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Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

They have left it late but with just a few days remaining, it appears as if Spurs are finally about to land a new player for manager Antonio Conte.

According to Italian newspaper Corriere Fiorentino (via Sport Witness), an agreement has been reached with Fiorentina over a move for midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who is currently away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.

The Lilywhites are expected to pay a €1.5m (£1.25m) loan fee with a €15m (£13.5m) option to buy in the summer. It’s thought that the Moroccan international is happy to join the north London outfit with Conte waiting for him to be confirmed in the coming days.

Conte wants him

Earlier this month, football.london reported that Conte wanted signings in three key roles – wing-back, striker and in central midfield – and Amrabat has recently emerged as a key target for the Italian as a result.

Matt Law of the Telegraph believes that Conte is a big fan of the Viola star and has even requested sporting director Fabio Paratici to sign him before the end of the month.

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He will be absolutely delighted to see this one edge closer to completion and whilst some supporters around N17 will be underwhelmed by this arrival, there’s plenty of factors pointing towards this being pretty decent business.

The 25-year-old has been restricted to only 211 minutes in the Serie A this season but has featured in three full 90-minute games for his country in Group C and the round of 16 as they make the quarter-finals of AFCON.

Conte has lacked a presence in engine room that can link defence to the attack, one that can drive the ball forward and he’ll get that in Amrabat.

Of the 39 players to have attempted 150 or more dribbles since the start of the 2019/20 Serie A campaign,  only one player (Ismael Bennacer, 79.6%) has managed a better dribble success rate than the Viola enforcer (70.3%), per WhoScored.

That is also above every single one of Spurs’ current central options as Oliver Skipp leads the way on 66.7% and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg isn’t too far behind on 62.2%. Tanguy Ndombele sits down at 55%, which is rather telling.

The Frenchman has been linked with an exit to Paris Saint-Germain, so it could be a case of one-in, one-out.

If Conte wants him, then he should be backed. The 52-year-old must be very excited as the club close in on their first January arrival.

AND in other news, “Tottenham are..”: Fabrizio Romano delivers huge transfer update, fans will be buzzing…

Crystal Palace could be set to add further reinforcements to Patrick Vieira’s first-team squad after being linked with a transfer move for Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old has informed Mikel Arteta that he wants to leave the club, with the Eagles and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach vying for his signature.

Nketiah has entered the final year of his contract in north London, meaning an exit in the upcoming January window could be on the cards.

The Mail’s report states that: “Eddie Nketiah has informed Arsenal he wants to leave the club, ending their hopes of persuading him to stay.

“Admirers include Germans Borussia Monchengladbach along with Crystal Palace, and he is also free to arrange a pre-contract with a foreign club from January 1.

“Alternatively, Arsenal could agree a cut-price deal for Nketiah in the January window, which represents their final chance to cash in through a sale.”

Fans would love him

A recent report by TransferMarketWeb claimed the England U21 record-breaker could be available for as little as €12m (£10m) this winter due to his contract situation, a fee that could prove to be an absolute bargain in years to come.

He was dubbed “so incredibly prolific” by football scout Jacek Kulig after a string of impressive performances for Arsenal, but Nketiah has found opportunities hard to come by in recent months.

The youngster received just 14 starts in all competitions for the capital club last term and has seen his playing time slashed even further by Mikel Arteta this time around.

Despite only featuring from the off on two occasions this season – both in the Carabao Cup – Nketiah has continued to show his class, scoring on both occasions, including a delightful goal against Leeds United last time out.

His turn of pace, clinical finishing and tactical intelligence make him a nightmare for defenders and a hugely exciting prospect.

Nketiah’s arrival at Selhurst Park would be a significant coup for Palace and is an acquisition that the supporters would surely love to see, adding another talented, highly-promising star to Patrick Vieira’s new-look squad.

And, in other news…“I don’t think”: Sky Sports journalist shares Palace update that’ll leave fans gutted 

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly eyeing up a transfer move to sign Gleison Bremer.

The Lowdown: Centre-back wanted

As Spurs have been linked with moves for the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Antonio Rudiger and Kim Min-jae over the last few days, it is clear that Antonio Conte would like to bring in a new centre-back.

The Lilywhites slumped to an embarrassing 2-1 loss at the hands of NS Mura in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening, and the Italian probably cannot wait for the January transfer window to come any sooner as he looks to bolster his defence.

The Latest: Bremer eyed

As per TUTTOmercatoWEB, Tottenham and AC Milan are now eyeing Bremer ahead of a potential move.

Torino could be tempted to sell him for €25m (£21.1m) if he does not sign a new deal, and they are awaiting responses from agents on what he is going to do.

The Verdict: Sign

Standing at 6 foot 2, Bremer could be the dominating centre-half that Tottenham need, and his 7.6 duels won per game in Serie A so far this season certainly suggests as such.

The Brazilian has made more than twice as many interceptions (four) as Spurs defenders Ben Davies, Cristian Romero and Eric Dier (WhoScored) in their respective domestic leagues, and he also boasts two goals and one assist from the back, suggesting that he would give them a boost in both penalty areas.

Once dubbed ‘incredible’ by former Torino manager Davide Nicola, Bremer is still just 24 years of age, so his best years should still be ahead of him.

Interestingly, he shares the same agency as Spurs duo Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli, so there could be some inside work done to try and lure him to Hotspur Way.

In other news, Conte reportedly wants to sell this Tottenham ace

Former England striker Kevin Phillips has tipped West Ham to complete the signing of Nathan Aké in January, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Defensive depth needed

90min have previously reported that West Ham have identified the Manchester City defender as a January transfer target following the injuries to centre-back pairing Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma. It is expected that the Hammers will pursue a loan deal with an obligation to buy.

Zouma has been a huge loss for the defensive line due to his domination in clearances made, leading the side with an average of 5.2 per game. With the Frenchman reportedly out for up to 12 weeks, it is vital that the Irons provide depth in the centre-back position, as David Moyes has just Issa Diop and Craig Dawson at his disposal at the moment.

The Latest: Hammers to pursue Aké

As per Football Insider, former England international Phillips has tipped West Ham to complete the signing of Aké in the January transfer window.

He said: “That’s a no-brainer for West Ham. He’s not getting a huge amount of game time at Man City. He’s the type of player who needs to be playing regularly. Ake is a brilliant defender.

“With Zouma and Ogbonna out injured he would be a really good addition to their squad.

“He would give them some valuable experience as well, having played in Europe and won the title with Man City.”

The Verdict: A good move for both parties

West Ham are in desperate need of a centre-back following the injuries sustained by Zouma and Ogbonna. Providing depth to the defensive line will be crucial with the club’s hectic winter schedule, as they remain in the Europa League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Liverpool colossus Virgil van Dijk hailed his Dutch teammate as ‘underrated’ and even name-checked him when asked to name who he felt were the best defenders in the world. Meanwhile, the City defender’s former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte once described a young Aké as looking ‘like a veteran’.

Such praise clearly illustrates the player’s quality and suggests how he has the ability to contribute to West Ham’s top four push, if he makes the move to east London.

Arriving at the Etihad Stadium in 2020 for £40.8m, the defender has made just five league appearances for City this season, so this may be the perfect move for him to revitalise his career.

In other news: These were West Ham’s three worst players in the 0-0 draw at Burnley

Reports by Gol Digital earlier in the week claimed that Newcastle United are considering a move to sign Divock Origi, and Mike Ashley should be sanctioning a summer swoop to land the Liverpool striker who broke Rafa Benitez’s spirits in 2019.

Origi is potentially set to hit the transfer market at the end of the season after enduring a challenging campaign at Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp frequently opposed to unleashing the Belgium international.

The 25-year-old has only started six of his 17 appearances across all competitions, while left an unused substitute in 18 fixtures and omitted from seven matchday squads to date.

Liverpool are understood to see Klopp’s position on Origi as justification to part ways with the £60,000-per-week forward three years before his deal lapses, as he is unlikely to occupy a key role in the German’s plans going forward.

Interest in Origi is expected to be vast given his age and experiences, including his goals in the 2018/19 Champions League semi-final with FC Barcelona that started and completed an unlikely comeback from 3-0 down on aggregate.

La Liga side Real Sociedad are noted to be weighing up a move but face strong competition from the Premier League, with Newcastle plus Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers also keen.

Origi allegedly hopes that any move away from Merseyside in the off-season will see that he is given a chance to be the lead striker of his new side, having never had that opportunity in six seasons at Anfield.

Football Insider claim that bids of just £12m will be considered by Liverpool, having failed to find any suitors willing to pay £20m in January.

Borussia Dortmund have additionally been touted as a potential destination for Origi, with the Bundesliga outfit one of a clutch of sides tracking his situation ahead of the summer market.

The chances of Newcastle meeting Liverpool’s demands for Origi may be in doubt with the St. James’ Park natives expected to operate on a shoestring budget this summer, with loans and free transfers likely to be the flavour of the month.

But Ashley should dig deep into his pocket to acquire the LOSC Lille product, as whoever is in charge of the Toon next term – be it Steve Bruce or someone new – will need a higher calibre forward to rival with 10-goal top-scorer Callum Wilson.

Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle are both out of contract in June and have rarely offered a consistent goal threat in the north east, with the former striking home just once in 41 games since his return in 2019 and the latter only hitting 11 in 66 Premier League outings.

Origi has proven that he can score on the biggest stage, Barcelona have the nightmares to show that, while also striking Belgium’s only goal in a 1-0 win over Russia during the 2014 World Cup.

The Oostende-born forward once had the better of Benitez during the Spaniard’s time in charge at St. James’ Park, too, when Origi broke the Toon’s spirits with a late header to seal a 3-2 win and keep Liverpool in the mix for the 2018/19 Premier League title.

Newcastle had twice come from behind in their final home game of that season in search of what would have been a famous and rare result in modern meetings between the two clubs, with Salomon Rondon constantly proving a handful for the visiting Reds.

But their hopes were destroyed by Origi, and whoever sits in the United hot seat next term would surely like to have a striker capable of such an impact at their disposal.

AND in other news, Newcastle face a global battle to land a £8.5m striker with 18 goals in 26 league games this term…

Leeds United could clinch a bargain deal for Liverpool striker Divock Origi amid Noel Whelan’s transfer claim.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that the Belgian’s long-term future at Anfield is up in the air following a disappointing campaign, and that with the forward’s valuation plummeting, “a bid of as little as £12m could be enough to persuade Liverpool to sell”.

And now, former Leeds man Whelan has claimed Marcelo Bielsa’s side should be all over a potential deal for the 25-year-old this summer.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “I think we’ve got to keep our options open. Divock Origi for £12-15m, would you turn your nose up at that? No, you wouldn’t.

“He can play a number of roles, left side, right side, through the middle. You’ve got to look at these things seriously. It’s not a lot of money. It’s so cheap. You could maybe go out and get two strikers if he’s available at that price. We need options, especially attacking ones. We know Bielsa likes players who can be versatile and we know Origi is that.

“Like a potential Harrison deal, it’s not much of a risk. You’re not breaking the bank and you know what you’re getting. He knows the Premier League. He’s a good age and we play a style of football that will suit him because it’s similar to Liverpool’s.”

Orta’s perfect chance

Dubbed as someone who “always comes up with massive goals”, and who’s “got a taste for the big games”, Origi has built himself into folklore at Anfield with his match-winning moments – you’ve only got to look at his last-minute winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton, or his goal-scoring display in that famous Champions League comeback over Barcelona.

The £75k-a-week ace just needs more of a regular opportunity to shine, rather than knowing he will always play second fiddle to the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

The Belgian probably knows that even a stellar display is unlikely to convince Jurgen Klopp to move out one of his much-vaunted front three to accommodate him, and that surely does nothing for a player’s confidence.

Bielsa will be confident that he could be the man to really kick-start Origi’s career again, and given the price being touted, it’s got all the makings of being a bargain for Leeds.

Meanwhile, Leeds should reignite their interest in this Raphinha-esque star…

Leeds United midfielder Owen Bray is set to depart Elland Road at the end of the season, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Bray profiled

Bray is 19 years of age and is primarily a central midfielder who has made eight appearances in the club’s academy.

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He is out of contract at the end of June after having had his scholarship extended last summer alongside Taylor Ragan. Bray has made just one appearance for the U23s, and it looks as if he’ll now move on over the coming months.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s post

O’Rourke took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to provide an update on Bray, revealing that the teenager is set to depart the Whites soon.

“Leeds midfielder Owen Bray is set to leave Elland Road at the end of the season when his contract expires.”

Reports have suggested that League One side Wigan Athletic are looking at Bray ahead of a possible move, with the Whites youngster set to turn out for Wigan’s U23s against Hull City.

The Verdict: Makes sense?

Leeds have a number of promising midfielders coming through at Thorp Arch, including Lewis Bate, Sean McGurk and Jack Jenkins, so allowing Bray to depart could suit all parties.

He’s struggled to become a regular in the U23s squad, with his only appearance coming in a 7-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Accrington Stanley back in 2020.

On that basis, moving to the lower leagues in search of first-team football could be a wise call by Bray, after limited opportunities at Elland Road.

In other news: Leeds and Orta want ‘extraordinary’ ace in Bosman move; same agent as Bamford. 

Carlo Ancelotti must unleash Andre Gomes in Everton’s FA Cup tie with Sheffield Wednesday to see if the Everton midfielder can fill the void of Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The Toffees are set to be without Doucoure for their crunch Premier League meeting with Leicester City on Wednesday night through suspension, after the £20m summer signing was issued his fifth yellow card of the season at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

An Everton victory over the Foxes will see the Goodison Park natives close the gap between themselves and Brendan Rodgers’ side to three points and they’d have two games in hand, as they battle for a place in the top-four and qualification for the Champions League.

Doucoure has played more often in the top-flight this term than any other member of Ancelotti’s squad, with the 28-year-old featuring for 1,452 of a possible 1,530 minutes after starting all 17 of their fixtures to date.

Gomes, in contrast, has fallen out of favour on Merseyside this season, with the former FC Barcelona maestro boasting only the 15th-highest total game time by an Everton player after accumulating just 573 minutes of action over 12 outings, of which he’s started five.

The last of Gomes’ Premier League starts came in November’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United when Ancelotti sought to find a new role for him, with the £18m-rated man fielded in an advanced role in behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin before being hauled off on the hour mark.

He has struggled to impress when given the chance in the cup competitions too, with Darren Bent claiming Gomes was exposed for his lack of pace and physicality against Manchester United as Everton lost 2-0 in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

“Gomes, on the ball, is kind of your Rolls Royce footballer that gets on it, links play, not scared to take the ball in tight areas and different scenarios. I was disappointed in Gomes because he’s a wonderful footballer,” he told Football Insider.

“There are times when the opposition’s midfield are quite quick, they’re dynamic, they get about, I think that’s where Gomes lacks real legs in the middle of the park.”

Gomes again was questioned for his performance when fielded from the start against Rotherham United in the FA Cup third round win earlier this month, with the Liverpool Echo claiming his passing was often sloppy and that his poor tackling should have been punished.

Doucoure’s absence against Leicester will be a big miss for Ancelotti, with Bent further lauding the Frenchman as a “top, top player” who “there isn’t anyone like” at Everton as he brings a powerful presence to the engine room.

That presence has also returned among the highest number of progressive passes at Goodison Park this term (39), with only James Rodriguez (82) recording a significantly higher total of passes that moved play closer to the opponent’s goal in Premier League fixtures, per FBref.

Doucoure also stands strong at the other end of the pitch to make a higher number of tackles (19) in the defensive third and the second-most pressures (298) by a Blues player. Gomes, on the other hand, has offered just one more tackle in the defensive third than attacker Alex Iwobi (8) and pressures opponents (127) as frequently as Rodriguez (122).

Gomes will have big shoes to fill against Leicester if he’s the one selected, thus he must be unleashed against Sheffield Wednesday to shake off any cobwebs against a side sitting second-bottom of the Championship. Otherwise, Ancelotti will be throwing him in straight at the deep end on Wednesday.

AND in other news – Exclusive: Pundit reacts as Everton to hand £100k-p/w man a new contract.

Scott Parker has suffered relegation both times he has managed Fulham in the Premier League but Marcus Bent, who played for 12 different clubs during his career, has exclusively told Football FanCast, that Parker would love to be offered the Tottenham Hotspur job.

Daniel Levy is still on the hunt for Spurs’ next manager and the likes of Parker and Graham Potter have been linked with getting the job despite having never finished in the top half of the Premier League as a manager.

Parker was handed the Fulham job last time they were in the Premier League as relegation loomed large but he did manage to get them up at the first time of asking last season as Fulham won the play-off final against Brentford.

Levy, who is said to “think the world” of Parker, will know he needs to get this manager right and Bent, who spoke exclusively to FFC, has claimed the Cottagers boss would love the job but that he may not be ready for it:

“I’m not sure if Scott Parker is ready for it, but who am I to say? He’s done really well at Fulham and I think he’d jump at the chance. I haven’t spokn to him about it but I think he would jump at the chance.

“There’s something going on at the club and it has been for years because it’s not stable. There’s going to be quite a few players going this summer and they’re talking about if Kane will stay? It just depends on if they’re going to bring in the right players and manager.”

Ryan Mason has been tasked with getting Tottenham into Europe after taking over from Jose Mourinho and the former Spurs midfielder has won two of his three leagues games as manager.

Spurs fans appear to have had enough of how their club is being run and are planning protests, much like all the teams involved in the failed Super League, and they will be happening on the final home game of the season.

Graham Roberts has claimed that Steven Gerrard would be an excellent appointment for Tottenham Hotspur this summer in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

The Liverpool legend has done superb work at the Scottish club this term.

They have won the Scottish Premiership at a canter, finishing the season unbeaten and with 102 points from 38 games.

Rangers ended the campaign 25 points ahead of Old Firm rivals Celtic and Spurs are, of course, on the lookout for a new manager after sacking Jose Mourinho.

Ryan Mason is currently in interim charge of the club but it is expected that he will step aside for the next permanent boss, whomever they may be.

Roberts played for Spurs between 1980 and 1986 before making the move to Rangers, and spending two years with the Scottish giants.

It remains to be seen if Gerrard, who said that he ‘loved’ Kane back in 2017, would be willing to leave the club with whom he has just won his first ever league title, especially for a rival to Liverpool, but Roberts believes he would be an exceptional appointment.

He told FFC: “You’ve got Steven Gerrard at Rangers.

“I think he’ll stay there but he’s done absolutely unbelievable. He would be a great choice.”