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Sky journalist Lyall Thomas has relayed some promising Tottenham Hotspur transfer news involving Udinese starlet Destiny Udogie.

The Lowdown: Spurs preparing…

The Lilywhites are preparing for the 2022/2023 Premier League season and have already made a plethora of summer signings in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence.

Antonio Conte, it’s safe to say, is receiving the full backing of Spurs and sporting director Fabio Paratici this summer as they gear up for the Italian’s first full campaign in charge.

They’ve been tipped to potentially add a creative midfield player to their ranks alongside the possible addition of a new defender with an update emerging on Udogie.

The Latest: Tottenham open Udogie talks…

As relayed by Sky journalist Thomas, there has been a promising development.

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He explains, relaying news from his colleague Gianluca Di Marzio, that they’re ‘pushing ahead with talks’ to sign the 19-year-old after his brilliant season in Serie A over 2021/2022.

Thomas stated (via Twitter):

“Tottenham are pushing ahead with talks to get the Destiny Udogie deal done. Udinese looking for £21m and to keep him on loan for the season.”

The Verdict: Wise move?

Udogie comes as a very bright prospect and finished 2021/22 as one of Udinese’s best performers, even ranking as one of their top four performers by average match rating (WhoScored).

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, an expert on Europe’s best young talents, claims the wing-back is a ‘tenacious tackler’ and possesses ‘top pace and physicality’.

For £21 million, he would be a significant investment, but it’s clear the potential is certainly there to work with.

Nottingham Forest return to action today as they host West Ham United in their first home game of the Premier League season.

Steve Cooper will be desperate to get some points on the board after their opening day defeat at Newcastle United, however, will have to overcome a Hammers side that also were well-beaten by last season’s champions Manchester City last time out.

The 42-year-old will have a real selection headache going into this game, as most of his summer signings are now vying for contention. We could see a number of full debuts, and a whole host of home debuts, as Forest will play their first home game in the Premier League since 1999.

So, will Cooper spring any surprises and omit any big names in favour of his new additions? Here’s how we think Forest could line up against West Ham…

In goal, Dean Henderson is unlikely to lose his spot as Cooper’s number one for the coming season.

The back five is also unlikely to change, with home debuts handed to Moussa Niakhate, Neco Williams and Harry Toffolo, as Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna make up the rest of the defence.

Central midfield could see a full debut for the 24-year-old Belgian Orel Mangala, as he came off the bench last week for his first appearance.

Another home debut is in line, this time for Lewis O’Brien, who will likely partner Mangala and see the £10k-per-week Jack Colback drop to the bench.

Jesse Lingard is another who will more than likely be introduced to the home support at The City Ground, and he will play just behind a new strike partnership of Brennan Johnson and club-record signing Taiwo Awoniyi, who is expected to replace Sam Surridge in the starting XI.

A completely revamped side from the one that earned promotion, Cooper will hope his transfer risks pay off as he hands no less than eight players a home debut against the Hammers.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies want to sign the England international to bolster their squad this season.

However, the reporter has added that the situation is complicated as his current club are looking to bring in a replacement first before sanctioning a move.

He Tweeted: “Newcastle are keen on Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, but The Blues unlikely to entertain anything until they bring in another midfielder of their own. Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong still Chelsea’s main midfield target. Similar situation with NUFC’s interest in Armando Broja.”

It is unclear as to whether the Toon are eyeing a permanent or loan deal for the gem, but it has been reported that he is valued at £40m by the Blues.

Imagine him & Bruno Guimaraes

If Newcastle can swoop in for the midfield machine after Chelsea bring in their own target, Eddie Howe could form an exciting partnership in the middle of the park with Gallagher and Guimaraes.

The pair could form a brilliant pairing in midfield due to their similar skillsets and ability to function in a high-energy system.

In Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, Guimaraes ranks in the 88th percentile for pressures and the 99th for tackles won per 90 in his position. Gallagher, meanwhile, ranks in the 93rd percentile for pressures and the 94th for tackles won in the final third per 90.

This shows that both players excel at pressing the opposition and making tackles to win the ball back high up the pitch in dangerous positions.

They could, therefore, be vital in games when Howe feels counter-pressing will be key to winning the match. The head coach would have two players capable of effectively winning possession back in critical areas, but what could they do when they get the ball back?

Guimaraes scored five goals and set up one in 11 Premier League starts last season, whilst Gallagher – who Patrick Vieira dubbed “special” – scored eight goals and provided three assists on loan to Crystal Palace in the top-flight.

This shows that both players are central midfielders with the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch when they have the ball at their feet.

Therefore, they could be an exciting pairing for the Magpies as they have the potential to be a terrific high-pressing duo in the Premier League – winning possession in the final third and contributing to counter-pressing goals.

Pete O’Rourke would be surprised if Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins left the club during the transfer window.

What’s the word?

The journalist was speaking to This is Futbol regarding news of the striker’s future, saying:

“I’d be very surprised if Villa would even consider letting Ollie Watkins go. He’s been a good signing for them since he arrived from Brentford.

“Maybe he doesn’t score as many goals as people would hope, but he offers so much more to the team as well with his work ethic and how hard he works up front as well.”

This could give Steven Gerrard a welcome boost, as he will require all the firepower he can get in order to improve the side’s recent results.

A boost for Gerrard?

Gerrard will undoubtedly be feeling the pressure following Villa’s poor start to the Premier League campaign, winning only three points from nine. Therefore, the idea of keeping Watkins around should be a boost to everyone associated with the Villans.

They have only scored three times, with the England international being involved in all three (one goal and two assists) and his importance to the team going forward shouldn’t be underestimated.

Since arriving in the Midlands from Brentford in a £28m deal, he has scored 28 goals and registered nine assists in 79 matches, a solid return.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs stated that Crystal Palace and Leeds United were keen on signing the striker and the 42-year-old manager will be determined to keep him.

It’s not just his goals that are important to the side. He created four big chances in the league last season as well as making on average, one key pass per match, creating opportunities for others whenever possible.

Compared to the other attacking options at Villa (Philippe Coutinho, Danny Ings, Leon Bailey, and Emiliano Buendia) Watkins made the most crosses last season with 23 and had the highest percentage of shots on target with 40.3%, proving that his game doesn’t just rely on goals and his all-round ability is outstanding.

At this stage of the window, unless a massive offer arrives for the player, it’s unlikely Johan Lange and co will sell the 26-year-old. If he carries on impressing like he has done in the opening three games so far, he could propel Villa to a top-half finish, meaning it is undoubtedly a boost for the manager that there seems to be little plan to sell him in the current window.

West Ham United have been handed the opportunity to sign Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles, according to recent reports.

What’s the word?

As per the Evening Standard, the Hammers have been ‘offered the chance’ to sign the 24-year-old this summer by the Emirates outfit, with Mikel Arteta’s side said to be keen to ‘offload’ the Englishman before the window closes.

The report suggests that the east Londoners are now ‘keeping tabs’ on the five-cap gem – who is keen on a move with just a year remaining on his existing deal – although he is not a ‘priority’ as things stand.

The report goes on to add that David Moyes and co would prefer a loan deal if they are to swoop in the coming days, albeit with the Gunners looking for a permanent exit amid the risk of losing the 5 foot 11 machine for nothing next year.

Huge signing

While West Ham’s head of recruitment Rob Newman has already wrapped up seven major deals so far this summer, the Englishman could well secure another notable coup with the addition of Maitland-Niles, having effectively been handed the player on a plate by those in north London.

Arsenal’s loss could well be the Irons’ gain with the club able to bring in an asset whom Arteta previously described as a “huge talent”, with the versatile gem potentially set to be a real astute piece of business for GSB.

Comfortable in a variety of roles – namely at full-back and in central midfield – the £9m-rated ace would certainly tick a lot of boxes for Moyes, with the player’s ability to also play in a wing-back role offering the Scotsman greater flexibility with his tactical set-up.

While it hasn’t quite worked out at his current side for the £35k-per-week man after rising through the youth ranks, he remains a “tremendous” talent nonetheless – according to pundit Peter Crouch – and has still managed to rack up 132 appearances for the Gunners to date.

Even amid a difficult spell on loan at AS Roma in the second half of last season, the Three Lions international still recorded some eye-catching statistics, notably winning 89% of his aerial duels from his eight Serie A outings for Jose Mourinho’s side – a record far better than that of Vladimir Coufal (49%) and Aaron Cresswell (57%) for instance.

While he featured as a central midfield, with pundit Martin Keown previously lauding him as a “Rolls-Royce of a player” in that role.

With West Ham currently devoid of quality depth beyond Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek in the centre of the park, Maitland-Niles could well provide both cover and competition for the pair, as well as offering an added bonus due to his adaptability to feature elsewhere.

It may not be the most high-profile addition of the summer, but it could prove to be a ‘huge’ signing if Newman can pull it off.

West Ham United have enjoyed something of a growing reputation in the transfer market over the past few years, with David Moyes and Rob Newman looking as if they have stuck up an extremely solid working relationship when it comes to targeting and subsequently signing players for the club.

Indeed, it would appear that the days of poorly planned transfer windows – personified by the arrivals of Havard Nordtveit, Ashley Fletcher, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sofiane Feghouli, Edimilson Fernandes and Andre Ayew in the summer of 2016 – are now long behind the Hammers, with the club’s new transfer strategy already appearing to have paid off.

In recent seasons – practically since Moyes’ initial appointment at the club in November of 2017 – West Ham have got more transfers right than they have wrong, with the likes of Tomas Soucek, Vladimir Coufal, Craig Dawson, Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen having all arrived for relatively modest fees before establishing themselves in the first team.

And, while any one of these players could easily be the subject of this article, there is nevertheless one clear standout as West Ham’s most intelligent signing amongst this aforementioned group – that of the club’s £20m deal for Bowen back in January of 2020.

After getting off to a decent start in his West Ham career – scoring four goals and registering four assists over 13 Premier League appearances in 2019/20, before bagging eight goals and providing five assists over 38 league fixtures in 2020/21 – the 25-year-old undoubtedly enjoyed his best campaign to date last time out.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £61m-rated talent was in remarkable form, scoring 12 goals, registering 12 assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.2 shots – 0.9 of which hit the target – making 1.2 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £96k-per-week winger average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.09, with his exceptional performances not only ranking him as Moyes’ second-best player in the league but also seeing the former Hull City starlet earn his first caps for England.

However, it was not only in the top flight of English football that Bowen impressed last term, as the forward also scored three goals and provided one assist over nine appearances in West Ham’s run to the Europa League semi-final, bagged two goals in three FA Cup fixtures and notched one further goal in three Carabao Cup games – taking his total to 18 goals and 13 assists over 51 appearances in 2021/22.

As such, it is clear to see that Moyes well and truly hit the jackpot when splashing £20m on Bowen, as not only is the winger’s market value 205% greater than his initial cost, but the player – who Jurgen Klopp dubbed “unbelievable” and Stephen Killen labelled “unreal” – has also become an absolutely integral part of the 59-year-old manager’s starting XI at the London Stadium.

An update has emerged on Sunderland centre-forward Ross Stewart and interest in his services ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, fellow Championship side Blackburn Rovers are eyeing up a swoop to land the Scotland international on a free transfer.

The forward is out of contract at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and the report claims that the Lancashire club could offer him the deal that he is looking for.

It is stated that Tony Mowbray will want to keep hold of him but could be on the lookout for a replacement in the January window, with the threat of losing the striker looming over the Black Cats at the moment.

First disaster

Sunderland’s new manager must avoid his first major disaster in charge of the club by convincing Stewart to remain at the Stadium of Light.

He must work hard, alongside Kristjaan Speakman, to sell the project and the direction the Black Cats are going in to the centre-forward, to ensure that he puts pen to paper on a new deal instead of pursuing a move to one of their rivals.

Losing him would be a gigantic blow for the club as he has been magnificent for Sunderland since the start of the 2021/22 League One campaign.

The Scottish attacker started all 49 of their league and play-off matches throughout the season and plundered an eye-catching 26 goals as he led the line brilliantly, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.25.

Alex Pritchard lavished the goal machine with praise at the end of that campaign, saying:

“[Stewart] is unbelievable. The size of him, on the ball, he can run, he can hold the ball up, he’s good with his feet. He’s got everything. He’s great in the air. Holds the ball up and he gets in behind and you see in the semi-finals – the goal he got in behind and he’s so quick. And he’s been a revelation this year for us.”

He was then asked to prove that he could handle the step up to the Championship and he has enjoyed a phenomenal start to the campaign, scoring five goals in seven appearances in the second tier – averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.66. Only Oliver Norwood (7.68) has averaged a higher rating in the division and Josh Sargent’s score of 7.23 is the next highest by a natural number nine.

This shows that he has been one of the best players in the league this term and that is why allowing him to join another Championship team would be a disaster for Mowbray. The head coach must now do everything in his power to avoid that scenario from becoming a reality.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have brought in a slew of highly rated Portuguese talent over the years, but arguably none have been as successful as Ruben Neves.

The stalwart in the Old Gold midfield, tempting him to Molineux and forking out a Championship record fee of around £15m was a real statement of intent from the new owners.

He would oversee their promotion back to the Premier League and has continued to dominate the midfield ever since.

The influence he has had on the side has even led to him being appointed captain in the absence of Conor Coady, who was allowed to join Everton this summer.

Having now made 220 appearances for the club, the 25-year-old has established himself as one of the leading central midfielders in the division.

Across this period he has also chipped in with 25 goals, many of which have been straight out of the top drawer.

His consistently impressive performances have understandably led to an increase in value, with CIES Football Observatory rating him at €35m (£30m). This marks a 100% increase, however, the club understandably would demand much more from any potential suitors.

With Manchester United having shown an interest in his services over the summer, it was claimed that he would be “perfect” for them due to his age, versatility and his “solid” start to the 2021/22 season.

However, he remains under Bruno Lage’s leadership and will be desperate to spark a turnaround in form for his side.

The statistics do denote his influence in midfield, as he ranks in the top 10% for clearances for midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues whilst also attempting nearly 67 passes per game.

His start to this season too has been nothing short of exceptional, with an average SofaScore rating of 7.49 making him his side’s top performer by some way and ranking him as the top division’s 11th best player as a whole.

Averaging 1.0 key passes per game, as well as an astounding 77.9 touches per game, he is a constant influence who is desperate to take possession and make something happen.

His fearlessness has undoubtedly aided his success, and at his current rate, he will only continue to increase in value.

Celtic would find it ‘very difficult to reject’ a ‘mind-boggling’ £15m offer for winger Liel Abada, former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has told Football Insider.

The lowdown

The publication reported earlier this week that Celtic sources are confident that the Israeli gem will be worth at least £15m by 2023. They have apparently been ‘thrilled’ by his development at Parkhead and expect it to continue apace under Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops paid around £3.5m to sign Abada from Israeli outit Maccabi Petah Tikva just last year, committing him to a five-year contract.

The latest

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish expressed scepticism as to whether Abada is really worth ‘that kind of money’, but if someone is willing to offer it, he finds it hard to see how Celtic will say ‘no’.

The 63-year-old said: “I probably haven’t seen enough of him to put that valuation on him. But you would think that the big clubs, the clubs who have that kind of money, won’t want to waste it.

“Abada, if he is at that kind of level, these prices are mind-boggling, through the roof. It is very difficult to reject those offers if they come in.

“Is he there yet? I’m not sure. There is no doubting he has started this season very well, Celtic have as a club. He is still young so there is so much room to grow there.

“I think it’s one to keep an eye on.”

The verdict

Abada has registered 33 direct goal involvements in his first 65 matches for Celtic (21 goals, 12 assists), a very strong conversion rate. It’s also worth stressing that he’s only 20 years old, so he should only get better and better in the coming years.

Should Abada leave for £15m, he would become the third-most expensive sale in Celtic’s history, slotting in behind Kieran Tierney (£24.3m) and Moussa Dembele (£19.8m) and just ahead of Odsonne Edouard (£14.67m).

That certainly seems to be the path that Lennoxtown insiders expect him to follow, judging by these reports.

Manchester City star Phil Foden is closing in on a new long-term contract with the club, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Foden’s City career

As a Manchester lad and a boyhood City fan, the 22-year-old has been fulfilling his childhood dream in recent years under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.

Since graduating into the first-team squad in 2017, the England international has already made 180 appearances for the club, contributing 51 goals and 35 assists to the Premier League champions’ success.

Foden became even more of an Etihad Stadium hero this weekend after scoring his first career hat-trick against rivals Manchester United in an emphatic 6-3 victory.

The Latest: Foden’s contract

With contract talks delayed due to a change in the player’s management, Ornstein has now shared a fresh update on Foden’s situation.

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist claimed: “Man City hope Phil Foden will sign his new contract until 2027 this week. Once last details agreed #MCFC plan to confirm 22yo’s deal – finally achieving what all parties wanted after protracted negotiations & tying down another key player @TheAthleticUK”

The Verdict: City’s future

At just 22 years of age, Foden has already established himself as a crucial part of City’s incredible success under Guardiola.

Having earned stylistic comparisons to the likes of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the Sky Blues winger ranks in the 91st percentile for non-penalty goals and the 89th percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area and for progressive passes received.

Those figures mark him out as a player who frequently gets into the box and can make a telling impact once there.

Hailed as a ‘very special’ player by England teammate Declan Rice, Foden looks destined to play a major part in City’s setup for years to come, especially if he commits his long-term future to the club.

Therefore, news of his impending contract renewal will surely come as a huge relief to City fans.