season in France, here is evidently far more attacking prowess yet to truly be unleashed on English soil.

Lukic could attack as an anchor, an effective counterpoint at the beating heart of the West Ham squad, to entwine with Paqueta’s toolkit and form a deadly partnership, with the respective 89% and 81% passing accuracies creating an elite level of control; additionally, journalist Josh Bunting lauded the 35-cap gem as “outstanding” for his work in protecting the defensive players of his side.

With both players sturdy conductors with eyes for goals, indeed Lukic has netted 11 goals for Torino since the start of the 20/21 campaign, the dynamism from the centre could reap rewards for Moyes’ dwindling Hammers side, lifting the club away from their lowly 16th place in the Premier League and towards brighter endeavours once again.

Glasgow Rangers defender Borna Barisic earned his first World Cup appearance during the narrow victory over Japan on Monday as 2018 finalists Croatia edged into the last eight following a penalty shootout triumph.

Despite the jubilation of that eventual result, it did not prove a particularly encouraging outing for the Ibrox machine, as the 30-year-old appeared something of a liability for his side down the left flank.

With usual starter Borna Sosa – who has been linked with the likes of Newcastle United and West Ham United in recent times – out with a virus, the 6 foot 1 brute was thrust into the action by manager Zlatko Dalic, although struggled to take that rare opportunity to impress.

The 29-cap full-back endured a difficult outing against the lively Junya Ito having struggled to deal with the rampant speed of his fleet-footed opponent, with BBC commentator Jermain Jenas notably stating that the Gers man had a “big problem” in trying to deal with the winger, having been unable to “get anywhere near him”.

The Independent’s Alex Pattle also noted in his post-match player ratings piece that Barisic had ‘really struggled’ to deal with the aforementioned Ito, while 90min’s Michael Graham was even more cutting with his assessment, suggesting that the Osijek-born ace was ‘nowhere near the level’ of teammate, Sosa.

Journalist Josh Bunting was also critical of the one-time Dinamo Zagreb man’s role in Japan’s opener – courtesy of Celtic speedster Daizen Maeda – having seemingly not done enough to prevent the initial cross into the box:

“For that Japanese goal, Borna Barišić has to close down the cross, stands off and that allows the cross to come in. Has given him far too much time and space to get that ball in for Maeda to score. Close the space and press the ball.”

While the defender’s blushes were ultimately spared by Ivan Perisic’s second-half header – and a string of tame spot-kick attempts from the opposition – the statistics also make for grim reading for the left-back, having notably lost possession on 20 occasions in his 120-minute showing.

Although the £18k-per-week man did record a solid 7.0 match rating – as per Sofascore – and win six of his aerial duels, he proved largely ineffective in a defensive sense having also only won three of his eight ground duels and committed five fouls.

Equally, the imposing asset also offered little going the other way after completing only four of his 11 crosses, albeit while registering one key pass as a minor indication of his attacking quality.

After a season in which he has largely been a solid presence back at club level after recording six assists in all competitions for the Old Firm side – while also recording the second-highest average match rating among the Rangers squad in the league (7.43) – it will have come as a real disappointment for the player himself not to have shown his worth on the international stage.

Equally, new boss Michael Beale may also be concerned regarding that display from the experienced defender, with it yet to be seen if Barisic will be able to retain his place in the side as the tournament progresses.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte will continue to look to sign some of his former players during the upcoming January transfer window, according to Tam McManus. 

The Lowdown: Conte’s track record

Since becoming Spurs’ manager last November, the Italian has signed players from his former clubs such as Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus and Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan.

The north London outfit have previously been linked with other players from those two clubs such as Juventus’ Weston McKennie and Inter’s defensive trio of Stefan de Vrij, Milan Skriniar and Alessandro Bastoni.

Looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window, it seems as though Conte has been backed to continue his track record of bringing in players who he has experience of managing.

The Latest: Conte’s transfer plan

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus was discussing potential incomings at Spurs in January.

He said: “Conte hasn’t been at Spurs that long, really. It’s not his squad yet. It’s a bit unfamiliar. Maybe some players he has worked with before coming in could help him and the club.

“We have seen it with Perisic, he has come in and been a revelation. He’s got seven assists already I think. He’s doing some of the heavy lifting going forward and at the back.

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“He is a slightly older player who a lot of Premier League teams would have looked at and maybe thought he was past it. Clearly, Conte knows better than that. He knows these guys.

“So if either of the guys from Inter come in then you would have to back them to improve the side. And let’s face it, that defence needs improving.”

The Verdict: Faith in Conte

Given how prominent the likes of Bentancur (14) and Perisic (15) have been in Conte’s side this season in terms of the number of Premier League appearances they’ve made, it’s clear that when the Italian signs one of his former players, he knows that they are good enough to improve his current team.

Bearing in mind how Spurs (21) have conceded more goals this season than 10 other teams in the top flight, it’s easy to see why they’ve been linked with almost every defender that Inter have in their squad, and why McManus thinks this should be an area that they look to strengthen in January.

With January in mind, we think the Spurs board should put faith in Conte’s knowledge when it comes to his former players and do all that they can to bring in any new figure that he wants in the squad.

Newcastle United have been sent a warning amid their reported interest in signing Naby Keita from Liverpool in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the midfielder’s availability is a huge cause for concern and is something that the club should be looking at as a reason not to sign him.

The Magpies are reportedly one of a number of teams eyeing up a potential swoop to sign the Guinea international at the start of 2023, alongside AC Milan and West Ham.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT:

“You’ve got to look at it as a big gamble. Obviously, Liverpool paid big money to sign Naby Keita a few years ago and Liverpool fans will argue that they’ve never seen the best of him because of his injuries.

“I think any club that’s maybe looking to sign Naby Keita has got to be looking at his injury record as a potential red flag.”

He’s a liability

Eddie Howe must heed O’Rourke’s warning and use this red flag as a reason not to bring the central midfielder to St. James’ Park in January.

Liverpool signed Keita for £48m in 2017 and he has failed to kick on at Anfield as he has struggled with his availability throughout his time in England. Reach journalist Josh Williams once dubbed him a “terrible liability” and that is exactly what he would be for the Magpies, judging by his injury record.

Since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, the midfielder has been absence for an eye-catching 82 competitive games – including 20 and counting in the current season.

He has had 17 separate injury or illness issues since joining the Reds and this shows that he is not a reliable player for Jurgen Klopp as he is consistently picking up knocks that are keeping him out of matches.

Keita averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.04 in the Premier League across 23 appearances for Liverpool last season, after managing a score of 6.69 in the 2020/21 campaign.

Joelinton (7.08) and Bruno Guimaraes (7.32) have both averaged higher ratings for Newcastle this term than the Reds man has in the last two seasons in the top-flight and this suggests that he would not be enough of an upgrade to be worth taking a huge gamble on.

His statistics do not indicate that he would be a better option than the aforementioned Brazilian gems and that is why Howe must heed the red flag that his injury record creates and avoid moving to sign the flop in January.

Keita’s lack of consistent availability indicates that he would be a liability for Newcastle, as he has been for Liverpool, and the club should be looking at alternative targets who do not have the same question mark hanging over their head.

Manchester City slumped to yet another defeat at home to bitter rivals Manchester United to leave them 11 points off leaders Liverpool in the Premier League table.

The 2-1 defeat represented Man City’s fifth league defeat in their last seven games with many pundits believing that the champions are now out of the race to defend their crown once again. Their current form is a far cry from their scintillating displays that led the club to four Premier League titles in a row.

It has been a season of ill fortune for the club thus far, Ballon D’Or winner 2024 Rodri has been ruled out of action for the remainder of the season with a ruptured ACL injury and talisman Kevin De Bruyne continues to struggle for fitness and form.

Unfortunately for boss Pep Guardiola, it seems the bad news may not end with his side’s poor run of form-in fact, it could be about to get worse.

Man City star being targeted by Barcelona

Barcelona currently sit at the top of the La Liga table approaching the festive break and striker Robert Lewandowski has been in devastating form with 16 goals in just 17 appearances for the Catalan club so far this season.

However, with the striker having just turned 36, it seems that Barcelona are starting to plan for life after the Polish striker in order to continue their recent upturn in form both domestically and in Europe.

According to reports in Spain, via SportWitness, Barcelona are lining up a sensational summer move for Erling Haaland and the player is believed to be open to the move.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is believed to be in constant contact with Haaland’s agent and it seems next summer is the moment that the Spanish giants could activate the Norwegian’s release clause. Haaland has become disgruntled at City’s recent form and believes a move to Spain could be the next progression in his fledgling career.

The move would come as a huge blow for Pep Guardiola, who would be losing his focal point of attack having scored a staggering 108 goals for the club in just 121 appearances.

The impact of Haaland departing Man City

Despite City’s notable downturn in form this season, Haaland has still amassed 18 goals in all competitions and is currently the Premier League’s joint-top goalscorer.

The £123m rated forward has been involved in 50% of Man City’s goals this season and his departure would leave a gaping hole in the forward line at the Etihad with other performances in that department lacking.

Goals

13

2

0

0

0

xG

0.81

0.1

0.2

0.11

0.27

Shots

4.32

2.18

3

1.68

2.52

Shots on target

52.2%

26.7%

12.5%

33.3%

35%

Aerial duels won

46.7%

0%

20%

16.7%

0%

It is clear that Haaland would be irreplaceable at City having scored more goals this term than the four other forward players combined. In addition, the powerhouse striker has the highest expected goals, most shots and highest shots-on-target percentage out of the attacking options Guardiola has at his disposal.

Being the focal point in City’s attack is a crucial role in how Pep likes his teams to play and with Haaland also winning the most aerial duels, he has more than proven his worth to the side in recent seasons.

Manchester City’s season may not be done and dusted yet. However, should Barcelona get their way with the Norwegian come the summer, it could leave a gap that even Guardiola would struggle to fill.

Man City must regret selling their dream Rodri replacement for just £10.5m

Man City made mistake selling their dream Rodri replacement for just £10.5m

ByConnor Holden Dec 18, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to get back to winning ways when they make the trip to Germany to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League this evening.

Antonio Conte and his side suffered a gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Arsenal on Saturday as the Gunners, who lead the Premier League standings, looked a world apart from Spurs in the north London derby, particularly in the second half.

Their misery was compounded when Emerson Royal was sent off for a foolish challenge on Gabriel Martinelli and whilst there was no intentional malice, any studs-up tackle is going to leave the referee with no choice but to dish out a red card.

“Royal is just a complete liability,” ex-midfielder Jamie O’Hara told talkSPORT. “Every single week we play him, he makes mistakes.”

Of course, that three-game suspension will only count in domestic competitions, meaning the Brazil international is available for tonight’s clash but it would be just as ludicrous for Conte to trust him going forward.

The Italian head coach was asked about the right wing-back situation during his pre-game press conference and poured a heap of doubt on Matt Doherty’s potential involvement and had a choice of words about Djed Spence, who ought to be starting here tonight (as relayed by the Metro).

“I try to do the best for the team. If they trust me, then they trust me, but the choices are mine. If I didn’t decide to pick one player it’s maybe because he’s not ready,” he said of the £20m summer signing, before adding: “We are talking about a young player with a good prospect, but I repeat I try to pick the best team.”

And then on the experienced Irishman, he said: “Also Doherty last season played every game. Now I’m not seeing him in the right way to start the game. I’m not stupid, I don’t want to lose. I try to put the best team, to pick the best team.”

Let’s not write off Spence as not being ready, though. It could be wise for the 53-year-old to do a U-turn on the England U21 international as it would appear as if he’s an ideal fit for his system.

Once described as a “Rolls-Royce” type of player by Gunners legend Martin Keown for his display against them in the FA Cup last season, the 22-year-old dynamo can impact a game at either end of the pitch, having averaged 1.8 dribbles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and one key pass per game for Nottingham Forest during their promotion-winning run in the Championship in 2021/22.

The wing-backs are arguably the most important role in Conte’s system, so you can forget about stars like Heung-min Son and Harry Kane for a moment, because if the creativity and drive isn’t coming from Spurs’ wide options, then the pair will struggle immensely.

A young and developing Spence is surely a far better and more reliable option than the inconsistent and calamitous Emerson at right wing-back, and as such, the Tottenham boss must do the right thing and unleash him at the Waldstadion this evening – it could prove to be an absolute stroke of genius come full-time.

AND in other news, Conte could unearth a perfect Maddison alternative in Spurs’ 17 y/o “natural finisher”…

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.

Southampton are reportedly interested in making a late move for PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo and his arrival could finally allow Ralph Hasenhuttl to axe Nathan Redmond.

Reports have suggested that the Saints have already seen a bid rejected for the Netherlands international, who starred in the Eredivisie last season, contributing 12 goals and 13 assists in just 27 league appearances, averaging a superb 7.79 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He has shown no signs of slowing down this season either, registering three goals and three assists in his first three Eredivisie appearances, so it is clear the quality he could add to Hasenhuttl’s side.

Considering none of Southampton’s wingers would manage more than six goals and assists combined in the Premier League last season, you could definitely argue that the Austrian manager needs more from his wide men, and Gakpo could add that quality in the final third for the Saints.

Former Dutch midfielder Theo Janssen sang Gakpo’s praises last season, saying:

“That boy (Gakpo) has everything. Fine feeling for the ball, a good through ball, dribbles and is strong between the lines.”

While reports have claimed that he would cost any suitor as much as £38m this summer, he could be a great long-term investment for the future and could be the catalyst for finally ousting Nathan Redmond.

The former Norwich City man has endured a tough few years at St Mary’s, contributing just one goal in 27 Premier League appearances last season, while he would only manage two in the season previous.

So far this season, he has made just one brief appearance from the bench, so it seems clear that he isn’t in Hasenhuttl’s plans, and Gakpo’s potential arrival would only push him further down the pecking order.

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Reports have suggested that the £60k per week Saints winger is attracting interest from Turkey, so if Hasenhuttl can get Redmond off the wage books and get some money in the bank, it could free up some more money for Gakpo.

Last season’s statistics, as well as Gakpo being just 23, emphasise that he is a far better prospect than Redmond, so Hasenhuttl will be hoping that he can improve Southampton’s squad further by bringing in the Dutchman and potentially selling the English winger as a result.

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has delivered an update on Antonio Conte’s pursuit of Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

The Lowdown: North London showdown

Football.London reported back in June that Fabio Paratici holds a strong interest in the 24-year-old, but that the Lilywhites were set to face competition for his services from fellow Premier League rivals Arsenal.

French outlet L’Equipe (via Football.London) even claimed that the north London outfit had an official bid for the maestro turned down during the January window, but state that the player would favour a move to Spurs over the Gunners in the future.

The Latest: Gold’s Paqueta update

Asked for an update on Tottenham’s interest in Paqueta during a fan Q&A for Football.London, Gold said:

“Spurs have been tracking Lyon’s Brazil international Lucas Paqueta for a while.

“There’s plenty of interest in Paqueta with Newcastle and Arsenal among those linked to him and again as I said below Spurs want to get players out of the door first before they can move for anyone on a big deal.

“The Brazilian’s price tag, with three years left on his contract, has gone all over the place this summer with talk of a £68m one to a lower £33m one in recent days but Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas is not a man to let anyone go on the cheap.

“I just wonder whether if Paqueta were to leave the Ligue 1 side this summer then he would want to go somewhere he can start every week rather than a club like Spurs where the competition now for those attacking spots is intense.

“Conte has raised the standards in N17 and even the bench this week against Chelsea is going to be jam-packed with stars and many who can’t even get into the match-day squad.”

The Verdict: Financial concerns

There’s no doubt that Paqueta’s versatility to play centrally, on either flank or up top would fit the profile of player that Conte is looking to sign, also marking him out as the perfect alternative to Nicolò Zaniolo.

However, the boss has recently admitted that he isn’t likely to splash the cash on anyone suddenly.

The fact that Lyon keep changing their mind over how much they value their man at suggests that any team attempting to buy the 33-cap international could be taken to the cleaners and end up paying a lot more than required.

As ‘top class’ as Paqueta is, in the words of sports journalist Josh Bunting, an expensive move for a player who wouldn’t be a guaranteed starter in the Italian’s match-day squad every week isn’t one that they should be pursuing at this moment in time.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi on his transfer ‘wish list’, says reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Conte’s centre-back pursuit

Before the summer transfer window opened, the Lilywhites boss was touted with an interest in a whole host of different central defenders.

According to The Athletic, Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig and Alessandro Bastoni of Inter Milan were the Italian’s top choices; two players who are among Europe’s best on the left side of a back three.

However, Spurs are still yet to bring in a left-sided centre-back on a permanent deal. Instead, they seem to have momentarily settled on Clement Lenglet, who arrived at Hotspur Way on a season-long loan from Barcelona.

The Latest: Gold’s claim

In a QnA for football.london, Gold was asked whether Spurs have ever been interested in Guehi from Palace. In response, the journalist claimed:

“Spurs absolutely love him and I reported earlier in the summer that the 22-year-old was one of the names on their centre-back wish list. He plays mainly on the left of central defence where Tottenham now have Davies and Lenglet, although the latter can play in the centre if required.

“I just wonder whether the price that Palace would ask for the England international, who has a deal until 2026, would prove to be prohibitive and whether they’d even allow him to leave this year.

“Spurs will look for another centre-back if Rodon and/or Tanganga depart in the weeks ahead but I wonder if Guehi would may be one for next summer when I’m sure a number of teams will look at him after the World Cup.”

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The Verdict: Great potential

When looking at the 22-year-old’s underlying stats, his huge potential is clear to see.

Compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Guehi ranks in the top 22 percent for passes and dribbles (via FBRef), displaying the type of ball-playing abilities the elite clubs expect from their defenders.

He has also been hailed as ‘an absolute tank’ by England U21 teammate Josef Bursik, so would seemingly have no trouble with the physical demands Conte places upon his squad.

Having featured in 36 Premier League games last season, Patrick Vieira’s immense trust in the youngster should also say a lot – Wwth such great potential, it’s easy to see why this would be a brilliant long-term signing for Conte.