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Tottenham have been told to seal a ‘big-money’ exit for defender Davinson Sanchez after news on the Colombian’s future.

The Lowdown: Sanchez news emerges…

In recent weeks, there has been some news from the Colombian press involving the centre-back and manager Antonio Conte apparently losing faith in the player.

The update came courtesy of Marca (Colombian edition), who claimed just under ten days ago that Conte has ‘lost all confidence’ in the defender.

The Premier League top four chasers have used Sanchez sparingly over the course of 2022/2023 wit the former Ajax sensation starting just six league games under Conte.

Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy signed him for £42 million in 2017, a then-club record fee, but the 26-year-old’s contract is set to expire in 2024 and it looks like he is failing to make an impression.

The Latest: Spurs told to seal ‘big-money’ Sanchez exit…

After that development on Sanchez’s future under Conte, pundit Noel Whelan has told the club to seal a potential ‘big-money’ exit for the South American.

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Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan now says it is time for Spurs to kickstart a transfer for Sanchez.

“He has never quite hit the same form he showed in the Europa League – the form which made Tottenham go out and get him.

“He’s been inconsistent, there are mistakes in him – very crucial mistakes which dictate the outcome of games.

“Conte isn’t convinced by him, that’s for sure. He should think about letting him go.

“At 26, Spurs would probably get a big-money return for him – because he should have the best years of football still ahead of him.

“I just can’t see that coming at Tottenham.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

If the north Londoners can indeed secure a reasonable fee for Sanchez, it is surely time for the club to cut their losses, especially as Conte allegedly sets his sights on the likes of Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan.

Spurs will need funds to make that transfer happen and selling surplus-to-requirements players could be crucial, while it’s likely the defender would be phased out even further if Fabio Paratici does manage to wrap up a new addition at the back.

Everton have yet again found themselves struggling in the Premier League and Frank Lampard will be desperate to improve the performances over the second half of the season.

The Toffees are currently 17th in the league table and are just one point clear of the relegation zone ahead of their clash with Manchester City at the Etihad this weekend.

Luckily, the Everton boss will have the opportunity to strengthen his squad when the January transfer window opens on New Year’s Day and investing in the forward line should be the top priority after scoring just 12 Premier League goals so far this season – which is the third worst record in the entire top flight.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Manchester United wide-forward Anthony Elanga, a player who could be Lampard’s next young prodigy.

The former Chelsea boss is renowned for his keen eye for young talent and developing them into some of the best prospects in the Premier League with Reece James, Mason Mount, Billy Gilmour, Armando Broja and Tariq Lamptey just a few of the players Lampard gave top flight debuts to during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Now Lampard could use his experience in youth development by giving Elanga his opportunity to thrive on Merseyside if the club can secure his signature in the new year.

The 20-year-old forward has scored 30 goals and delivered 19 assists whilst rising through the ranks of the Manchester United academy with a goal contribution every 153 minutes so far and has recently become a regular feature in the first team.

Despite only averaging 35 minutes per outing, the Swedish starlet – who was hailed a “phenomenal talent” by journalist Alex Turk – has registered one assist and created two big chances over 11 Premier League appearances so far.

The young winger has already been the recipient of high praise from former Man United striker and fellow Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who hailed Elanga following his first call-up to the international squad.

“A great talent, we are proud and happy that he comes from Sweden. That he can represent Sweden now makes it even bigger,” he said.

“He [Elanga] has all the future ahead of him, and if he continues just as he has done, it looks positive. It’s just fighting, never being content, striving for more. How much he can develop depends on him.”With that being said, if Lampard can get the very best from Elanga by capitalising on the glimpses of talent the player has already displayed, it would be a great piece of business for Everton and could help them improve performances over the second half of the season.

West Ham United could land the next N’Golo Kante, as David Moyes is eyeing a move for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo in January.

That’s according to the Daily Mail, which claims that the Hammers are interested in luring the 21-year-old to east London as a potential replacement for Declan Rice, although any such move could cost the Irons a staggering £85m.

Caicedo starred for Ecuador at the World Cup, even scoring against Senegal in their final group match, but it wasn’t enough to see the South American side qualify for the knockout stages.

The youngster has been likened to Kante, and Moyes could land his own version of the combative Frenchman. The two midfielders are quite similar when it comes to playing styles and South American football expert Tim Vickery has lavished praise on Caicedo while making that comparison with the Chelsea star.

Speaking to talkSPORT last year, the journalist said of the Ecuadorian: “A year ago he was saying that Kante of Chelsea is his role model but he is already more than that. He already offers more in the final third.

“That kind of box-to-box midfielder that’s very much in the tradition of the England game. Strong, quick, intelligent, and cool. He really does look like the genuine article.”

Ecuadorian football historian Enrico Castro-Montes also sang Caicedo’s praises while speaking to Het Niuewsblad (via Sport Witness), saying: “In his own country, he is really seen as the crown jewel of a new generation.

“Caicedo really has everything to become the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. I think that off the ball, he is indeed somewhat reminiscent of Kante, but on the ball, he resembles Paul Pogba with his flair and his technique.”

Caicedo’s form this season has been impressive to say the least, with the midfielder averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.12/10 while making 1.1 key passes, averaging 67.8 touches and winning 3.1 tackles per match in the Premier League.

This embodies the qualities that Kante displays on a regular basis, and Caicedo certainly has the talent to become a newer version of the Frenchman.

The aforementioned £85m asking price seems ridiculously high, but with Rice seemingly having his sights set on leaving West Ham, Moyes can demand a high transfer fee for the Englishman, which in turn can be spent on signing the Ecuador international from Brighton.

Newcastle United continue their hectic festive schedule by welcoming Leeds United to St James’ Park this afternoon, with the Magpies heading into the match on a run of six successive Premier League victories.

The highly-flying outfit – who are currently third in the table – romped to a 3-0 win over Leicester City in their most recent outing, having comfortably seen off the Foxes following what was a rampant opening at the King Power Stadium.

Eddie Howe’s side had seemingly put the game to bed inside seven minutes as goals from Chris Wood and Miguel Almiron handed the visitors a handsome, early advantage, before the resurgent Joelinton headed home just after the half hour mark to wrap up the points.

That ruthless victory appears to have eased any potential fears over whether the World Cup break would derail the northeast side’s momentum, with the Tynesiders having seemingly picked up where they left off in November.

Howe and co will likely be hoping to continue that momentum against a struggling Leeds side later today, with the Yorkshire side currently in the relegation fight after losing their last three top-flight games.

While the Newcastle boss could easily name an unchanged side for that upcoming encounter, one alteration that the 44-year-old may look to make is in midfield, with academy graduate Sean Longstaff one figure who could well make way.

The 25-year-old has been something of an “unsung hero” for the club in recent times – according to pundit Tam McManus – although the £50k-per-week man was arguably one of the poorer performers on Boxing Day.

That triumph over the Foxes saw the Englishman struggle somewhat defensively as he won just two of his seven total duels on the day, having made just one tackle in his 89-minute outing.

The 6 foot 1 machine was particularly poor in possession as he lost the ball on 13 occasions, ensuring that he achieved a dismal pass accuracy rate of just 71% from his 36 touches, before being withdrawn in the closing stages.

The local lad had looked ‘less assured’ when he had been on the ball against Brendan Rodgers’ men – according to 90min’s Grey Whitebloom – despite having ‘energetically led Newcastle’s press’ from his midfield berth.

Unsurprisingly, that under-par performance saw Longstaff record a match rating of just 6.4, as per Sofascore, with that the worst rating of any of Newcastle’s starting players.

As such, it could well prove an ideal time for Howe to bring the playmaker out of the firing line for today’s meeting, with the former Bournemouth boss having the option of bringing Joelinton back into the midfield and re-instating Allan Saint-Maximin on the flanks.

Whatever the case, despite having started the last nine league games, it could well be time that Longstaff is ruthlessly ditched from the side.

Manchester United are in desperate need of a centre-forward talisman following the abrupt departure of legendary forward Cristiano Ronaldo in November, and one marksman has been identified as a shrewd potential replacement.

While Ronaldo had already slipped into a more peripheral role this season under Erik ten Hag, starting only four times in the Premier League and scoring just three goals across all competitions, his absence has been felt by the Red Devils, who are discernibly short in central striking options.

As per Transfermarkt, Anthony Martial is the only natural senior centre-forward at Old Trafford currently.

Despite this, United have forged an incredible run of form, winning ten of their last 11 competitive fixtures, including all five games since the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar.

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich and Eric Choupo-Moting are in contract negotiations over a renewal of terms, although United are very much interested in prising him away from Bavarian clutches.

Plettenberg tweeted this week: “News Choupo-Moting: First meeting about a new contract between Salihamidzic, Neppe, Choupos father & his agent today. Good talks but no fast decision. He doesn’t want to be the backup next season. Clubs like MUFC still pushing for a transfer in winter.”

With uncertainty surrounding the future ownership at the Theatre of Dreams, some of the more lucrative names touted with a move to Manchester might not materialise in the coming weeks. Rather, the strategy of technical director John Murtough must be to target affordable options who can make an instant impact at the club, and Choupo-Moting fits the bill.

Having made 74 appearances for Bayern, scoring 29 goals and supplying nine assists, the Cameroonian has been an astute operator for his current club.

This season especially, the 73-cap striker has been in emphatic form, scoring 11 times from 16 games for one of Europe’s most eminent clubs, despite only starting nine times.

The nomadic forward has also tested his mettle in the Premier League before, scoring five goals and delivering five assists from 30 appearances while playing for an ultimately relegated Stoke City during the 2017/18 campaign.

As per FBref, the dynamic powerhouse ranks within the top 2% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals and assists over the past year. He is also in the top 9% for dribbles completed and progressive passes, illustrating the multi-faceted approach which could knit the Old Trafford attack together and provide different approaches to bypass opposition defences.

Hailed as a late bloomer by the official Bundesliga website and a “top-level” striker by his former Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel, the 33-year-old could provide a clinical sheen and cutting edge for United, who are already exhibiting promising signs in abundance and could forge that extra bit of might by signing a reliable marksman such as Choupo-Moting.

Journalist Charles Watts has revealed that Arsenal transfer target Danilo is close to joining an unnamed rival Premier League club.

What’s the word? The Gunners have strongly been linked with the young Brazilian midfielder – who currently plays for Palmeiras – in the past and fans may well have expected the 21-year-old to still be on their radar this winter.Indeed, Arsenal failed with an attempt to sign Douglas Luiz in the summer on deadline day and so it’s clear that they had wanted to improve that area of the pitch and have yet to do so with any new signing.However, it sounds as if they won’t be making a move for Danilo, with Watts now explaining that he is close to a move elsewhere in England instead,While speaking on YouTube, he explained: “I’ve heard that Danilo of Palmeiras – of course, that player Arsenal have been interested in before – I’ve heard that he is very close to a move to a Premier League club.”But that club is not Arsenal and Arsenal haven’t shown any sort of further interest in Danilo since September, in terms of firming up the interest they’ve had in him.”Big call…It seems as though Danilo may well have been an exciting transfer for Arsenal. After all, despite his young age, he has already won numerous trophies in Brazil – lifting the prestigious Copas Libertadores on two occasions.However, Edu and Mikel Arteta clearly don’t feel as though he is a priority target and this has allowed another Premier League side to come in and make a move.If that deal is completed, it will certainly be interesting to see how the midfielder gets on in England. Perhaps Arsenal will come to regret missing out on this deal, only time will tell.Of course, though, the Gunners may have an alternative lined up on their radar instead. For instance, Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans has been linked with a move for some time now and the club may well be waiting until the summer to sign him on a free, if the latest reports are to be believed.

Manchester United takeover progress is expected to be made ‘by April or May’ if ‘sources’ are to be believed, according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Glazers out protests

The Glazers have had a rocky relationship with United supporters over the years, and after yet another bout of protest banners on match-days throughout 2022, the owners ended up putting the Premier League club up for sale in November.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is currently the leading candidate to take over after admitting that he is now in negotiations to complete the deal, and a further update has emerged regarding when big developments are to be anticipated.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs suggested that the Red Devils’ focus on carrying out the takeover explains exactly why they haven’t been hugely active in the winter market.

“The expectation from sources is that if it proves to be a full takeover, which is what the Glazers have always leaned towards, then by April or May, significant progress may well have been made.

“That informs you why Manchester United are having a quiet January transfer window so far.”

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The Verdict: Start of a new era?

The Glazers have rightly felt the brunt from supporters having spent more than £1billion to service the £500m debt created by their takeover, so letting someone else steady the ship is completely the correct decision.

The final years of their ownership have been truly horrific for a club of this stature, with no serious title challenge mounted in nearly a decade.

Cristiano Ronaldo even gave them huge criticism in the interview that saw his contract with the club terminated, and should Ratcliffe be the man to take the helm, he’s expected to pay approximately £5billion, highlighting his wealth and giving supporters reason for excitement.

Erik Ten Hag will likely be financially backed a lot more in transfer windows – Ratcliffe is a United fan and will surely be more passionate about success – and as he starts to build his long-term project, the 70-year-old businessman’s investment could mark the start of an exciting new chapter on and off the field at Old Trafford.

Sheffield Wednesday have submitted an official enquiry to sign Burnley defender Luke McNally, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The Clarets centre-back put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Turf Moor from Oxford United last summer, but after falling out of favour under Vincent Kompany, could be set to make a temporary exit.

The League One high flyers were initially credited with an interest in the 23-year-old at the start of the winter window, and have now reportedly made an approach to bring him to Hillsborough.

The Latest: Owls make approach

According to The Star, Wednesday have ‘made an enquiry’ to Burnley to discover McNally’s availability ahead of a potential loan move before the end of the month.

The Owls are ‘eager’ to get the Irishman on board, though it’s currently unknown whether the Championship side ‘would be open’ to him going somewhere he might not be a guaranteed starter.

Several other options have also been ‘identified’, but it’s the 6 foot 4 colossus who is currently seen as ‘one of the top priorities’.

The Verdict: McGuinness replacement?

Mark McGuinness has recently been recalled by Cardiff City, leaving a vacant spot in defence, and McNally would be the perfect replacement.

The Enfield-born talent averaged a remarkable 5.6 clearances and 5.4 aerial wins in League One with Oxford last season, highlighting the rock he can be at the heart of a backline (WhoScored).

McNally has also been described as ‘very good on the ball’  by journalist Josh Bunting, and looking at his numbers, he would be an excellent acquisition for Darren Moore.

Chelsea have held talks over signing Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries amid his agent travelling to London, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Dumfries in demand…

The Netherlands international, who featured under Louis van Gaal at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been a man in demand for Premier League clubs, including Graham Potter’s side.

Reports have claimed that both Tottenham and Chelsea have been keeping an eye on Dumfries heading into the January transfer window, with links emerging as far back as November.

The 26-year-old, who can play as a right-back and further upfield as a winger, is set to attract even more interest from Todd Boehly and the Chelsea board, with talks being held according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Latest: Chelsea hold Dumfries talks as agent dispatched…

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the reporter claims that Chelsea have spoken to Inter over signing Dumfries as they hold negotiations.

It’s added that the Dutchman’s representative has even travelled to London, speaking to a variety of clubs including Chelsea as the west Londoners consider further additions for Potter.

Phillips explained: “With Dumfries, I believe his agent has been in London this week speaking to a number of clubs. One of them has been Chelsea, but he’s got a lot of interested clubs. Chelsea have spoken to Inter about a potential deal.”

The Verdict: Exciting player…

The Netherlands wing-back would be a versatile and capable alternative to Reece James, and we believe that he could be a brilliant Stamford Bridge, depending on the price.

According to WhoScored, Dumfries has averaged a similar rate of key passes per 90 in the final third domestically compared to James and has also registered one more assist than the Englishman.

While the latter hasn’t played as much of late due to injury, this could be a good indicator that the Dutch defender could rotate with the Chelsea favourite and provide Potter with real strength in depth. Dumfries has also been called a ‘very exciting’ and ‘effective’ full-back by members of the Italian media.

However, while the Dutchman’s quality is evident, one caveat to this potential deal may well be Inter’s lofty price tag.

Reports claim that the Nerazzurri will demand around €60m (£53m) for Dumfries’ signature, a valuation that we’re sure Chelsea will want to whittle down given that they have already spent more than £400m on new players since Boehly’s takeover last year.

Of course, with the need to take Financial Fair Play rules into consideration, it will be interesting to see if the Blues can indeed pull off this move.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has shared a very promising update on Harry Kane’s potential contract extension at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Kane exit links…

The England captain has been repeatedly linked with a move away from N17 as he enters the final 18 months of his contract at Spurs.

Kane’s current deal expires in 2024 as things stand, putting the likes of Bayern Munich and Man United on red alert as both sides scour the market for a world class centre-forward.

The 29-year-old has been a crucial player under Antonio Conte, scoring 16 goals in 21 Premier League starts this season as he spearheads Tottenham’s chase for a top-four finish.

The Latest: Plettenberg shares promising Kane update…

Taking to Twitter, Sky journalist Plettenberg claims that, after a latest round of in-house talks, Spurs are ‘very optimistic’ that Kane will put pen to paper on a contract extension.

Furthermore, it is believed that United and Bayern should have ‘no chance’ of stealing the striker away from north London.

Plettenberg explained: “News #Kane: More talks between Tottenham/agent took place. Been told that Tottenham is ‘very optimistic’ now that Kane will extend beyond 2024. Bayern and #MUFC should have ‘no chance’. Bayern don’t give up hope but the bosses are more & more pessimistic.”

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The Verdict: Great news…

You can never say never until Kane officially puts pen to paper, but this certainly comes as a very encouraging claim for Spurs supporters. The odds have appeared to swing in both Conte and Daniel Levy’s favour, with Tottenham now looking like favourites to tie down Kane rather than seeing him leave.

According to WhoScored, the forward’s contribution stretches far beyond being a proven goalscorer, as he also ranks joint-second in their squad for key passes made per 90 in the final third.

At the end of 2020/21, Kane won both the Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker of the Year award, prompting serious interest from champions Manchester City at the time.

The Three Lions star comes as a real all-rounder and a rare striker in the beautiful game, especially in the sense that he can drop deep and create alongside his ability to poach in the penalty area.

Keeping hold of Kane beyond 2024 would be a major boost for Tottenham, and this update suggests that they may well do so.