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Chelsea are keen on a deal to bring Marcus Thuram to the Premier League in the January transfer window, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

The France international is out of contract at the end of the season and could leave Borussia Monchengladbach in the January window.

Chelsea are eyeing up an attacker, with Mykhailo Mudryk also linked, as Graham Potter wants to add some attacking firepower to his struggling side.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed Chelsea’s interest in the Frenchman, and revealed that they will look to make a move for him in this window.

“Marcus Thuram, the French striker who is available on a free in the summer because he will 100% not extend the contract with Borussia Monchengladbach, he’s on Chelsea’s list,” he stated.

“It’s confirmed, Chelsea are exploring this possibility. They are having some contacts to understand the conditions of the deal, to sign the player now, in January.”

A shrewd signing?

If Chelsea can secure Thuram’s signature for a reasonable fee, it would be a very smart piece of business in this current market.

Attacking players have been heavily priced in the market recently, with Antony moving to Man United for around £86m and Shakhtar Donestk asking for a similar amount for Mudryk.

Given his contract situation, the fee for Thuram, who keeps “defences on their toes”, is unlikely to be anywhere near this number, and he would arrive as an international forward with experience in the Champions League.

If he hits the ground running, he could prove to be one of the bargain signings of the season, and could give Potter a much-needed boost as they hunt for a top-four spot.

West Ham United will ‘explore’ what has gone wrong for Aaron Wan-Bissaka at Manchester United before making an offer for the right-back, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: West Ham target right-back

Football Insider claim that West Ham are willing to sell Vladimir Coufal for £6m in the January transfer the window, opening the door for David Moyes to bolster his options at right-back with a new signing.

With Wan-Bissaka only making one appearance in the Premier League this season, and that coming way back in August, it has now emerged that he will be allowed to leave by Erik ten Hag in January, with the club now trying to facilitate his exit.

In the same tweet from Fabrizio Romano, the Hammers are named as a potential destination for the full-back, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace.

The Latest: Jones shares the latest

In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Jones detailed that there is some concern on behalf of West Ham about why the 25-year-old’s career has taken a nosedive after he was showing such promising signs:

“I think the Wan-Bissaka link is probably the one to take most seriously. But obviously, West Ham at the moment have been trying to explore exactly what has gone so wrong for him.

“They want to make sure that he is still the player that they remember him to be and that there are no other issues here.”

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The Verdict: Get it done?

There is good reason for some concern regarding the Englishman’s recent time with the Red Devils, but his lack of minutes is likely to be down to a lack of flexibility to fit the system, rather than Ten Hag having qualms about his defensive acumen.

The former Crystal Palace man has been described as an ‘absolute beast’ by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, and this is evidenced by his remarkable tackling ability, averaging 3.03 per 90 minutes in the past year, in the 97th percentile compared to other players in his position.

During his time with Palace, Wan-Bissaka earned a £50m move to Old Trafford in large part due to his defensive capability, rather than his proficiency going forward, and so he would be suited for a move to West Ham, where he would not be expected to take on attacking responsibilities as frequently as he is for Man United.

Aston Villa struggled majorly under Steven Gerrard during the early part of this season, with the club recording just two Premier League wins before he was sacked in October.

Unai Emery has since been appointed as the club’s new manager and has immediately improved their fortunes, securing the same amount of league victories as Gerrard this season, albeit in eight fewer matches.

The 51-year-old still has a lot of work to do, however, and with the club scoring 16 league goals so far while conceding 22, there are areas Emery will need to strengthen.

The Spaniard can also get rid of players who have underperformed too, with Ollie Watkins one of the main protagonists in this regard, scoring a paltry three goals all term. The £75k-per-week striker could find things difficult now there is a new manager, especially since the club have been linked with an international forward…

Villa can ditch Watkins for Marcus Thuram

Journalist Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that Villa could be in a good place with regards to a potential move for the Frenchman, saying: “We’ll just have to see who has a nibble on that and decides to actually make an approach.

“Certainly, Villa should be well positioned just in case it gets down to them and they actually do have a run at getting him.”

This will be a big boost for Emery and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, Thuram could be available for as little as £6m in the January transfer window, which would represent a massive bargain.

In the Bundesliga alone this season, the Frenchman has scored ten goals in just 15 matches for Borussia Monchengladbach, chipping in with three assists and he has also made 0.9 key passes on average, proving he can create opportunities for others.

Indeed, his manager Daniel Farke dubbed him “world-class” due to his form, and having been selected for France’s World Cup squad, he could yet end up following in his father’s footsteps of becoming a world champion with Lilian Thuram having won the 1998 edition.

Villa urgently requires someone who can add some dynamism to their attack, especially with Watkins and fellow striker Danny Ings failing to set the world on fire this season. Thuram could be the perfect replacement for Emery.

For a fee of £6m, a potential move could also prove to be a shrewd investment, especially if he carries his Bundesliga form into the Premier League.

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has reportedly decided that he wants to continue leading the club and open talks with the board over signing a new contract. 

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s contract situation

Guardiola’s current contract at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire at the end of the current season, which will take him to seven years at the club.

Earlier this month, the 51-year-old gave an update on his contract situation by saying that it is “under control” and will discuss the possibility of a new contract with the club at the right time. Well, it appears as though that time has come according to one report from Spain.

The Latest: Guardiola wants a new deal

According to a recent article from Sport, the City manager has decided to start negotiating the renewal of his contract so he can continue leading the team.

The report also adds that Guardiola, along with Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano have taken advantage of the current World Cup break to start laying the foundations for a potential new contract and the club’s future plans.

The Verdict: Great news for City

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has made his feelings for the Manchester side clear in terms of how comfortable he has been and how much he enjoys working for the club.

Having taken charge of 374 matches with the Citizens, Guardiola has seen his side win 276 of them, drawing 43, losing 55 and winning several domestic trophies along the way.

This highlights how successful he has been for the club and why it should be great news for everyone connected to City to hear that he has apparently decided to sign a new deal.

Moving forward, if Guardiola can officially put pen to paper on a new deal at City before domestic football resumes after the World Cup, this will surely be a massive boost for everyone at the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers might need to delve into the transfer market when the January window opens due to their Premier League form this season leaving them rooted to the bottom of the top-flight table.

Julen Lopetegui will no doubt want to bring in a few new faces, and several links have already emerged, with one player the Spaniard knows extremely well from his spell at Real Madrid.

Nacho Fernandez has been linked with a move to Wolves and a reunion with the 56-year-old – who managed him for 11 matches during the early stages of 2018/2019 before being sacked by Real Madrid – has potential.

The defender has been stalling on a new contract at the Bernabeu having seen his game time limited this season, playing just 414 minutes.

Having let Conor Coady join Everton on a season-long loan deal in the summer, the Old Gold’s defence has conceded 24 league goals.

They have struggled to replace his leadership and defensive qualities, and it was a big mistake for Bruno Lage to let him go in the first place, but Fernandez can be a dream heir to the Englishman if he joined the club.

The £129k-per-week defender has won every major honour possible while at Real Madrid, including five Champions League titles while making 247 appearances for one of the most successful club sides in the world.

With Nathan Collins, Max Kilman, Toti and Yerson Mosquera the only senior centre-backs in the squad, Lopetegui will certainly need to add some depth in this position ahead of a crucial second half of the season, and Nacho would be an ideal signing.

Due to his contract situation, a reunion with Lopetegui could occur in January, with Real Madrid unlikely to expect a high transfer fee, they might be more than willing to sanction a deal.

Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane dubbed the Spaniard “important” whenever he plays, and he has all the required attributes to shine in the Premier League and Lopetegui may well find that he can be the perfect Coady heir in the process.

After a change of heart, former Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick is back in advanced talks with Middlesbrough to become their new manager, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

The Lowdown: Carrick off?

As per BBC journalist Simon Stone on October 11, the 41-year-old former midfielder opted out after talks with the Teeside club over the vacant managerial role, concluding it was not the right time for him to return to football.

Previously, Carrick worked as the assistant manager at Man United between July 2018 and November 2021, before assuming the role as the side’s caretaker manager after the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Latest: Advanced talks

Downie has now shared a fresh update on Boro’s manager search, revealing a major U-turn with their ‘preferred candidate’.

Taking to Twitter, the Sky Sports reporter claimed:

“Michael Carrick is in advanced talks to take over at Middlesbrough, as per reports elsewhere. The former Man United midfielder is now the preferred candidate following a clutch of interviews last week. Boro play Wigan & Huddersfield this week & sit 22nd in Champ.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

With Chris Wilder’s dismissal coming after five defeats in the side’s opening 11 Championship games this season, Boro currently sit in the relegation zone in 22nd place.

Therefore, with talks having prolonged over a two-week period, it is imperative the club secure their next manager as soon as possible, as a major direction change is needed at The Riverside Stadium.

Recommended to Boro chairman Steve Gibson by England manager Gareth Southgate, presenter EFL David Prutton has hailed Carrick for his ‘very good reputation’ in the game.

If he really is their top candidate, the Teesiders must try and get the deal done ahead of the side’s weekend fixture against Huddersfield.

Leeds United have made plenty of notorious transfer howlers over their history, with many combining to result in their 2004 relegation.

They then spent 16 years wallowing in the Championship and even League One, where they would be forced to scrape the bottom of the barrel due to their financial constraints.

Whilst there were a few blunders during this period too, they largely made some smart signings which helped to elevate them to a position where Marcelo Bielsa could lead them back to the Premier League.

One such signing who came and went before the legendary Argentine took over was Robert Snodgrass, who the Whites poached as a youngster from Livingston. It was reported that they only had to unload the £35k compensation fee to get him to join.

He spent just four years at Elland Road yet managed to feature an impressive 191 times. During this period, he scored 41 times and set up a further 40 goals, a sensational return.

However, financial constraints would once again force the club to offload one of their key assets, as Norwich City came calling and only had to pay £2.5m for his services.

Whilst it was likely an underpayment, Leeds’ manager at the time Neil Warnock still recorded an astronomical profit of 7,042% on the Scot.

Snodgrass might have been sold on for more in the future, but the only saving grace is that he never again reached the levels he had done for the Whites. The closest he would come to replicating his tally at Leeds after leaving was with the Canaries and Hull City, scoring 14 goals for both clubs.

It must have delighted the Elland Road hierarchy to see sports reporter Ian Abrahams label the winger “so poor” whilst playing for West Ham United.

The 35-year-old now lines out for Hearts in the Scottish Premiership and is yet to score in his opening five games as his team occupy seventh place in the table.

Although other clubs might have sold the winger on for higher fees than what Leeds first did, it was the Whites who earned the best profit margin from the initial price that they paid and also got the most out of him on the pitch.

They got it right with this deal.

Sheffield Wednesday correspondent Joe Crann believes Plymouth Argyle captain Joe Edwards was lucky to avoid a red card on Tuesday evening.

The Lowdown: Injury-time heartbreak

The Owls made the long trip back from Home Park empty-handed after an injury-time goal from Sam Cosgrove gave the hosts all three points.

Liam Palmer cancelled out Ryan Hardie’s opener in the first half in a lively top-of-the-table encounter, with Darren Moore bringing off Barry Bannan and Josh Windass with 20 minutes remaining – a decision that puzzled some.

The result leaves Wednesday four points off the automatic places and five off table toppers Plymouth in League One.

The Latest: Edwards tackle

Reece James was on the receiving end of a challenge from Edwards just before half time, with the Plymouth man shown a yellow card.

However, taking to Twitter, Crann said that it ‘looked REALLY bad on the replay’, believing the player may have seen red if VAR was in use.

The Verdict: Not good

James was forced off at half time for Dominic Iorfa as a result of Edwards’ challenge, and it seems as if the Plymouth man was lucky to avoid a red.

Wednesday impressed at Home Park and on another evening would have come away with three vital points, however, attention may turn to Moore’s substitute decisions and the failure to take chances.

Hopefully, the Owls will get back to winning ways against Cheltenham on Saturday and James can make a swift recovery.

Arsenal continued their fine start to the new Premier League season with victory over Brentford on Sunday afternoon, with the Gunners’ display having been a far cry from their limp showing away against the Bees just over a year ago.

A side looking full of confidence, the table-topping outfit produced a ruthless first-half performance to ease past Thomas Frank’s side, ensuring a sixth victory from their opening seven top-flight games of the season.

While that triumph notably saw summer signing Fabio Vieira fire in a 30-yard stunner for his first goal for the club, the game’s headline moment came in the form of a substitution, with Mikel Arteta handing academy starlet Ethan Nwaneri his senior debut from the bench.

That first team bow for the versatile midfielder notably caught the attention due to the youngster’s age, with the 15-year-old becoming the youngest player ever to feature in the Premier League in the competition’s history.

The 2007-born gem not only served to leave a host of fans and pundits alike feeling rather old, but also laid down a marker of just how highly thought of he is by the north Londoners, with it a testament to his quality that he has already been handed the trust of his manager.

Although it was a mere late cameo, the suggestion is that the England U17 international will go on to assume a more prominent role in the years to come, having been tipped for a “big, big future” by teammate Granit Xhaka.

Also lauded as a “special” talent by the Switzerland international – who has even coached the youngster at youth level as part of his coaching badges – Nwaneri has likely set tongues wagging among the club’s supporters, with the Gunners fanbase no doubt intrigued as to just how high this emerging prospect can go in the years to come.

The club have of course seen the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe emerge from the academy in recent times, albeit with arguably one of the biggest talents to have been produced that of a certain, Jack Wilshere.

Although the hope will be that Nwaneri can avoid the injury woes that plagued the now retired gem’s later career, Wilshere is still a notable example of the type of impact that a young player can make if thrust into the first team.

Also a playmaking midfielder – like his compatriot – the former England international was handed his debut by Arsene Wenger in a league meeting with Blackburn Rovers back in 2008 at the age of just 16, before going on to a permanent fixture under the iconic Frenchman after a brief stint on loan at Bolton Wanderers.

Arguably the 5 foot 8 gem’s most memorable outing in the red jersey came against Barcelona in the Champions League in 2011, as he simply ran the show at the tender age of just 19 against Pep Guardiola’s imperious outfit.

While unable to truly build on that sparkling start to life at senior level – largely due to injury – the midfield magician still produced notable moments of quality in his 198 games for the club in all competitions,  including netting a sensational team goal against Norwich City in 2013.

A true natural talent, Wilshere showcased that age truly is just a number if the player is good enough, with Nwaneri potentially able to have a similar impact if his recent outing leads to a more regular role.

.Liverpool hosted their first Premier League game of the season at Anfield last night against Crystal Palace and the clash certainly didn’t disappoint in terms of twists and turns throughout the game.

The Reds picked up their second draw of the season so far, with just two points tallied up on the league table now in 12th position ahead of one of their most highly anticipated fixtures of the campaign against Manchester United at Old Trafford next Monday.

Jurgen Klopp selected a number of surprises, confirming further knocks and fitness issues to the team, as Nat Phillips started in a centre-back partnership with Virgil van Dijk while Darwin Nunez made his Anfield debut in a red shirt.

Despite having 73% possession, Liverpool only had four shots on target with 24 shots in total and that statistic translated onto the pitch with the side unable to take all three points from the game.

The game was not without controversy as Darwin Nunez saw red after delivering a head butt to Joachim Andersen in front of referee Paul Tierney who gave the 22-year-old striker his marching orders immediately. That put Liverpool down to 10 men in the 57th minute when the side were still trying to find the equaliser to match Crystal Palace.

Luckily, Luis Diaz came to the rescue just four minutes later with a stunning strike that finally found the back of the net, putting his team back into the game, but it wasn’t just the Columbian who was a stand-out in a tight game for the Merseysiders on Monday evening.

Harvey Elliott was the midfielder of choice to start in the team following Thiago Alcantara’s injury alongside Fabinho and James Milner on the right side of the three. A surprise pick, he became Klopp’s unsung hero proving he could really be the solution to Liverpool’s midfield concerns over the coming fixtures.

The young talent was hailed a “class act” by sport journalist Joseph McBride, for his performance last night and it’s not hard to see why as Elliott was integral in holding together the midfield over the course of the game.

The 19-year-old took 74 touches of the ball but only lost possession seven times. He also made two key passes, five tackles, two interceptions and completed 100% of his dribble attempts. A 90% pass completion rate over his 79-minute performance also proved just how effective he can be in both attacking and defensive play.

The Liverpool Echo were complimentary of his showing too, with reporter Ian Doyle handing him an 8/10 in his player ratings, saying: “Great energy in chasing down and blocking passes and a real danger when in possession himself. Very encouraging but tired a bit in final quarter.”

As a result of this encouraging performance from the youngster, it wouldn’t be surprising if he is seen again in the starting line-up at Old Trafford next week as Klopp attempts to navigate his team in the right direction in their upcoming fixtures to secure Liverpool their first win of the season.

With that being said, the transfer window remains open for Klopp and the powers at Anfield to take advantage of. They now need to decide whether they want to add a new midfielder or stick by their rising star.