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Southampton are set for a busy evening with not only a League Cup semi-final clash against Newcastle United at St James’ Park but now a new update has emerged on another potential new addition set to sign for the club before the transfer window shuts.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas, Southampton are “closing in” on a deal for Genk striker Paul Onuachu.

Thomas tweeted: “Southampton closing in on Genk striker Paul Onuachu. Terms on a deal worth £18m plus add-ons has been agreed between the clubs. Player still needs to complete a medical. Rasmus Ankersen knows him from FC Midtjylland days.”

Jones can get St Mary’s rocking

There is no doubt that strengthening the side at St Mary’s was something that needed to be achieved during the January transfer window and Nathan Jones will be hoping enough has been done to save the club from a drop into the Championship.

The Saints are currently rock bottom in the Premier League table and two points deep into the relegation zone alongside Everton with the most losses in the entire top flight over their 20 outings, so the signing of a game-changer as good as the 6 foot 4 forward is one that will surely get the club rocking again.

Indeed, the signing of Onuachu could be their saving grace in their pursuit of retaining their top-flight status over their remaining fixtures with the Genk goal machine in fine form this season so far.

Over 19 league appearances, the 28-year-old ace has scored a whopping 16 goals and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 2.2 shots on goal, 1.1 shots on target and winning 4.2 duels per game, proving that he is a consistent and reliable threat in front of goal making him a hugely valuable asset to Jones.
The Nigerian striker has been the recipient of high praise for his impact on Genk with teammate and Belgian defender Rasmus Carstensen hailing Onuachu in an interview last month:

“Paul is just crazy good at football. He is big and strong, and he also likes to dribble,” he said.

“When he stands up in front of someone during interval training and gets a ball, you just have to try to push him away.”

With that being said, if Southampton can pull off a deal for Onuachu in the dying hours of Deadline Day it would be a major coup and could give the manager a player who can make an incredible impact on the remainder of the season.
Indeed, should he bring his goal-scoring form to St Mary’s in the coming weeks, the place would certainly be bouncing again. This is a move that could well and truly change their season.

Everton manager Sean Dyche will ‘be disappointed’ by the lack of signings since he arrived at the club, according to former player and BBC Radio pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Everton missed out

The Toffees appointed Sean Dyche on January 30th, leaving the club with a small window of opportunity to bring in some players for the new manager on deadline day, but they were unable to get any deals over the line.

Kamaldeen Sulemana chose a move to Southampton rather than Everton, while they were also unable to land free agent Andre Ayew after the window closed, with the forward opting for a move to Nottingham Forest.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Speaking to Football Insider about the recent ongoings at Goodison Park, Whelan said:“I think the Everton fans have got every right to be frustrated.

“They’ve just sold their best player and got no one to replace him when they’re in a relegation fight.

“They’ve got a good result which might gloss over it, but where’s the positive in that?

“I think Dyche is trying to steady the ship and get the fans onside. They need everyone behind the players to get out of this.

“I’m not sure there’s enough talent in the squad to push themselves up the league.

“He knows what they’ve got to work with now – but he’ll be disappointed not to get someone in.

The Verdict: New additions needed?

While Everton’s previous Premier League form may have indicated that some new signings were needed, they already looked a much-improved side under the helm of Dyche last weekend, defeating league-leaders Arsenal 1-0 at Goodison Park.

The current crop of players ran 72.8 miles for their new boss, more than two miles further than they have in any other game in the top flight this season, indicating that they are committed to turning their form around in the second half of the campaign.

Failing to secure a replacement for Anthony Gordon is a very disappointing development, however, and the only option now is to to try and sign an attacking option as a free agent in the coming days, with Isco recently emerging as an option.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has enjoyed a relatively quiet month during his first transfer window in charge of the club since taking over from Steven Gerrard earlier this season.

The Spanish head coach has brought in two first-team additions to bolster his squad in January so far. Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran have been signed from Real Betis and Chicago Fire respectively and it remains to be seen whether or not more will follow in the coming days.

Villa have until Tuesday night to complete any further deals to improve the team heading into the second half of the Premier League season and have been linked with players in a number of positions.

One area of the pitch in which the club may still look to bolster in is the striker department. Duran has been brought in but is yet to experience football in Europe and only turned 19 last month, which could make hitting the ground running difficult for the teenager.

Emery sanctioned the departure of a proven Premier League goalscorer earlier this month as Danny Ings completed a move to rivals West Ham United on a permanent basis.

The English forward scored six goals in eight starts in the division during the first half of the campaign, after striking seven times in 22 starts for the Villans last term, and the club could look to replace him with a senior addition – to complement Duran and Ollie Watkins.

Journalist Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that Lille striker Jonathan David is an “expensive” option for Villa to bring in before the end of the window.

The 23-year-old, who has been valued at €50m (£44m), has been on fire in France in recent years and could be a dream replacement for Ings as the gem has proven himself in a major European league.

Whilst Duran is yet to play a competitive club match in Europe, after scoring eight goals in 27 MLS appearances in 2022, David has struck 12 goals in 19 Ligue 1 appearances this season – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.25.

His impressive scoring in the French top-flight this term comes after the gem plundered 28 goals in 62 Ligue outings in the previous two campaigns combined, which shows that the gem is not a one-season wonder.

David has also assisted four goals and created five ‘big chances’, whilst making 1.4 key passes per game, this season and could offer a creative threat on the ball, along with his goalscoring attributes.

The marksman, who was once dubbed a “phenomenon” by former coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck, has proven himself to be a reliable striker in Europe and, therefore, he could be an excellent addition to Emery’s squad to replace Ings goals in the second half of the campaign. 

Tottenham Hotspur have identified the Brighton & Hove Albion forward Leandro Trossard as a potential target for this month’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

Antonio Conte’s side are yet to make any moves so far in the January transfer window despite being a third of the was through the first month of the year.

However, it is apparent the Italian is keen to see new faces come through the door this month having already raised question marks over the side’s current lack of creativity.

And now it seems as if a new name has emerged as a potential player to watch out for this month with the Belgian forward believed to be a name that has been discussed internally at Hotspur Way.

Speaking on Sky Sports News on Monday night, Bridge claimed the 28-year-old is a name Spurs fans should be keeping an ear out for as this window develops:

(19:20pm) “Tottenham, we know, are looking at an attacking midfielder and Leandro Trossard is one player that has been discussed,” said Bridge.

“The potential stumbling block here is that Brighton can extend his contract until 2024. That doesn’t necessarily mean he would stay at Brighton it just means they’re protecting their value and they might be getting a little bit more money for him. A 28-year-old midfielder and just someone Spurs are looking at.”

Big opportunity

Trossard has made a sensational start to the 2022/23 campaign in the Premier League with the Seagulls flying up in eighth spot of the table.

And the Belgian has certainly played his part in Brighton’s impressive start with seven goals and three assists in the league alone (via Transfermarkt).

What is perhaps even more impressive than his tally of seven league goals already is the teams he has scored against. The Belgian has scored once against Manchester City and Chelsea and even scored a hat-trick away to Liverpool.

In Trossard, Spurs would be getting a versatile forward who has played in a number of positions across the attacking line with appearances at left-wing, attacking midfield and even centre-forward under his belt this season.

There is potentially a stumbling block, though, As Bridge mentioned, Brighton have an option to extend his deal by a further year with his current contract set to expire at the end of this season.

Although this may not seem disastrous, we have already seen Spurs cool their interest in a player this month if they feel the selling club are asking too much for the player.

But it does seem as if Trossard, who has been hailed as a “magnificent” player, could potentially be angling for a move since returning from the World Cup with his manager, Roberto De Zerbi, dropping the Belgian for their recent FA Cup clash and saying:

“I like him as a player, but I want more from him, because he can play better, he can work harder, he can run more on the pitch and I want players who give 100 per cent in every training session and every game.”

However, Spurs have recently raided Brighton for Yves Bissouma and the midfielder has struggled in the opening months of his career in north London.

Celtic have been dealt a huge blow in their attempts to bring Gue-sung Cho to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that Ange Postecoglou and his side now find themselves behind Mainz in the race to land the Jeonbuk centre-forward this winter, with the Bundesliga outfit said to have submitted an official £3m bid for the 24-year-old.

The report adds that, with Mainz already having Cho’s South Korean team-mate Jae-sung Lee in their first-team squad, the German club are hoping that this will help to convince the 20-cap international of a move to the MEWA Arena ahead of the Premiership champions in the January market.

Dream Giakoumakis heir

Considering just how impressive Cho was for both club and country in 2022, coupled with Giorgos Giakoumakis reportedly being tempted by a move away from Parkhead this winter, the argument that Postecoglou simply must do everything in his power to beat Mainz to the signing of the striker this winter is a very easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 31 K League 1 appearances this season, the £2.2m-rated talent was in devastating attacking form, scoring 17 goals, registering five assists and creating five big chances for his team-mates. He also averaged 3.3 shots – 1.5 of which hit the target – made 1.2 key passes and completed 0.5 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 24-year-old average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.33, not only ranking him as Jeonbuk’s best performer in the league but also as the fourth-best player in the South Korean top flight as a whole.

The centre-forward also impressed over his four appearances at the World Cup this winter, scoring two goals and taking 2.3 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – per game. These metrics saw the player nicknamed “Worldstar Guesung” average an eye-catching Sofascore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as South Korea’s second-best player at the tournament.

As such, should Giakoumakis indeed move onto pastures new this month, it would very much appear as if Cho would represent something of a dream replacement for the Greece international at Parkhead, leading us to believe that Postecoglou simply must better Mainz’s offer for the Jeonbuk hitman.

Tottenham Hotspur now have their sights set on a move for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte, according to reports from Portugal.

The Lowdown: Tottenham linked with Ugarte

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), Spurs were among many top European clubs who were planning to keep an eye on Ugarte’s performances for Uruguay at the World Cup. However, the 21-year-old did not play a single minute in Qatar, having been named on the bench for all three of his country’s group games, so Antonio Conte has not had a recent opportunity to see him in action.

Nonetheless, the interest on Spurs’ behalf appears as though it hasn’t diminished, as they are now one of the main clubs in the running for his signature…

The Latest: Ugarte in Spurs’ sights

According to Record (via Sport Witness), Tottenham have their sights set on the youngster, and they could capitalise on Sporting’s failure to offer him a suitable contract.

Only Spurs are tagged in the report, which would perhaps suggest that they are one of the leading contenders to sign the player, who currently has a €60m (£53m) release clause penned into his contract, which runs until June 2026.

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The Verdict: Worth it?

Conte has already had the chance to see the defensive midfielder in action, as Ugarte flourished in Sporting’s 2-0 victory against Tottenham in September, winning the joint-most ground duels of any player on his team (six).

While he showcased his defensive acumen in that game, the Uruguayan is also very impressive in distributing the ball, with an average pass completion rate per 90 of 91.9% over the past year placing him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s major leagues.

Lauded as a ‘midfield machine’ by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, the youngster’s tackling ability also stands out. He has averaged 3.85 tackles per 90 in 2022, again placing him in the 99th percentile among positional peers, and it’s a big increase on the 1.7 per game recorded by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

At just 21, Ugarte is still some way off reaching his vast potential, and based on the figures above he would be able to run the Tottenham midfield for years to come.

The World Cup means different things to different people. While fans will be studying the latest Unibet 2022 World Championships betting odds and following their team hopefully all the way to the final, the tournament means something else entirely for managers, club scouts, agents and the players themselves. Not only is playing on the biggest stage in world football the pinnacle of anyone’s career, it is also a place for players yet to get an opportunity at one of the biggest clubs or leagues to really put themselves in the shop window.

First a word of warning. Basing a buying decision on two or three performances in a situation and under conditions vastly different from the weekly grind of club football does not come without risks, as managers have learnt to their cost before. That said though, the tournament is a fantastic opportunity for players and managers alike. So who are some of the hottest prospects who will be strutting their stuff in Qatar and likely to be watched with the most scrutiny?

Noah Okafor – Switzerland

The Swiss forward has a lot going for him. First of all, he is able to operate as both a wide forward player – with the three up front favoured by many of the top clubs in Europe, this is a huge plus – and in the middle. Secondly, he is at Red Bull Salzburg, a club with a track record of producing and nurturing top young talent, a certain Erling Haaland for one. Not a definite starter for Switzerland, but will get game time, and though he is already receiving interest from Premier League clubs, this tournament could take that to the next level.

Ao Tanaka – Japan

This Japanese midfielder has found a new lease of life since being pushed further upfield, and as such was largely the reason Japan are going to Qatar. More and more Japanese players are making it into the major European leagues, and though currently at Fortuna Düsseldorf, Tanaka’s ability to find space and create chances from nothing will not go unnoticed.

Garang Kuol – Australia

Electrifying pace is a huge part of the modern game, allowing teams to break and transition with speed and precision. This Australian international has that in spades. Likely to be used as an impact sub to attack tired legs in the last twenty minutes, the Central Coast Mariners winger will get his chance against France and Denmark two of the tournament’s fancied teams. If he passes that test, it may not be long before he is plying his trade in Europe.

Akram Afif – Qatar

The star of the Qatar team may sound like damning with faint praise, but Afif is a real star, capable of playing all across the front line, and equally happy and able to create goals as well as finishing them himself. Though playing in Qatar, he does have European experience, and will be seeing this tournament as a stepping stone. Whether he will get more than three games in which to demonstrate his talents is debatable however.

Kamaldeen Sulemana – Ghana

Sulemana’s ability to run with the ball and dribble at pace is a nightmare for any defender. Usually played wide on the left, he is a key part of Ghana’s offensive threat, and has firmly established himself in Ligue 1’s Stade Rennais.

Jonathan David – Canada

Athletic, strong and intelligent, this US-born Canadian international has shown during his time at LOSC Lille he has what it takes to perform at a good level in Europe. David’s nine goals in qualification were crucial in securing his nation’s first World Cup since 1986. Drawn in a group with Belgium, Croatia and Morocco it will be a tough ask to qualify, but it won’t be just Les Rouges fans watching with interest to see how he fares against some of the best defences in world football.

Photo by Unsplash

Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell facing a long spell on the sidelines is a ‘massive blow’ for him and the club, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Chilwell out of World Cup

The Premier League giants secured a 2-1 victory over Dinamo Zagreb to round off their Champions League group campaign at the start of this month, but their spirits were dampened when the 25-year-old was forced off the pitch after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Chilwell will now miss the World Cup and has been omitted from England’s 26-man squad by Gareth Southgate as a result, in what will be hugely disappointing news for the left-back.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke was gutted to learn of Chilwell’s injury and suggested that it couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the 25-year-old.

He said: “It’s a big blow for Graham Potter and also a massive blow for Ben Chilwell, missing out on the World Cup with England. He’s been so unlucky with injuries recently.

“He’s recently come back from a serious knee injury and now to get this hamstring injury as well will come as a huge blow. Potter wants to have his best players fit and available right now, especially with Chelsea’s current form, which has seen them fail to win any of their last four Premier League matches.”

The Verdict: Better than Cucurella

Marc Cucurella arrived at Stamford Bridge over the summer and was later reunited with his former Brighton boss Potter, but he has not had the same level of impact as Chilwell at Chelsea.

The Englishman had two assists and one goal to his name in nine league appearances this season prior to his injury and offered a threat in the air, winning 1.3 headers per 90 minutes.

Chelsea will be hoping that Chilwell’s absence doesn’t go on for too long, but at least the upcoming break for the World Cup will provide him with the ideal opportunity to take a big step closer to fitness by the time club action resumes on Boxing Day.

Sunderland have enjoyed the luxury of a number of talented strikers over the years and are currently benefitting from Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart’s knack for finding the back of the net.

The likes of Kevin Phillips, Darren Bent, and Jermain Defoe are other forwards who had fantastic spells in front of goal at the Stadium of Light, but there is one player who could have added his name to that list – Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Back in 2000, Black Cats boss Peter Reid revealed that the prolific Dutch marksman was a player on their radar in 1997, saying: 

”He’s a quality player and someone we were looking to buy three seasons ago when he was still something of an unknown. It was just after we started back in the First Division.

“At the time he was playing for Heerenveen and I think he was only 19. But they quoted us £5 million which at the time was just far too high a price for a player we could not totally be sure would be a success.”

The striker ended up signing for PSV in the summer of 1998 and plundered an exceptional 77 goals and 20 assists in 90 appearances for the Eredivisie outfit.

This led to Manchester United snapping him up in 2001 for a fee reported to be in the region of £19m and he enjoyed a phenomenal five-year spell at Old Trafford.

The Netherlands international scored 150 goals and assisted 25 in 219 matches in all competitions for the Red Devils, winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the League Cup.

Van Nistelrooy was once described as a “devastating” finisher by his former teammate Rio Ferdinand and Louis Saha also hailed the striker, saying:

“He has the ultimate mentality of a striker. He’s always concentrating so he can be in the right position to anticipate a pass or be in the right place to receive it. That’s what makes him so effective.

“There is nobody in the world like him. David Trezeguet is a similar player but he doesn’t have the same quality, control and technique. Ruud keeps control of the ball with three players trying to get it off him. He is the complete forward.”

Reid and Sunderland certainly made a mistake by deciding against signing the centre-forward, who ended up scoring a whopping 327 career goals at club level, for £5m in 1997.

He went on to become a prolific goalscorer in England and proved that he would have been a terrific signing at that price, particularly given that he signed for United for £14m more than that four years later. Indeed, the ex-manager is likely to have nightmares about that call over 25 years ago.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero still has some “question marks” over him, according to journalist and South American football expert Tim Vickery. 

The Lowdown: World Cup approaching

With the World Cup rapidly approaching, Spurs are likely to see the majority of their first-team players in action for their respective countries in Qatar.

Ahead of the tournament, though, Romero has been called into question over how much defensive quality that he can provide to Argentina.

The Latest: ‘Question marks’ over Romero

Vickery has been speaking to GIVEMESPORT about the defensive options available to Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni ahead of the World Cup, stating that he is yet to be fully convinced by Romero.

The journalist said: “This is the aspect of the Argentina World Cup challenge that interests me most and their defensive record in recent times is brilliant, especially since [Lisandro] Martinez and Romero came into the side. I think it’s something like two goals conceded in 14 games.

“Sometimes they’ve been at full stretch, and I’m really interested to see how they cope with the really difficult games, how that defensive unit copes with the really difficult games, because, as far as I’m concerned, in terms of a genuinely world-class centre back, I still have one or two question marks over Romero.”

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The Verdict: Romero doing the business for Spurs

Despite only making eight league appearances this season for Spurs, the Argentine is still among the top five for successful tackles (11), blocks (11), interceptions (11) and clearances (26) at the north London club.

This illustrates the defensive acumen of Romero and why he could be an important figure for his country in the upcoming World Cup.

It also proves why the centre-back has been described in the past by Charlie Eccleshare as a “massive” player for the north London club.

Also, the fact that Spurs have conceded four goals across their two previous league games that the 24-year-old has missed through injury further showcases how significant player a he is for the Lilywhites at the back.

It seems to us that the only real issue Argentina could have with Romero is his worrying injury record rather than anything to do with his quality on the pitch.