The jury is still out for Chelsea's summer transfer window, with Mauricio Pochettino's business proving to be a mixed bag so far, though there are plenty of positives.

Certain variables, like the long-term injury inflicted upon Christopher Nkunku in pre-season, make it difficult to form a convincing opinion – but the Frenchman's past exploits in the Bundesliga certainly tantalise a successful career to come.

Nicolas Jackson's performances have certainly left much to be admired, with the Senegalese striker largely struggling in front of goal and despite scoring seven this term, three of those did come when Tottenham Hotspur were reduced to nine men.

Club-record signing Moises Caicedo, meanwhile, has shown glimpses of why he was regarded as one of the best-holding midfielders in the league and set the Blues back a staggering £115m, but the 22-year-old still needs to add more consistency to his performances in order to repay that price tag.

By contrast, Cole Palmer has been sensational and is comfortably one of the most admired young players in the Premier League having taken to life at Stamford Bridge like a duck to water.

Although it is hard to disagree that Palmer hasn't been a resounding success, Chelsea have struggled as a whole and following a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United on Saturday, the west London outfit are already 12 points behind fourth-place Aston Villa.

Pochettino's young squad have a mountain to climb and if they are to stand any chance of launching a challenge on their European aspirations, they will need to continue to add first-class quality to the squad, with Victor Boniface the latest player to enter the narrative.

Chelsea transfer news – Victor Boniface

Whilst a move for long-term target Victor Osimhen would be possible in January, Napoli value their prize possession at a staggering £120m.

Considering Chelsea paid £115m for Caicedo in the summer, UEFA's financial fair play regulations would be breathing down their necks if they were to shell out a three-figure sum on one player for the third transfer window running.

With Osimhen seemingly unattainable in the winter, Calciomercato – as relayed by the Hard Tackle – state that the Blues have identified Osimhen's countryman, Victor Boniface, as a potential target.

The Bayer Leverkusen striker, who has scored 11 goals and supplied six assists in all competitions this term, could provide the Blues with a long-term solution to their prolificacy having struggled with strikers of late.

Since Didier Drogba left in 2015, and arguably Diego Costa departed in 2017, Blues fans have been waiting for a prolific forward and Boniface – as demonstrated by the above scoring exploits – could be the answer to that glaring problem.

With a value of €50m (£43m), according to the CIES Football Observatory, the 22-year-old would be an attainable target, unlike Osimhen, and boasts similar attributes that were readily associated with Drogba in his heyday, namely his strength to shrug off defenders, his explosive pace and world-class finishing.

Victor Boniface's style of play

Ever since cutting his teeth in the game at Real Sapphire in his homeland, Boniface has been touted for greatness and has been lauded as "amazing" by former Nigerian superstar, Jay-Jay Okocha.

He made his breakthrough in the European game at Norwegian giants Bodo/Glimt, where he posted a respectful 23 goals and eight assists in 66 games between 2019 and 2022.

After earning a move to Belgian side Union Saint-Galloise in the summer of 2022, the goals continued to flow, hauling an impressive 17 strikes and 12 assists in 55 competitive appearances for Union, including a hat-trick on his debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifying game against Klaksvik.

Since switching to Leverkusen in the summer, he's continued showing that red-hot form in the Bundesliga and such performances have seen him earn a description of a "defenders nightmare" by scout Antonio Mango due to his ability as an all-round centre forward.

Compared to one of the greatest strikers of this generation, Robert Lewandowski, by the Bundesliga official website, Boniface is adept at using both feet, physically powerful, strong in the air and surprisingly silky with the ball at his feet, whilst sharing his clever movement and ability to lose his marker with the Polish superstar.

Victor Boniface's statistics this season

As alluded to previously, Boniface has been in scintillating form this term with seven goals and five assists in the Bundesliga as Xabi Alonso's swashbuckling side sit at the top of the table.

Through his immense scoring power and incredible all-round attributes, Boniface has posted similar attacking metrics to the likes of world-class talents, Kylian Mbappe, Lewandowski and Romelu Lukaku in the past year, as per FBref.

Statistics

Value / Percentile rank

Non-penalty xG

0.78 / top 1%

Shots total

4.98 / top 1%

Assists

0.45 / top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.89 / top 1%

Progressive carries

3.11 / top 4%

Touches (Att pen)

7.02 / top 5%

Shot creating actions

3.34 / top 10%

All stats via FBref

The above table depicts where Boniface ranks among his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues and considering he places within the top 1% for non-penalty xG, total shots, assists and successful take-ons, the Nigerian superstar is transforming into an unstoppable machine who is matching, if not, bettering the best strikers on the planet.

It only further fuels Chelsea's interest, with Pochettino and co undoubtedly taking note of his quick integration to life on German shores; given how successful one fellow African turned out to be in west London, it might be an auspicious road to go down.

Chelsea's next Drogba

In the Jose Mourinho era, Drogba established himself as one of the most prolific strikers on the planet and fired Chelsea to consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006.

After signing from Marseille for £8m in 2004, the Ivory Coast machine scored an eye-watering 164 goals and served 88 assists on a platter for his Blues teammates as he wreaked havoc, with Mourinho lauding him as "unstoppable".

At the peak of his powers, Drogba certainly proved the special one correct by plundering 29 goals and supplying 13 assists in the 2009/10 Premier League campaign before capping a first spell at Stamford Bridge in the best way possible by scoring in the winning penalty to lift the Champions League against Bayern Munich in 2012.

Whilst remaining at Leverkusen is an attractive proposition currently given they are battling with Bayern for the Bundesliga title, if Boniface has aspirations of cementing his legacy as one of the best strikers in the world, he should take the plunge and move to Chelsea.

As Drogba found out, there's no better way to achieve the above than unleashing his scoring powers in the Premier League.

Looking to avoid a third successive Premier League defeat, Tottenham Hotspur are set for an intriguing encounter with fellow top-four hopefuls Aston Villa this afternoon, the two sides currently split by just a point in the top-flight table.

Having looked possible contenders to challenge for the title just a few weeks ago, Spurs have been pegged back of late to somewhat derail those lofty ambitions, albeit with manager Ange Postecoglou having been dealt a dismal hand after losing a host of first-team stars to injury and suspension.

Among the most concerning absences for the north Londoners is that of James Maddison, with the £40m addition having arguably been the "signing of the summer" – according to TNT Sports' Joe Cole – after a stunning start to life at N17.

James Maddison's season by numbers

Plucked from Leicester City back in July following the Foxes' slide into the Championship, the England international has helped to ease the loss of former lynchpin Harry Kane after taking on an almost talismanic role in the early months of the campaign.

Having inherited the number ten shirt from his Three Lions colleague, Maddison has relished the responsibility of being the main man, scoring three goals and registering five assists in the league thus far in 2023/24 from his playmaking berth.

Acting as the main source of creativity in Postecoglou's side, the 26-year-old has already created 31 chances in the Premier League this season, with that record only bettered by Bruno Fernandes (32) and Kieran Trippier (33) across the entire division.

Trying to replace such a talent is no mean feat then, with Spurs set to be without their star man for the remainder of 2023, after Maddison pulled up in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea prior to the international break.

A perhaps obvious replacement would be Giovani Lo Celso, yet the Argentine playmaker has hardly impressed during his time in London to date, scoring just eight goals and contributing only six assists in 88 games in all competitions.

With the 27-year-old also having spent the last 18 months out on loan at Villarreal, it remains to be seen if he is a long-term option for the Lilywhites, hence why looking to the future could be a better course of action with the inclusion of 18-year-old, Jamie Donley.

The reasons why Jamie Donley should start against Villa

It would be a bold call for Postecoglou to unleash the teenager from the first whistle against Unai Emery's side – particularly considering he is yet to make a senior appearance – yet having sparkled in the youth ranks, Donley is now simply 'impossible to ignore', in the words of football.london's Rob Guest.

The Northern Ireland-born, England youth international had dazzled in his creative berth in 2023/24 thus far, already notching up six goals and 11 assists in just 11 games in all competitions.

Games

Goals

Assists

Tottenham U18

40

26

10

Tottenham U21

37

9

14

Tottenham UEFA U19

5

1

2

Stats via Transfermarkt

That stellar record includes a return of four goals and eight assists from only eight Premier League 2 appearances, with it for that reason that Donley has already found himself named on the bench for the first team this season.

It is equally also why podcaster Chris Miller has suggested that the academy sensation is the "closest thing to Maddison" that Tottenham have in the squad at present, putting him perhaps ahead of Lo Celso, and others, in the midfield pecking order.

While also comfortable in a more advanced role or on the flanks, the absence of Maddison should allow Donley the chance to try and cement a place for himself behind Heung-min son, starting with the visit of the Villans.

Postecoglou stated in his pre-match press conference that the "opportunity will come" for the teen if he does impress in training, could today be that 'opportunity'?

Arsenal are reportedly ready to embrace the January transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to deliver the Gunners their first Premier League title since 2004.

The north Londoners came agonisingly close to winning the league last season, however battles with injury and lack of squad depth exposed the weaknesses of Arteta’s side, blemishes that are already showing this term.

The January transfer window will be fundamental for the manager to bolster his squad and combat injury scares without fear, with another title race there for Arsenal to be a part of if form can be maintained for the entirety of the season.

Aside from building depth around the first team, the Gunners could also look to improve their current favoured XI, with a range of positions speculated to be targeted for improvements in the near future.

A report from the Mirror explained that the midfield is Arteta and Edu’s first port of call to strengthen in January, with links also made to a number of forwards to add more of a prolific presence to the already dazzling front line.

Arsenal transfer targets – forwards

One forward that has been named as a potential target at the Emirates is Brentford talisman Ivan Toney, who admitted his admiration for the Gunners during the Diary of a CEO podcast.

The Englishman is claimed to be valued at £100m by the Bees, with a report from the Mirror stating that the west Londoners' valuation of their striker comes in an attempt to ward off Arsenal’s interest.

Last season, the 27-year-old finished third in the Premier League scoring charts behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane with 20 goals, reinforcing how potent he could be in Arteta’s attack.

Away from England, Football Insider have now suggested another leading target alongside Toney, with the north Londoners having been named as a party interested in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Earlier this month, Football Transfers claimed that the 23-year-old remains as Arteta’s preferred number nine target, following on from the Gunners’ interest in the forward last January prior to his move to Turin.

In a refreshed report from Italy, as relayed by The Sun, it’s claimed that the Premier League outfit look ‘set to beat’ the likes of Real Madrid to the 6 foot 3 dynamo, with the forward’s price tag said to be in the region of £50m.

With a current market value of €80m (£70m), Arsenal could capture a bargain in signing the Serbian for a lesser price than his value, with Vlahovic possessing a host of attributes that could take the squad to the next level.

Dusan Vlahovic’s career in numbers

With 116 domestic goal contributions in 230 appearances, the Juventus hitman has cemented himself as one of the most potent forwards in Europe following his rise at Fiorentina.

The 2000-born gem scored 44 Serie A goals while with La Viola, with his magnificent 17 goals in 21 appearances by January 2022 luring Juventus to capture his signature last year.

In 45 appearances in 2021/22 representing both Fiorentina and Juve, Vlahovic contributed to 35 goals, scoring 29 and assisting six to announce himself to the European stage.

Despite struggling to hit such levels since that season, the 23-year-old would undoubtedly be a strong signing for the Gunners, with his ability to convert far greater than the current options on show at the Emirates.

Why Dusan Vlahovic would be a good signing for Arsenal

Once lauded as a “goal machine” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Vlahovic’s 2022/23 campaign was disappointing by his standard, scoring only 14 goals in 42 appearances for the Bianconeri.

Former Juventus midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi explained how the reason for the Serbia international’s dip in scoring form is attributed to Juve’s playing style, saying that the team don’t “put him in a position to score” or “create chances”, as relayed by Football Italia.

In the instance that the 23-year-old signed for Arsenal, the issue surrounding the Serie A giant’s negative playing style would dissolve, with the Gunners creating 73 big chances last season in the Premier League.

What the notorious goalscorer could bring to north London is a more reliable presence to lead the line, as communicated in the table below.

23

26

230

334

99

131

21 Serie A goals 20/21

14 Premier League goals 19/20

Currently, Gabriel Jesus prevails comfortably as Arteta’s favoured number nine, however the Brazilian isn’t as clinical in the final third as one would assume for a striker.

Arriving in the Premier League in 2017, Jesus’ highest scoring tally in a Premier League season is the 14 goals he netted for Manchester City in the 2019/20 campaign, numbers far below the expected levels for a centre-forward.

Despite him shying away from recording show-stopping goal tallies, the 26-year-old offers a host of qualities to Arsenal’s front line aside from putting the ball in the net, making him a difficult player to drop from the team.

How Gabriel Jesus could make room for Dusan Vlahovic

If Arsenal were to sign Vlahovic, the assumption would be that the Serbian would replace Jesus based solely on his more prolific track record in front of goal, although Arteta could opt to utilise both forwards to an even greater effect.

Previously, the manager has opted to play two forwards in a 4-4-2 formation at the Emirates, which has been replicated in play through Martin Odegaard’s ability to assume more advanced positions when play is progressing.

The Spaniard could replicate his past set-ups by fielding Jesus alongside Vlahovic, combining the Brazilian’s creative energy with the 23-year-old’s assured finishing ability.

Average

Rank in squad

1.7

1st

1.2

5th

3

1st

1.7

4th

As portrayed in the table above, Jesus supplied a constant threat and energy in Arsenal’s front line last season, with his movement and relentless desire to be in possession making him an essential outlet in Arteta’s side.

If paired with Vlahovic, the manager could reap the benefits of the four-time Premier League without the pressure of him being the sole leader of the line and more of a playmaker than the summit of the squad.

Fuelling the strengths that the Brazil international consistently showcases at the Emirates could be a smart move for Arteta, who could also play a part in reviving Vlahovic’s proficiency in front of goal by providing him with a creative asset as complete as Jesus.

Only time will tell how serious the Gunners are in battling to secure the Juventus star’s signature, particularly if his form fails to kick start throughout the remainder of 2023.

Liverpool are thought to be “negotiating” a move to sign a "very strong dribbler" in 2024, according to a fresh update.

Liverpool eyeing more midfielders

Much was made of the Reds' midfield business during the summer, in what was one of the most significant transfer windows of Jurgen Klopp's tenure to date, as the manager completely changed his personnel after a dire 2022/23 season.

It had become clear that Fabinho and Jordan Henderson had drifted past their best, no longer covering ground like they once did, while James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departed on free transfers. In their place came Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, all of whom have made a positive impact.

Despite four big names being brought in, it looks as though Klopp and FSG could still be looking to bolster the club's midfield options in the approaching transfer window, with a proper defensive midfielder a possible target. Fluminense star Andre has been linked with a move to Liverpool numerous times, while Nice enforcer Khephren Thuram has been seen as a target for the Reds since the summer.

It remains to be seen if another midfielder arrives in January or if the club wait until next summer, but with Thiago out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, a new face could be needed to make up for the loss of him, even though injuries have prevented him for playing at all in 2023/24 to date.

Liverpool "negotiating" Khephren Thuram move

According to a new claim from Corriere Torino [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are "negotiating" a move for Thuram over a switch to Anfield, as they appear to be in talks with Nice over their star midfielder.

The report also states that the Reds are in a strong financial position to complete the signing of the 22-year-old, with fellow suitors Juventus needing to sell players in order to be able to afford Nice's €35-40m (£29.9-34.2m) asking price.

These reports regarding Liverpool and Thuram just refuse to go away, which suggests that the Merseysiders do see him as a strong option to come in and add even more quality to the midfield.

The Reds transfer target has made 12 appearances in Ligue 1 so far this season, completed 89.2% of his passes in that time and also averaging 1.3 key passes per game. He isn't an out-and-out No.6, however, so he wouldn't necessarily solve that issue in Klopp's squad, with someone more in the mould of Fabinho at his peak needed.

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The Reds have been touted with an interest in the talented midfielder ahead of January.

ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2023

It certainly wouldn't be a bad thing if Thuram came in, but it does feel as though Liverpool could spend their money more wisely, considering they already have Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Endo, Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott as good midfield options.

That being said, Aaron Ramsey has called the youngster a "very strong dribbler on the ball", having played with him at Nice, and he is someone who could easily mature into a spectacular midfielder as the years pass.

Sunderland have been through the wringer over the last ten decade or so, fighting against relegation from the Premier League valiantly on a regular basis before dropping out of the top flight in the 2016-17 season and never returning since.

Back-to-back relegations down to League One saw a dark cloud hang over the Stadium of Light that never looked like lifting, with the club staying put in the third tier as a big fish in a small pond for three successive gruelling campaigns before promotion was finally sealed via the playoffs in 2022.

20th position in the Premier League – 2016-17

24 points

24th position in the Championship – 2017-18

37 points

5th in League One (promoted) – 2021-22

84 points

Fast forward to now, Tony Mowbray's side are very much in the promotion reckoning this season – fighting it out for a playoff spot amongst a whole cluster of teams dreaming of making the step-up to the promised land of the Premier League possible.

With the current wave of positivity at Sunderland infectious, the hardened Black Cats faithful will have blocked out memories of past players who flopped during those tough times that saw the club fall down to the third tier.

Jack Rodwell is a name that has been understandably lost to the past, the ex Manchester City man a notable dud at the Stadium of Light.

How much Sunderland signed Jack Rodwell for

Sunderland would break the bank to bring Rodwell into the building in 2014, signing the central midfielder for £10m after a short-lived spell at the Etihad.

Rodwell would never justify that price tag when pulling on the Black Cats strip however, a move plagued by off-field issues that saw him become a pantomime villain for the Sunderland fans to routinely jeer at.

It even led to Chronicle Live journalist James Hunter – at the time of his departure from the club – labelling Rodwell as the 'worst signing in Sunderland's history' – a title Rodwell certainly won't wear like a badge of honour looking back on this period of his career.

Jack Rodwell's statistics at Sunderland

Rodwell's disastrous time at Sunderland did start with the midfielder showing signs of his quality, scoring three goals from 23 appearances during this debut top-flight season with the club.

However, when Sunderland succumbed to relegation to the Championship, Rodwell's time with the club started to unravel.

The former number eight was even demoted to the U23 ranks amidst the club's period of freefall to the second tier and lower, notably falling out with Sunderland boss Chris Coleman during that depressing time span.

Rodwell would only go on to make just three more appearances for the club in their doomed Championship relegation campaign, leaving the club after this season with his contract was torn up before the League One season got underway.

Earning a reported £70k per week – on top of costing £10m – Rodwell goes down as a colossal waste of money for what he offered the Black Cats during an ill-fated stay.

Sunderland star who left in 2021 is now outscoring every striker at the club

Sunderland will look back on this sale with regret now, especially as the current crop of Black Cats attackers continue to fire blanks.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2023

Yet, the now 32-year-old is still playing well into the twilight of his career at Sydney FC regardless of this bruising experience.

What Jack Rodwell did after leaving Sunderland

In the immediate aftermath of his Sunderland exit, Rodwell was on the books at a number of EFL clubs – trialling with Watford, whilst going on to win deals with Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United.

Making only two appearances for the Blades, Rodwell did fare better at Ewood Park – scoring one goal from 22 appearances for Blackburn.

Relocating to Australia however has seen Rodwell reignite his career slightly, playing for both Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC in recent memory.

The 32-year-old even has a goal from limited appearances for Sydney FC to date, playing further back in the A-League as a centre-back option.

Rodwell – now valued at just £172k by Football Transfers' xTV model – has seemingly found his feet again after the move to Sunderland had the potential to swallow him whole completely and leave him disenchanted with football altogether, whilst the Black Cats continue to search for a return to the Premier League after years in the wilderness.

Carlos Corberan's bare bones West Brom team lost at the weekend to Sunderland, the Baggies putting in a valiant effort regardless at the Stadium of Light to only lose 2-1 with a number of first-teamers missing.

Matt Phillips and Jed Wallace were both ruled out prior to the Sunderland clash, whilst the injury issues just kept piling up during the game itself with Josh Maja coming off with a knock in the first 45 minutes.

It's a seriously worrying situation at the Hawthorns, particularly in attack with injury-prone striker Daryl Dike also still out which leaves Brandon Thomas-Asante as the only striker option fit for the game at Rotherham United tomorrow evening.

Therefore, Corberan could be forced into thinking outside the box this January as to who he can rely on up top to fix this ever-increasing list of cuts and bruises.

The Spanish boss could even recall Karlan Grant from his loan spell at Cardiff City in the upcoming transfer window if needs be, the current Bluebirds man has been prolific and reliable in attack at the Hawthorns but fell down the Baggies' pecking order after losing his way.

Karlan Grant's statistics at West Brom

Grant has been a talismanic figure for the Baggies in the past, notably during the 2021-22 Championship season where the 26-year-old was key.

The former Huddersfield Town attacker scored 18 times in that campaign for West Brom, switching between playing as a right winger and as a centre forward depending on the game.

22-23 season

35

5

1

21-22 season

44

18

6

20-21 season

21

1

0

That was a one-off for Grant, however, who has found it hard ever since to replicate that free-flowing vein of form.

From that golden season onwards, the out-of-form forward has only managed to find the back of the net another five times for the Baggies.

This resulted in Corberan loaning out his underwhelming attacker in the summer, preferring to start the likes of Thomas-Asante over the stuttering 26-year-old.

Yet, Grant could be now be a perfect temporary fix for the issues troubling West Brom if recalled from his loan.

Former Sheffield Wednesday player and current football pundit Carlton Palmer was confused by the decision to offload Grant in the summer, stating that the ex Terriers man's "versatility" was a major plus for the Baggies and letting him leave temporarily could "come back to bite them."

Corberan would have to put his arm around Grant's shoulder on his potential return however, the 26-year-old is still yet to rediscover his lethal edge in front of goal even when featuring for Cardiff.

Karlan Grant's statistics at Cardiff

Grant has been an important figure for Erol Bulut's Bluebirds, but his goal output hasn't been frequent enough to be a star man in attack.

The 26-year-old has two goals and three assists from 20 appearances out in Wales, scoring a vital late equaliser last month away at Preston North End for his short-term employers.

Predominantly playing as a left winger under Bulut, the Turkish head coach has praised his new recruit for "working hard" even when the goals aren't naturally flowing.

This glowing assessment by the Cardiff manager could be enough for Corberan to recall his versatile reserve forward, who needs individuals at West Brom to possess similar levels of grit and determination in order to sustain a promotion push.

West Brom's lineup for their game versus Rotherham United tomorrow night will be an interesting one to attempt a prediction for, Corberan scrambling to see who he can rely on for the trip to the Millers as his squad becomes more and more threadbare.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers has not enjoyed the best start to his second spell at Parkhead since his return to the club over the summer.

Australian manager Ange Postecoglou opted to move to the Premier League to join Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and this opened the door for the Northern Irishman to make a comeback in Glasgow.

However, the former Leicester City and Liverpool boss has already seen his team knocked out of the League Cup, which was won by the club's rivals against Aberdeen on Sunday, and the Champions League this season.

The Hoops have also struggled domestically as they have lost their last two Scottish Premiership matches and only won two of their last five.

They will be second in the division if Rangers win both of their games in hand over the Bhoys, which emphasises how poorly this campaign has gone so far.

One player whose downturn in form on an individual level has been clear to see is Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi and Rodgers could swoop to sign an upgrade on the attacker in January.

Celtic transfer news – Mathias Kvistgaarden

Brondby star Mathias Kvistgaarden has been linked with a possible move to Parkhead at the turn of the year and he could come in to spark the club to life.

Danish outlet Tipsbladet recently claimed that the Hoops are eyeing up a swoop for the young centre-forward as Rodgers would like to bring in some fresh faces in his attack ahead of the second half of the season.

The report also stated that it could cost the Scottish giants a fee within the region of €10m (£8.6m) if they want to snap him up next month.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not Celtic are prepared, or able, to meet that figure. At this moment in time, the latest update is that they are interested in the Danish prospect and there is no mention of a bid or formal approach being plotted.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk reported last month that Brentford and Union Berlin are both eyeing up Kyogo as a possible target for the January transfer window as they look to bolster their respective attacks.

The outlet claimed that it would take around £20m to tempt the Hoops into a sale as the Japan international is a crucial player for Rodgers and Celtic, in spite of his dip in form.

However, the Scottish side do not need to sell Kyogo in order to sign Kvistgaarden, unless the finances dictate it, as they could compete with each other for a starting spot and create fierce competition for places.

The current Hoops centre-forward has left a lot to be desired, particularly recently, with his performances so far this season and bringing in an attacker who could be an upgrade on him may provide the motivation he needs to get back to his very best in a green and white shirt.

Kyogo's season in numbers

Celtic's 5 foot 7 marksman has not been a consistent attacking threat at the top end of the pitch and has not been able to make up for his lack of physicality.

Small in stature, Kyogo is not the type of number nine who is going to let centre-backs know that they have been in a game with physical or rough play to win duels and hold the ball up.

He has lost 73% of his aerial contests and 54% of his duels in total, and has only won 1.4 battles per game in the Premiership so far this term.

This shows that the 28-year-old lightweight has not made his presence felt on the pitch as opposition players have been able to dominate him with ease.

To counter that, Kyogo has contributed with six goals, three assists, and 0.7 key passes per game in 18 league matches for the Scottish giants, and does not rank within the top two in any of those statistics within the Celtic squad.

As you can see in the chart above, he also struggled in the Champions League with two goals, zero assists, and zero 'big chances' created in six starts.

Whereas, the Japanese whiz made up for his lack of physicality last season with a stunning return of 27 goals in 36 Premiership outings – 16 more than any of his teammates managed as Jota finished second in the rankings with 11 goals.

Kvistgaarden could now come in to offer more quality in the final third and physicality that the Celtic ace has been unable to provide for the team.

The statistics that show why Celtic should sign Kvistgaarden

The 21-year-old talent is an up-and-coming marksman whose form for Brondby since the tail end of last season has been sensational.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed his "crazy form" earlier this year and it is not hard to see why when you look at his statistics for the Danish outfit.

Since the start of the 2022/23 Superligaen Championship round, Kvistgaarden has plundered 13 goals and 11 assists in 30 appearances for the club.

This is a particularly impressive return for a player who only turned 21 back in April. He is in the infancy of his career and is already showing that he has the ability to chip in with goals and assists with eye-catching regularity.

Appearances

17

Goals

Five

Assists

Five

Big chances created

Six

Big chances missed

Nine

These statistics show that Kvistgaarden has more goal contributions in fewer league appearances than Kyogo so far this season, which speaks to his superb attacking quality.

However, the young prospect also offers a physical presence in the number nine position, despite standing at 5 foot 8, and that is another reason why he could be an upgrade for Celtic.

The Brondby star has won 5.1 duels per game, including 1.2 in the air, for Brondby in the league this term, and this is 3.7 more per match than Kyogo.

This means that Kvistgaarden could provide his teammates with an outball and something to hit when they need to relieve pressure on themselves, whilst also being able to carry a huge threat as a scorer and a creator.

Therefore, Rodgers could land an upgrade on the underperforming Kyogo by securing a deal for the Brondby dynamo's services in January.

Liverpool have suffered an injury blow to an "intelligent" player ahead of the weekend clash with Crystal Palace, according to an update from reliable journalist Paul Joyce.

Liverpool injury latest

The Reds know that they can go top of the Premier League for at least a few hours on Saturday, as they head to Palace for a lunchtime fixture in south London. It is a huge incentive for Jurgen Klopp and his players, who face an Eagles team struggling for form with under manager Roy Hodgson, but the Merseysiders will have to make do without a number of key players at Selhurst Park.

Joel Matip's season could be over after suffering an ACL injury in last weekend's 4-3 win at home to Fulham – he may even have played his last-ever game for Liverpool in the process due to being out of contract next year – while Andy Robertson is a long-term absentee. Alisson and Diogo Jota have also been out of late, so the Reds certainly aren't having everything their own way in the fitness department at the moment.

With kickoff at Palace edging closer, a worrying update has now emerged regarding an influential Liverpool player, following a midweek issue.

Liverpool suffer Alexis Mac Allister blow

Taking to X on Friday, following Klopp's pre-Eagles press conference, Joyce claimed that Mac Allister is "likely" to be unavailable for Liverpool's clash with Palace game after limping out of Wednesday's 2-0 victory away to Sheffield United.

"Jurgen Klopp says Alexis Mac Allister likely to miss Crystal Palace, Alisson Becker back in training and could feature."

This is an undoubted setback for Liverpool, with Mac Allister one of the biggest reasons for the Reds' vast improvements this season, coming in as part of the much-needed midfield rebuild at Anfield, following last year's woes involving the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, who looked shadows of the players they once were.

The Argentine has increasingly grown into the No.6 role under Klopp, having been more of a No.8 than he was at Brighton, starting 14 Premier League games this season and completing 88.1% of his passes. He has also averaged 2.2 tackles per game, while his stunning strike against Fulham outlined the technical brilliance at his disposal.

Meanwhile, he is still relatively fresh off the back of last year's memorable 2022 World Cup win with Argentina, with Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero saying of him during the tournament: "He’s a very intelligent player. He positions himself, waits his moment."

It looks highly likely that Mac Allister will be out of the Palace game, which means that Wataru Endo could play as the No.6, as he continues to adjust to life at Anfield.

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Klopp will then have to decide whether to start the influential Dominik Szoboszlai again as one of the No.8s, or give Curtis Jones or Ryan Gravenberch the chance to shine, or both for that matter.

Perhaps most importantly, it is essential that Liverpool try to get Mac Allister back for the crucial visit of Manchester United on December 17th, allowing the Reds to be as strong as possible against their most bitter rivals.

Interim Sunderland manager Mike Dodds spearheaded the Black Cats to a 2-1 win over West Brom in his first match in charge at the weekend, an ingenious substitution by the stand-in Sunderland boss completely changing the game.

Alex Pritchard being introduced into the contest was the catalyst the Championship hopefuls needed to overcome the Baggies, a short but sweet cameo off the bench saw the former Huddersfield Town man assist both Black Cats goals in the slim victory.

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In the short term, it looks likely that Dodds will continue as manager of Sunderland, especially for Tuesday night's game versus Leeds United.

But, the ongoing rumour mill at the Stadium of Light is circulating that the Tyne and Wear giants might go for this shock Tony Mowbray replacement soon.

Paul Heckingbottom could be offered an immediate return to management at Sunderland according to rumours, even after a bruising experience managing Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Managers in the frame to replace Mowbray

Left-field faces such as Julien Sable, Kim Hellberg and Will Still are still the prominent names being reported to replace Mowbray in the Sunderland hot seat, but Heckingbottom's recent departure from the Blades means he's now a notable outsider for the vacant position.

The Yorkshire Post in the last few days has reported on the very real possibility of the 46-year-old being the next Black Cats manager. Heckingbottom has allegedly been installed as the favourite for the role after securing promotion to the top-flight as Sheffield United boss during his up-and-down tenure a striking achievement on his CV that Sunderland could well admire.

Despite that noteworthy promotion, Sunderland should steer clear of the dismissed manager with Heckingbottom falling short elsewhere of what ambitious chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus wants in a new managerial recruit after axing Mowbray controversially.

Paul Heckingbottom's managerial record

Heckingbottom's failures as a manager far outweigh any of his recent successes, failing to endear himself to the hardened Leeds United masses in a doomed spell in charge at Elland Road in 2018 whilst a short stint at Hibernian directly after also didn't go to plan.

The former Blades man would only win four of his 16 games in charge of the Whites before being put out of his misery, unable to handle the intense pressure of managing an EFL giant on that occasion.

That wouldn't bode well for Heckingbottom if he took over the reins at Sunderland, an expectant fanbase keen for their fallen club to return to the Premier League soon with a chairman at the Stadium of Light who is also impatient to get back to the promised land of the top-flight.

Heckingbottom's style at Sheffield United also wouldn't be an apt fit for the Black Cats, the 46-year-old boss favouring an organised and well-drilled approach over allowing the attacking players in his system room to breathe.

It was telling this season too that when Heckingbottom lost the likes of Sander Berge and Iliman Ndiaye, the well-oiled system that had won the Blades promotion to the Premier League completely fell apart – the one-time Leeds boss overly reliant on his stars to bail him out.

If he was appointed as Mowbray's successor, the concern would be that if stars Jack Clarke and Dan Neil were misfiring, Heckingbottom wouldn't be able to get a tune out of the other inexperienced players in the Black Cats camp.

22/23 season record

53

32

8

13

23/24 season record

15

1

2

12

Overall record

68

33

10

25

This campaign – which saw Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp refer to the out-of-sorts manager as being in a 'very dark place' before his expected sacking – Heckingbottom's weaknesses as a boss were majorly exposed for all to see with Sheffield United way off the pace in the Premier League.

Losing 8-0 to Newcastle United at Bramall Lane was an all-time low for Heckingbottom, whilst a 5-0 loss to fellow promoted team Burnley was deemed the final straw for the scarred manager before being dismissed.

Appointing the 46-year-old would be a poor managerial decision right after Mowbray. Sunderland should instead wait it out for a manager more suited to their club than going after a boss still raw from his recent failures.

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly have their eyes on a "special" centre-back alongside the heavily linked Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

Postecoglou makes defender admission ahead of January

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has brought attention to the club's lack of centre-back depth on more than one occasion over the last month. The Australian's currently bereft of star options behind favoured pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, with the former still out injured due to a hamstring problem.

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Makeshift centre-back Ben Davies has partnered Romero to great effect at the heart of Postecoglou's defence in recent weeks, as Spurs win three of their last three Premier League games.

However, just one or two more defensive injuries could put Tottenham in a very precarious situation. Postecoglou expressed his desire to sign a centre-back at Spurs earlier this month, but also explained to Sky that whoever comes in must be the perfect fit.

"When you think about it, we let Davinson Sanchez go after the [summer] window closed," said Postecoglou on Tottenham signing a new defender.

"We kind of knew we were taking a bit of a risk; we couldn't get the extra centre-back that we were trying to get in, and for the early part of the year that was fine.

"But once we lost Micky [van de Ven], and Eric Dier's had some issues as well, we don't have another centre-back. Young Ash Phillips had just joined the club, so it's fair to say that we can't run the risk of that happening again, so that's obviously a priority for us in January.

"But again, we've got to get the right person. It's not just about bringing another body in, it's about getting the right one in and hopefully that'll happen."

In terms of named targets, one player they're already moving for is Todibo. The 23-year-old, according to reliable media sources, has held talks over joining Tottenham with the January window just days away from opening.

Tottenham eyeing Tosin move ahead of January

However, while Spurs are seriously pushing ahead for Todibo, the Frenchman is by no means the only option on Postecoglou's radar Indeed, Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo is another defender very much liked by Spurs.

Journalist Rudy Galetti, taking to X, says Tottenham are "working" and have eyes on Tosin alongside Todibo. The Englishman has started to feature more under Marco Silva recently whilst also impressing, and his contract is set to expire in the summer as things stand.

Proven in the Premier League and a potentially cheaper option, the 26-year-old has also been called a "special player" by his manager.