Leeds United are one of a number of Premier League clubs showing an interest in signing Villarreal forward Boulaye Dia, according to a new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Dia move

Over the weekend, reports suggested that the Whites were keeping tabs on the 26-year-old, who is currently on loan at Serie A side Salernitana and is part of Senegal’s squad for the 2022 World Cup, winning the Player of the Match award after scoring in a 3-1 win over Qatar.

Dia has scored six goals in 14 appearances for his temporary club, settling in well and providing a consistent attacking threat and end product in the final third.

Now, another update further suggests that Leeds’ interest in the 20-time capped Senegal international is genuine.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to Tutto Salernitana [via Sport Witness], the Whites ‘express interest’ in signing Dia, although they are far from alone in that respect.

Everton, West Ham and Leicester City are also eyeing up a move for the attacker, who has the option of joining Salernitana permanently for €12million (£10.3m).

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The Verdict: Much-needed firepower

Leeds may have scored 22 goals in 14 league outings this season but they still clearly need additional firepower, especially with Patrick Bamford struggling to stay fit for extended periods.

While Rodrigo has bagged nine league goals, nobody else has more than four to their name currently and Dia is someone who could ease that problem.

A strong dribbler who possesses plenty of international experience, he could be a shrewd addition to Jesse Marsch’s side, with a central attacking role his preference, appearing there 12 times this season.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero ‘should be fine’ to play at the World Cup, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The Premier League centre-back made a wonderful start to the 2022/23 campaign but was later ruled out following a fitness complaint, which saw him miss the final six games before the break.

Antonio Conte confirmed that the 24-year-old’s absence was due to him feeling a lot of fatigue, and this was evident on Wednesday with Romero having played no part in Argentina’s friendly against the United Arab Emirates.

The Latest: Romero fitness update

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dinnery provided a significant update on Romero’s fitness, and it’s one that Spurs supporters will surely be happy to hear.

He said: “So, with regards to Cristian Romero, although there are no guarantees, my understanding is that his muscle problem is fairly short term.

“He should be fine in terms of where he is with regards to that muscle injury, although the consideration will then come for a player who hasn’t played for a month, or maybe even beyond that if it goes to that second or third group game.

“But as it currently stands in terms of the actual injury itself, he should be absolutely fine. Like I said, the other factors to consider would be a decision to make maybe closer to the time, but he’s well on his way to recovering from that.”

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The Verdict: Relief for Tottenham

Named in Argentina’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, Romero is a rock at the heart of the Tottenham backline, so it will be a huge relief for Conte to learn that the 24-year-old is set to make his return to action in the coming days and weeks.

The Cordoba native currently averages 2.8 clearances, 2.4 tackles and 2.1 aerial duels per game, alongside having an 87.2% pass success rate (WhoScored).

Those returns put him among the top two for the first three metrics in Spurs’ squad (WhoScored), highlighting his diligent defensive nature.

Lionel Scaloni’s team face their opening game of the World Cup against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, and Romero will no doubt be hoping to stage his comeback at the first given opportunity.

Glasgow Rangers appear on the verge of appointing a new manager that will lead the club into a bright era at Ibrox.

Ross Wilson has made Mick Beale his main target and the 42-year-old has been granted permission to talk to the Glasgow side.

He faces a mammoth challenge, with the Light Blues stagnating in the Premiership title race and failing to secure European football after Christmas for the first time in three seasons. Thus, the second half of the campaign will be crucial.

Several first-team players have been underwhelming, to say the least, with Alfredo Morelos netting just three times while Allan McGregor has recorded just three clean sheets in 15 matches.

The incoming manager must make Ryan Kent his main priority, however, giving the winger back his spark and rejuvenating him towards a much better second half of the season.

The £18k-per-week star is out of contract next year and hasn’t quite lived up to expectations in the opening months of the campaign.

In the whole of 2021/2022, Kent scored three times and grabbed 19 assists in all competitions, yet after 22 matches this term, he has scored just the solitary goal and registered only six assists, looking like a shadow of his former self.

What has been the change? Giovanni van Bronckhorst couldn’t quite get the best out of the Englishman, and with his contract scenario rumbling on, the football has almost taken a back seat, especially with interest from the Premier League dominating the headlines.

The 26-year-old was dubbed “misfiring” by Rangers Review journalist Derek Clark and the club needs him at his best in order to have any chance of catching Celtic.

In three full seasons under the tutelage of Beale, Kent registered 55 goal contributions, with 28 of those coming when the Ibrox side won their 55th league title in 2020/2021. Steven Gerrard’s men played an attacking brand of football that blew teams away, with Beale the brains behind the system.

If he were to be appointed, then there is no doubt the former first-team coach can get the winger flying again and lead the club to some greater success in the second half of the campaign.

This season has left little to be desired so far for West Ham United, as they sit just one point from the looming threat of relegation as the World Cup is set to commence.

Whether it has been the addition of Europa Conference League games or simply just poor form, domestically David Moyes seems clueless about how to get consistency out of a team he had led to back-to-back top-seven finishes the two seasons prior.

The break comes at a good time, and with only a handful of Hammers selected to represent their countries, perhaps it could be used as an exercise to recharge and relearn some of the basic principles that allowed them to earn such success.

One player who is suffering, in particular, is Jarrod Bowen, with the English winger yet to come close to the blistering form of his 18-goal and 13-assist campaign last year.

He has just two goals in the Premier League, offering little threat at all from the right flank.

The 25-year-old was subsequently not selected for England because of this form, which could add fuel for the wide man to up his performance and prove why he should have been on that plane.

Another factor that could spark him back to life is the potential introduction of a new winger in January, with reports circling in recent months that link Noa Lang with a move to the London Stadium.

The Dutchman plays off the left but enjoys cutting in onto his favoured right foot, the converse of Bowen, but actually boasts many similarities.

He is a fine goalscorer, and despite a slow start to this season with Club Brugge, has earned a place with the Netherlands to travel to Qatar.

This is likely birthed from his form last campaign, where he scored nine and assisted 15 in all competitions including the Champions League.

It was this form in front of goal that led Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig to label him “unstoppable”.

Across that campaign, despite getting 12 of his assists in the Belgian Pro League, he actually created 19 big chances whilst averaging 1.9 key passes a game, via SofaScore.

With his introduction to east London, it could alleviate some of the goalscoring burden that Bowen carries from the wide areas, whilst revitalising a team that has scored just 12 times in 15 games in the league.

Lang truly is the “phenomenon” that Belgium journalist Peter Vandenbempt dubbed him, and given his price tag sat as high as just €25m (£22m) in the summer it could mark a sensational coup for Moyes that could get his team firing once again.

Tottenham Hotspur have been urged by former goalkeeper Paul Robinson to secure a transfer deal for Leicester City midfielder James Maddison. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ previous interest in Maddison

The north London club have been linked with a move for the midfielder in the past, most recently during the previous summer transfer window.

Earlier this week, it was claimed that the Foxes have entered talks with Maddison and his representatives over potentially extending his contract at the club, which is set to expire in 2024.

Now though, it appears that one pundit believes that the north London club should reignite their interest in the Englishman and add him to Antonio Conte’s squad.

The Latest: Spurs urged to sign Maddison

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson claimed that Maddison would take Spurs to the ‘next level’:

He said: “I’ve changed my mind on James Maddison.

“I know I have dismissed it previously and said he wouldn’t fit in at Spurs, but I was wrong. Now that I’ve seen him playing on the right-hand side for Leicester I really think he’d be an asset to Spurs.

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“Look at the lack of creativity in the midfield at Spurs. Maddison couldn’t play in the centre-midfielder position but he could add a lot from the right-hand side. Spurs are crying out for creativity.

“I now think that Maddison could take Spurs to the next level. He is versatile, he could play out wide or behind [Harry] Kane. Conte has to make room for a player like Maddison. He could be the spark Spurs need moving forward.”

The Verdict: A smart signing for Spurs

The 25-year-old has been in hot form this season for Leicester, which led to him being included in England’s World Cup squad.

With 13 league appearances under his belt, Maddison has scored seven goals, provided four assists and made more key passes (31) and shot-creating actions (57) than any other player at Leicester.

Bearing in mind how Manchester City and Liverpool have racked up more shot-creating actions and key passes than Spurs in the league this season, having a player like Maddison in the squad could be a good way of closing the gap between those two other clubs, who have dominated in recent seasons.

Hailed for his “sensational” performances last season by Brendan Rodgers, the Leicester star would surely be a smart and exciting signing for Conte to make.

Celtic’s move for Montreal defender Alistair Johnston has been agreed upon by all parties and is ‘all but done’, according to Tom Bogert.

The Lowdown: Johnston in Qatar

The Hoops have been heavily linked with a move for the 24-year-old over the last seven days after securing the services of centre-back Yuki Kobayashi, with Johnston currently representing Canada at the World Cup.

He has played in both games so far, recording SofaScore match ratings of 6.6/10 and 6.1/10 against Belgium and Croatia respectively.

Canada are already eliminated ahead of their final group game with Morocco today, and it seems as if Johnston will be on the move in 2023.

The Latest: Johnston to Celtic ‘all but done’

Bogert took to Twitter to provide an encouraging update regarding Celtic and Johnston. He revealed that a transfer is being finalised and that ‘agreements are now reached between all’, with a move ‘all but done’.

The reporter described a deal as a ‘big move’, as other European clubs were keen on Johnston’s services.

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The Verdict: Exciting

It seems as if Ange Postecoglou and Celtic may have landed another exciting player, and you’d expect that Johnston will eventually replace Josip Juranovic at Parkhead.

The Hoops are thought to be confident of securing a £5m+ exit for the Croatia international, who has only been in Scotland for 18 months.

Contract talks have collapsed with the 27-year-old, but it is good to see that the club have acted quickly and appear to have landed Johnston as a replacement.

Newcastle United have been urged to secure a double transfer swoop for Leandro Trossard and Christian Pulisic by Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Newcastle’s transfer record

Since PIF took over the Tyneside club 14 months ago, the Magpies have been rather active in the transfer window in terms of bringing new players to St James’ Park.

Newcastle have also shown how capable they are when it comes to signing players from fellow English clubs, such as Dan Burn, Chris Wood, Nick Pope and Matt Targett.

Having recently been linked with another pair of Premier League talents, Chelsea’s Pulisic and Brighton’s Trossard, it seems as though the Toon have been urged to continue their track record of raiding their top-flight rivals.

The Latest: Newcastle urged to sign Pulisic and Trossard

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson was discussing Newcastle’s reported interest in Pulisic and Trossard, believing that the latter would be the target to prioritise but advocating the Magpies to sign both if viable.

The former England goalkeeper said: “I would go for Trossard. He has been brilliant this season. I have watched him close-hand twice this season when doing the Brighton games and I was really, really impressed.

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“I do not see why Newcastle could not take both Trossard and Pulisic into the squad. They would both enhance the squad. If it was to be one or the other I’d go for Trossard though.”

The Verdict: Newcastle should go for Trossard

While Robinson leans more towards Trossard, it’s clear that he thinks Newcastle could well attempt to bring both the Brighton star and Pulisic to St James’ Park.

With both players currently representing their countries in the World Cup, this in addition to the first few months of the current Premier League season will have given Newcastle the opportunity to take a suitable gauge on both players to see which one they want to sign, if they cannot have both.

In our view, having scored seven goals in 14 league appearances this season and earned an overall performance rating of 7.05/10 from WhoScored – the same as Callum Wilson – we concur with Robinson that, if it does end up being a choice between Trossard or Pulisic, the Belgian should be Newcastle’s choice.

Derby County’s search for a new head of recruitment is at the final stages, with the club knowing the candidate they want to bring in.

The Lowdown: Summer business

The Rams were proactive in the summer transfer window after David Clowes took ownership at Pride Park in July. They were quick to bolster the playing squad ahead of the League One season, with 15 players penning terms in a variety of free transfers and loan deals.

The club currently sit just outside the play-offs and are also in the third round of the FA Cup under Paul Warne.

The Latest: Derby close to appointing head of recruitment

Derbyshire Live reporter Leigh Curtis shared a notebook on Tuesday afternoon on all things Rams-related. He addressed a move for a new head of recruitment, which is seemingly in its final stages.

No names were mentioned explicitly, although Curtis added that Derby are keen to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season in the New Year.

The Verdict: Straight to work?

Derby advertised the head of recruitment position in October, so it is good to see that an appointment is seemingly close.

You’d expect that the new arrival will be getting straight to work, looking to help Warne bolster his squad in what could be a crucial transfer window.

Bringing in the right players could help the club to push up the table and possibly contend for an automatic promotion spot, or at the least a play-off position.

Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo has been criticised for his performance in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana in the World Cup. 

The Lowdown: Portugal beat Ghana

Portugal managed to secure a victory in their first group game of the tournament thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Rafael Leao.

In the starting XI, Portugal manager Fernando Santos included three of City’s squad figures, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Cancelo.

Unfortunately, for the City right-back, his performance caught the attention of one journalist, in particular, but for all the wrong reasons.

The Latest: Cancelo slammed

In a Twitter post, journalist Josh Bunting had this to say about Cancelo and his display, labelling the full-back as ‘dreadful’.

“Portugal defensively have been a mess, that needs adjusted ahead of the Uruguay game on Monday. Cancelo has been dreadful both defensively and offensively, allows the cross to come in and Osman Bukari heads in for 3-2.”

The Verdict: A disappointing start

Having completed the full 90 minutes of the game, the 28-year-old had 85 touches of the ball in total but only racked up a passing accuracy percentage of 83%, which is lower than any other Portugal defender on the day.

From an attacking point of view, Cancelo only attempted one dribble in the game and failed to complete it successfully. He also didn’t manage to have an attempt on goal in this game, despite having 15 for City in the Premier League this season.

Then on the defensive side of his game, the full-back was beaten by Ghana’s Abdul Baba Rahman in the lead up to their second goal. Taking all of this into account, it seems that Cancelo didn’t have the best opening game in terms of his individual performance.

Moving forward, he’ll be hoping that he can improve from this first match and carry on winning as many games as he can with his country before returning to club football at the end of next month.

Aston Villa have had a lot of change over the last couple of months with the appointment of Unai Emery and now the new manager could be set to make a huge move as a new potential transfer target is revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Aston Villa have joined the race to sign Joao Felix.

As per the report, many Premier League clubs are competing to secure the signature of the talented attacker with Manchester United and Chelsea also interested, alongside Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

It could be bye-bye Coutinho

There is no doubt that the signing of Felix would be a major coup for Aston Villa, especially when competing with some of the biggest clubs in the world, but if they could pull it off it could put the club in a fantastic position to compete for a higher placement in the Premier League.

The talented 23-year-old ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers over the top five European leagues for interceptions, proving his defensive efficiency but of course, it’s at the opposite end of the pitch where he is so devastating, sitting in the top 15% for dribbles completed, progressive passes and assists.

Not only that, Felix has been representing Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar over the last few weeks and has played an integral part in his nation’s progression to the quarter-finals of the prestigious international tournament.

Over three World Cup appearances, the £113m attacker – who was dubbed an “immense talent” by Yannick Carrasco – has scored one goal, registered two assists and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging one key pass, 1.3 tackles and winning 4.7 duels per game.

In fact, if Villa did secure the signature of Felix it could spell the end of Coutinho’s short-lived tenure at Villa Park. Indeed, the former Barcelona star has been linked with an exit next year and Felix would clearly be a huge upgrade.

When comparing the two versatile attacking player’s season so far it is clear that Felix is outperforming his positional peer.

First and foremost, he has registered more goal contributions (6 v 0), and as a result, has also produced more shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.68 v 2.99).

Felix has also won more aerial duels (46.2% v 25%) and has a better shot on target rate (47.4% v 37.5%).

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Villa to pursue the signing of Felix, however, they will have some tough competition from many clubs and will need to provide a very tempting offer to secure his services.