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Fabio Paratici could truly kickstart the Antonio Conte era at Tottenham Hotspur with an audacious swoop for Mattijs de Ligt this winter…

What’s the word?

Spurs have been linked with a move for the Juventus centre-back in recent weeks, with Football Insider suggesting that the 22-year-old is on the radar of the Italian supremo ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

It’s thought that the Lilywhites sporting director believes a deal could be viable for de Ligt in January and that manager Antonio Conte is keen to bolster his three-man defence with at least one ‘top-class’ central defender.

According to ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan to the same outlet, the 31-cap Dutch star would be a “massive signing” for Spurs following Cristian Romero’s injury blow and doubts over Eric Dier’s suitability in defence.

It remains to be seen how much Juventus would command for their young centre-back, though Transfermarkt value him at £63m.

Conte’s statement signing

De Ligt really would be a major coup for Spurs and one that would really signal the club’s intentions under a trophy-laden manager like Conte. He has no fewer than nine honours, including last season’s Serie A title, as well as a Premier League and FA Cup.

He’s a born-winner but must be backed in the transfer market, as seen by the vast majority of his recent managerial roles – for instance, he spent over £300m on 12 players, to varying degrees of success. N’Golo Kante and Antonio Rudiger have been two huge success stories and both remain at the club to this day.

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Spurs currently have one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League. No team ranked 16th or better has a worse goal difference and that’s hardly a surprise as there have not been too many reinforcements to a backline that was ever so error-prone last season.

With Conte wanting to deploy a back-three, it would make sense for him to target additions in the position and they really should look no further than de Ligt – just as Whelan claims, it would be massive for the club and squad.

He is currently Massimiliano Allegri’s fourth-best performer in the Italian top-flight, managing an average WhoScored rating of 6.85, which is better than seasoned veterans Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.

The youngster’s agent, Mino Raiola, believes he’s like an “oil tanker” in defence as “he can’t be stopped”, whilst European football expert Carlo Garganese once described him as an “absolute monster.”

Standing at 6 foot 2, with very strong ball-playing and physical qualities, de Ligt could be a game-changing and statement signing for the north Londoners.

His arrival would send shockwaves to the rest of the league that Spurs are ‘back.’

AND in other news, Conte can save ENIC millions with “talented” teen Spurs prodigy who’s shades of Varane…

Manchester United advanced into the last 16 of the Champions League in Michael Carrick’s first game at the helm thanks to two late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho.

Following a cautious first half from the visiting side, things improved in the second 45 minutes, and Fred’s tackle on Etienne Capoue in the 78th minute sparked them into life.

The former Watford midfielder received a risky pass from goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, and the tenacious United player pounced, allowing Ronaldo to expertly lift the ball over the onrushing shot-stopper.

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United looked well-organised and compact throughout the 90 minutes but rarely threatened the opposition goal until the final stages.

However, Jadon Sancho made up for a tame effort when one-on-one with Rulli in the final stages of the closely-fought encounter, smashing in the ball off the underside of the crossbar to slam home his first goal for the Red Devils.

Despite their success on the counter-attack late on, though, the most impressive element of United’s play was undoubtedly their resolute defending.

David de Gea was forced into two tremendous saves from Manu Trigueros, yet overall, the Old Trafford outfit’s back four stood firm against their Spanish opponents, and the standout performer was undoubtedly Victor Lindelof.

With summer signing Raphael Varane currently injured, the 27-year-old took his chance to shine, playing a pivotal part in United securing just their third clean sheet of the season.

As per SofaScore, Lindelof was awarded a match rating of 7.7 out of 10, the joint-highest total received by any player on the pitch at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

The Sweden international won all five of his duels, made a whopping eight clearances and achieved a passing accuracy of 92%, highlighting his impressive performance and reborn status under interim manager Carrick.

Manchester Evening News journalist Tyrone Marshall was also impressed with Lindelof, writing: “Stood up well to the task and tried to play out from the back,” after awarding him a seven out of 10.

With Varane set for an extended spell on the sidelines, Lindelof will be hoping he can maintain this level of performance in the weeks to come, cementing his place in the starting XI as a result.

And, in other news…Duncan Castles drops huge Man United manager update that’ll delight fans

Crystal Palace are not expected to make Jean-Philippe Mateta’s stay at the club permanent after a disappointing loan spell from Mainz 05.

What’s the story?

That’s according to journalist Tom Barclay, who revealed he doesn’t believe that 23-year-old is in Palace’s long-term plans.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Mateta, I don’t see being in the long-term Palace plan. I imagine when his 18-month deal is up, he’ll probably go back if not sooner, so that would open a spot up.”

Crystal Palace fans will be delighted

The former France U21 international arrived at Selhurst Park back in January 2021 on an initial 18-month loan deal with an option to buy, with the Eagles paying an initial £2.7m loan fee.

Palace also have an option to make the move permanent for a further £13.4m, although that only becomes an obligation if the versatile forward has started 15 Premier League games.

However, that prospect now appears to be extremely unlikely following several underwhelming showings for the south London outfit.

In seven top-flight outings last term, the 6 foot 2 beast found the back of the net on just one occasion under the tutelage of former manager Roy Hodgson, and things have gone from bad to worse during Patrick Vieira’s short reign.

Mateta has been awarded just 124 minutes of action by his compatriot throughout 2021/22 and has failed to start a Premier League game since the opening day of the season when he was hauled off just before the hour mark.

With summer signing Odsonne Edouard and the in-form Christian Benteke ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s hard to imagine the £7.2m-rated flop’s fortunes changing any time soon.

Therefore, large sections of the Palace supporters will be delighted at Barclay’s latest revelation as the capital club appear set to avoid a potentially expensive mistake in the transfer market.

And, in other news…Palace “lining up” swoop for “complete” £12.6m-rated gem, Vieira surely buzzing

As per Torino Granata, a promising update has now emerged on Tottenham Hotspur’s plans to sign Torino defender Gleison Bremer.

The Lowdown: Spurs in centre-half hunt?

Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte and Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici have been tipped to raid Serie A for talent, with centre-backs especially appearing to be on the agenda.

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The likes of Stefan de Vrij and Matthijs de Ligt are two big defensive names to be linked with a move to north London recently, while Bremer of Torino is another one to have emerged.

Praised as one of the Italian top flight’s best performers and a standout in the division so far this term (Calciomercato) – he has the fifth-highest performance rating of all Serie A players in 2021/22 as per WhoScored metrics – Spurs have apparently let their interest be known as Torino Granata provide the latest.

The Latest: Spurs ‘pressing’ insistently…

As per the Italian source, Tottenham’s ‘pressing’ for the Brazilian has become ‘insistent’, with Conte personally adding Bremer to his list of targets for next season.

Torino president Urbano Cairo, who is keen to avoid the prospect of losing him on a free deal akin to Andrea Belotti potentially, is now ‘already listening to possible proposals’ for his centre-back as Bremer’s contract expires in 2023.

That’s where Spurs come in, as they now push hard to meet the 24-year-old’s asking price. Cairo has apparently requested ‘over €20 million (£17.1m)’, a figure which Spurs can ‘reach’ according to this report.

The Verdict: Get it done…

A mooted fee of £17.1m is nothing short of a bargain for a player of Bremer’s calibre, form and age, so we strongly advise Paratici to back Conte with his signing.

According to WhoScored, the Brazilian has averaged an incredible 3.7 interceptions per 90, almost double that of Tottenham’s highest interceptor Sergio Reguilon, thus highlighting Bremer’s real tenacity in defence.

In another incentive, out of all Spurs’ regulars with more than one start, only Eric Dier has averaged more clearances per match (4.3) in that time than Bremer (4.2). In terms of aerial duels, Torino’s mainstay has made more on average than any Lilywhites player, and it’s clear that his colossal presence could be a real asset to Conte.

Described as ‘strong’ and ‘powerful’ by Italian football expert Conor Clancy (via Football FanCast), this could be a very shrewd move by Tottenham if they can execute it.

In other news – Talks ongoing: Spurs in contact to sign ‘incredible’ £29.9m man, club open to temporary deal, find out more here

Celtic could make on-loan winger Jota their fourth and final January addition, according to Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry.

The Lowdown: Japanese trio

The Hoops have already begun working on their January business, with Ange Postecoglou looking to add three Japanese players to his injury-hit squad.

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Terms have reportedly been agreed for midfielders Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi, whereas Celtic also want to bring in forward Daizen Maeda and are confident of doing so.

The club’s early 2022 business may not stop there, though, with rumours of Jota’s loan possibly becoming permanent surfacing earlier this month.

The Latest: Permanent Jota move?

Football Scotland journalist Hendry shared a Celtic-related transfer update on Wednesday morning, suggesting the Hoops are not interested in Gremio midfielder Fernando Henrique.

Within their report, they reiterated that Celtic want to bring in Hatate, Ideguchi and Maeda before facing Rangers on January 2, with Jota’s permanent Parkhead move possibly their fourth and final winter window addition.

The option to buy fee for Jota, labelled as a ‘game-changer’ by Alex McLeish, stands at £6.5m, which could see him become the club’s most expensive signing under Postecoglou ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi’s £4.86m summer switch.

The Verdict: Enough?

Celtic have plenty of attacking injuries to deal with at this moment in time, one of which is Jota, with full-backs Josip Juranovic and Adam Montgomery playing on the wing against Ross County on Wednesday. [SofaScore]

Postecoglou has also relied heavily on Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic in the middle of midfield, so two new additions should be enough for the second half of the season.

Four permanent signings in January would continue Postecoglou’s Parkhead rebuild after 12 additions in the summer and should give him plenty of options to choose from as Celtic look to chase down rivals Rangers.

In other news: Devlin shared exit news hours before Ross County; ‘first class’ Celtic gem could now go

Celtic have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their upcoming Scottish Premiership fixture.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, Ange Postecoglou confirmed that David Turnbull is out of contention for the trip to St. Mirren on Wednesday evening, before going on to suggest that Kyogo Furuhashi is also a doubt for the clash.

Furthermore, the 56-year-old also went on to reveal that Benfica loanee Jota, who has been out of action since the start of the month after pulling his hamstring against Hearts, will not make a return to first-team football before the upcoming winter break, something that rules the winger out of the Old Firm fixture at the start of January.

Speaking about the current state of his squad, Postecoglou said: “Jota’s injury was quite significant, so we don’t think we will see him back out there before the break.

“Dave was the major one coming out of the final. We have had the scan, but we haven’t had the results yet. He will definitely be out for St Mirren, but I’m not sure how long he will miss.

“We will also have to particularly manage Kyogo during this period as he is not 100 per cent. I just need to see how he came through the game and look at St Mirren. I am not expecting anyone else to miss out and I also don’t expect anyone who was missing to return.”

Postecoglou will be fuming

While it is undoubtedly a major blow to lose the services of one of Celtic’s most impressive performers for the trip to The SMISA Stadium on Wednesday evening in the form of David Turnbull, the news that Jota does not look likely to return to first-team football before the club’s crunch match with Rangers on January 2 is sure to have left the Bhoys boss fuming.

Indeed, over his 11 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £3.15m-rated loanee has been in remarkable form for the Hoops, scoring five goals, providing four assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of three shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £7.1k-per-week 22-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.38, ranking him as Celtic’s fifth-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who remain a part of Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

As such, while the loss of Turnbull and the potential absence of Kyogo ahead of the St. Mirren clash will certainly be frustrating for the Greek-Australian coach, the news that Jota looks likely to miss what could well be a make or break game in Celtic’s season against Rangers next month will undoubtedly come as a devastating blow for Postecoglou and his side.

In other news: Ange can finally axe “pathetic” £7.9k-p/w Celtic flop with swoop for £270k-rated beast

Rangers are monitoring Racing Santander’s Pablo Torre ahead of the January transfer window, according to The Daily Record. 

The lowdown

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has featured five times for Spain at under-19 level, along with scoring three goals and providing five assists in 15 appearances in the Spanish third tier this season.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has raved about the teenager, labelling him an ‘amazing talent’ and a ‘magician’; and he has already been compared to the likes of Euro 2020 winner Marco Verratti and Ballon D’Or recipient Luka Modric.

The latest

According to The Daily Record, Torre has apparently been recommended to Rangers’ scouts, who will now be watching him.

His contract, which runs until 2025, contains a £4m release clause, but Racing are said to be in financial trouble and could therefore possibly accept a lower offer.

The Gers aren’t the only club interested in the teenager, though, with Spanish giants Real Madrid also admirers of his, along with clubs in Italy.

The verdict

If Torre is to live up to his evident potential, £4m could end up looking like a massive bargain, and that’s assuming the club who sign him are forced to pay the full extent of his release clause.

Rangers could theoretically end up selling him on for a huge profit after a few years at Ibrox, which might factor into the club’s thinking.

Real Madrid represent daunting competition, but perhaps there’s a scenario where Los Blancos sign him and then loan him out, as they have done with a whole host of their Castilla players this season.

In other news, could this Gers forward be lured south of the border?

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming over some transfer news which has emerged on Philippe Coutinho.

As per The Daily Mail, the Goodison Park club have now been offered the chance to sign the former Liverpool playmaker in the January transfer window.

His representatives have spoken to the Toffees about a possible deal, but it is not clear whether Rafael Benitez will end up pursuing it.

Coutinho’s Anfield connections may turn the Everton fanbase against any move, given that some Blues made it clear that they did not want Benitez for that reason, and the midfielder’s statistics have been largely underwhelming at Barcelona.

The Brazil international is 29 years of age as well and is likely past his peak years, so the Toffees would do well to avoid signing him.

Everton fans on Coutinho transfer news

These Everton supporters were left fuming as the transfer news on Coutinho was shared on Twitter:

“God I feel ill”

Credit: @james_gavo3

“Here we go”

Credit: @BT_1878

“Another washed up injury prone player. No thanks”

Credit: @ToffeeTosh1878

“Won’t have learnt a thing.”

Credit: @eideangm

“We never learn, do we”

Credit: @efcsam16

“Of course Kia has, the absolute clown”

Credit: @bluesofgoodison

In other news, another transfer update has had lots of Everton fans buzzing

There’s been a major twist in Newcastle United’s pursuit of Everton defender Lucas Digne, and it’s good news for Magpies fans…

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days had suggested that while Eddie Howe’s side are interested in signing the left-back, there appeared to be no chance of him moving to St James’ Park, with Digne instead preferring a move elsewhere.

But now, according to journalist Carlos Reynoso on Twitter, the Magpies have stolen a march on Premier League rivals Chelsea in the race to sign the Frenchman.

He said: “Newcastle not only took away the possibility of signing Trippier to Chelsea, they are now very close to taking Digne out of Everton.”

Fans will be excited

Talk about a big change in the script.

After Fabrizio Romano’s suggestion that Newcastle was never being considered as a realistic destination by Digne, this latest update has certainly flipped things upside down, and in the Magpies’ favour.

Speaking about the Frenchman last term, Jamie Redknapp said: “You need good quality, you need good crosses, they need to have assists and he (Digne) is an exceptional player.

“He puts it into great areas all the time, a little bit like Robertson. He looks like the sort of lad you want in your team because he gets stuck in as well. He can play in a back three as well.”

It would be a serious statement of ambition from the new owners if they could manage to convince a player to turn down a side competing for titles like Chelsea, for a team currently in the midst of a relegation battle.

Money certainly talks, and if PIF have turned Digne’s head because of being willing to back Howe and throw that extra bit of cash towards new players, then they have to be applauded for their ambition.

The £27m-rated star could complete the perfect double-act at full-back alongside Kieran Trippier, an exciting prospect for the St James’ faithful.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have been handed an update on Callum Wilson…

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped a teasing transfer hint regarding the future of on-loan winger Jota.

What’s been said?

In recent comments cited by Football Scotland, the 56-year-old suggested that, following reports which claimed that Celtic are locked in ongoing negotiations regarding a permanent £6.5m deal for the 22-year-old, a move for the Benfica winger will take care of itself in due course.

Speaking about the future of the Portugal under-21 international, the Hoops coach said: “In terms of [Jota remaining at Parkhead] beyond this season, that will take care of itself at the appropriate time.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Jota has been since his arrival in Glasgow last summer, Postecoglou’s suggestion that the permanent signing of the winger is just a matter of time will have undoubtedly left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 11 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £4.95m-rated winger has been in remarkable form for the Hoops. He has already bagged five goals, registered four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking three shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

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These returns have seen the player who Postecoglou dubbed an “unbelievable” talent average an excellent SofaScore match rating of 7.38, ranking him as the sixth-best player in the entire league.

Furthermore, the £7.1k-per-week forward has also scored two goals and provided two assists over his five Europa League outings, in addition to netting one goal in his two League Cup appearances – returns which take his total haul to eight goals and six assists in just 18 games for Celtic.

As such, it is clear to see that the signing of the Benfica starlet on a permanent basis, particularly for a fee of just £6.5m, would certainly be a major coup for the Bhoys, so Postecoglou’s latest update on the winger will come as music to the ears of Celtic fans.

In other news: Postecoglou must finally sanction Celtic swoop for “strong” £3.7m beast, he’s the next Fred