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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly eyeing FC Midtjylland winger Gustav Isaksen for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Danish talent

Isaksen is one of the rising stars of Danish football, having represented Denmark at every stage at youth level.

The 21-year-old plays his football for Midtjylland, where he has represented the senior team over 100 times already, reaching double figures in goals and assists (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per Calciomercato, the St. James’ Park outfit are eyeing up a potential move for Isaksen in January, who would cost them €20m (£17.2m).

However, they will face competition from fellow Premier League rivals West Ham United and Arsenal for his signature, as well as AC Milan and Fiorentina in Italy.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Isaksen is a player that is only going to get better with age and further experience, so signing him up for under £20m could turn out to be a real bargain in the future.

Hailed as ‘incredible’ by journalist Steven Moore after impressing against Serie A side Lazio in the UEFA Europa League in September, he has three goals in five games in the competition, adding to the four goals and one assist in the Danish top flight this season (Transfermarkt).

Isaksen’s playing style is similar to one of the Toon Army’s own in Allan Saint-Maximin, and he is also comparable to other elite Premier League wingers like Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min and Raheem Sterling (FBRef).

Nonetheless, with that kind of promise, it is surely a no-brainer for the Magpies to snap him up.

Everton have been somewhat renowned for their transfer disasters since the arrival of Farhad Moshiri, as the owner has spent over £500m on transfers in just six years with only a relegation scrap to show for it.

However, it appears, since the appointment of Frank Lampard, the recruitment strategy has drastically improved in just one transfer window, as the personnel brought into the club this summer has certainly improved the performances on the pitch.

The two most influential signings would have to be Conor Coady and James Tarkowski, with the pair already forming a formidable centre-back partnership in the team and have both been recognised for their strong leadership skills alongside their high-quality defensive attributes.

However, one area of the team that saw a long-serving and successful partnership come to an end was in the forward line, as Richarlison made a move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, leaving Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Goodison Park, but now the Everton boss could form a brand new attacking duo by taking advantage of the January transfer window.

Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk was heavily linked with a move to Merseyside during the summer, but the Toffees had their bid rejected, and now the club could try again in January following the winger’s fantastic form so far this season.

The 21-year-old who was hailed a “talent” by broadcaster Joe Flemons has already scored six goals and registered seven assists in 11 appearances with a goal contribution every 68 minutes so far, which is extremely impressive but it’s not just his goals that make him the perfect strike partner.

Over five league outings this term, the forward created one big chance, as well as making an average of one key pass, taking an average of 1.6 shots winning 4.6 duels and 1.2 tackles per game, proving that he not only delivers the end product but also works hard to offer goal-scoring opportunities to his teammates.

Mudryk has been the recipient of high praise over the last few weeks for his performances in the Champions League, and Thierry Henry spoke out on the £43.3m player hailing him “impressive” following his display against Real Madrid:

“I have seen him play for Ukraine and he was pretty impressive. I like his directness. I get annoyed sometimes when wingers always come to the ball.

“I always like that he plays one v one. He’s a good player. He has been linked to a lot of teams, so let’s see where he’s going to end up.”

With that being said, Mudryk would complement Calvert-Lewin perfectly with his selfless approach to his game and could be the much-needed partner the striker needs to alleviate some of the goal-scoring pressure on the Everton talent – to allow him to fully recover from his fitness issues.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Bryan Gil, has been urged to make a move away from the north London club during the upcoming January transfer window by BBC pundit Alan Hutton. 

The Lowdown: Gil’s season so far

Across the Premier League and the Champions League, the Spaniard has only made five substitute appearances for Antonio Conte’s side.

This shows how far down the pecking order Gil is at Spurs and how difficult he has found it to get some regular minutes on the pitch.

Looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window, it appears that Hutton has suggested one potential option for the player that could see him get some consistent minutes.

The Latest: A January move

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Spurs defender has claimed that a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January could be the best option for Gil.

He said: “Obviously Conte has had a good look at him. He sees him every day. He looks a little bit lightweight to me for the Premier League. He can make things happen from what I have seen but is he going to work hard defensively? Is he going to get up and down the pitch? Where exactly does he fit in?

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“I can’t see him taking a space of Richarlison, [Dejan] Kulusevski, Son [Heung-min] or [Harry] Kane. I think there is a lot of people in front of him.

“So he is probably a player that you are looking at when it comes to January. He is going to have to get out. I do not see that game time coming at all really.”

The Verdict: The best option for Gil

Given the 21-year-old’s lack of minutes for Spurs this season, it’s easy to see why Hutton thinks a move away in January could be the ideal option for him.

The previous January transfer window saw Gil join Valencia on loan until the end of last season, during which he made 17 appearances across La Liga and the Copa Del Rey.

Across the 13 La Liga appearances he made for the Spanish club last season, the £40k-per-week Spurs figure racked up 26 shot-creating actions in total, leaving him with the fourth-highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes at Valencia (3.1).

This showcases how much of a useful player he can be when given the chance to play regularly, which is why we feel that if his situation at Tottenham isn’t likely to change, another January loan move would be the best option for Gil.

Wolves sealed their spot in the Carabao Cup fourth round as they earned a 1-0 win over fellow Premier League side Leeds United at Molineux.

Steve Davis named a much-changed team for the visit of Jesse Marsch’s men and despite huge amounts of pressure from the visitors, which included seven shots on target, Boubacar Traore’s late goal proved enough for the Old Gold to progress.

The Mali international, who joined Wolves on loan from Metz during the summer, has been a regular of late and did his chances of another start against Arsenal at the weekend no harm, as he came off the bench at Molineux to smash in a superb goal.

However, while he proved to be the match-winner, there was arguably another better performer in Wolves’ defence, with Rayan Ait-Nouri staking his claim to return to the side, having been dropped in favour of youngster Hugo Bueno in recent fixtures.

As per SofaScore, the Frenchman would earn a superb 8.1/10 for his performance, which was only bettered by Matija Sarkic in the Wolves goal.

During the 90 minutes, the 21-year-old full-back would contribute a remarkable 11 tackles, three interceptions and two clearances, with no other player coming close to his number of tackles.

For context, the left-back has averaged 1.8 tackles, 0.3 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game in the Premier League so far this season, which emphasises just how impressive he was on Wednesday night.

Ait-Nouri completely dominated Leeds’ right-winger Jack Harrison, as the Englishman earned a shocking 6/10 rating for his display, completing just two out of 11 attempted dribbles and losing 14/23 ground duels, whereas Wolves’ young defender would win 14/23.

It was a real battle between the two players but Wolves’ young defender clearly came out on top, and that was vital in Wolves earning a morale-boosting win and clean sheet at Molineux.

He also contributed from an attacking perspective, notching three key passes, one shot on target and four successful long balls, which again is far better than his seasonal average of 0.6 key passes, 0.7 shots and 0.6 long balls per game in the top flight.

Bruno Lage dubbed Ait-Nouri “fantastic” during his time at the club and he certainly lived up to that praise on Wednesday night, with a return to the Premier League starting XI surely on the cards after such a dominant display.

Everton are preparing to make an offer to sign Udinese defender Rodrigo Becao, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Exit on the horizon?

The Brazilian has just over 18 months remaining on his deal at the Dacia Arena, but after refusing to sign an extension with the Serie A outfit, an exit could be on the cards in 2023.

The centre-back is currently sidelined due to a flexor injury, and whilst he will be available for selection again after the World Cup break, his contract situation has seen him being linked with a move to the Premier League.

The Latest: Everton eyeing Becao

According to Tutto Udinese (via Sport Witness), Everton are ‘willing to put up’ €15m (£13m) to land Becao in January after registering their interest over the summer.

The Toffees ‘decided not to push forward’ with a move following the arrivals of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski, but the report states that they still ‘remain in the picture’.

Udinese owner Gino Pozzo ‘knows that he will have to sanction a sale’ if contract negotiations reach a roadblock, which Frank Lampard’s side will be ‘hoping for’.

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The Verdict: Absolute bargain

The Everton target has been dubbed an ‘insurmountable’ player by journalist Bruno Queiroz, and Becao offers a threat at both ends of the pitch, so being able to secure his services for £13m would be a bargain.

The 6 foot 3 colossus averages three clearances and 2.1 successful aerial duels per game, and also has a goal and assist to his name in just nine appearances this season (WhoScored).

Those returns would see him rank highly among Lampard’s squad for both metrics, which indicates that he could be an upgrade on many players at Everton.

Whether Becao would be a guaranteed starter given the partnership created between Coady and Tarkowski remains to be seen, but he would certainly appear to be a fantastic prospective addition at Goodison Park.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Sean Dyche could be a manager ‘target’ for Glasgow Rangers if Giovanni van Bronckhorst leaves Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Van Bronckhorst under pressure

The Daily Record reported earlier this week that Van Bronckhorst’s future at Ibrox is in ‘serious doubt’ after a poor start to the season which has seen them crash out of the Champions League with no points and an embarrassing -20 goal difference, and lag nine points behind their arch-rivals in the Premiership title race.

The Dutchman could still be spared during the break for the World Cup in Qatar, but names of potential candidates to replace him are starting to emerge, with predecessor Steven Gerrard and his former assistant Michael Beale linked with a return to Rangers.

Scottish football pundit Charlie Nicholas has also backed Dyche to be a serious contender for the role, and the former Burnley boss has hinted that he could take the Ibrox job if he is offered it.

The Latest: Dyche could be a ‘target’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has claimed that Dyche could be a ‘target’ for Rangers should Van Bronckhorst leave, adding that the club would be an ‘attractive’ option for the 51-year-old.

The journalist said: “Somebody like Sean Dyche who is out of work could be a potential target for Rangers as well, he’s got links with sporting director Ross Wilson from their time together at Watford.

“He’s out of work and looking for a job, and I’m sure Rangers would be an attractive option for someone like Sean Dyche with what they can offer.”

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The Verdict: Take the chance

The Rangers board may still be hesitant over sacking Van Bronckhorst, given that he took them to the Europa League final last season.

However, some results and performances this term have been too poor to ignore, so the Ibrox hierarchy must take the chance that the World Cup break has given them to relieve the Dutchman of his duties.

Should Van Bronckhorst leave, Dyche would be an ideal replacement, having shown his credentials in English football by keeping Burnley in the Premier League for five straight seasons, including a remarkable seventh-placed finish in 2017/18 (Transfermarkt).

Former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan has claimed that Dyche would be a ‘stunning’ appointment for Rangers given his pedigree, and it would be hard to look past the 51-year-old.

Scottish champions Celtic may well be ruing their failure to bring Japan defender, Ko Itakura, to Parkhead, with the impressive centre-back having already made his mark for his country at the World Cup.

The 25-year-old has seemingly been a long-term target for the Old Firm outfit with reports back in the summer of 2021 – following Ange Postecoglou’s arrival at the helm – suggesting that the Hoops were keen on striking a deal for the 6 foot 2 sensation.

At the time, the Yokohama-born ace had just ended a two-and-a-half-year stint on loan at Dutch outfit, Groningen, having joined then-parent club Manchester City back in 2019 from J-League side Kawasaki Frontale.

As it proved, no move to Glasgow occurred as the 14-cap menace joined German giants Schalke on a loan deal, although there was again speculation regarding a potential swoop over the summer, with Sky Sports reporting that both Itakura – and fellow Etihad gem Taylor Harwood-Bellis – were on the radar of the Scottish Premiership side.

Again, Postecoglou and co were to be frustrated in their approach as the versatile ace – who can also operate in a defensive midfield berth – joined Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach on a £4.3m deal.

The £8.7m-rated gem – who was previously dubbed “one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie” by pundit Haans Kray during his time in the Netherlands – has since gone on to feature just six times this season in Germany, albeit with that impact having been inhibited due to injury.

Having shaken off that issue just in time to feature for his country in Qatar, Itakura went on to play a key role in the Asian nation’s remarkable comeback victory over 2014 champions Germany on Wednesday.

The Gladbach man offered a real rock-solid presence as his side helped to keep Hansi Flick’s men at bay, notably recording seven clearances and three tackles from his defensive berth, while also winning a solid three of his six ground duels.

The defender’s most notable contribution came in the closing stages to help his unfancied side clinch a shock result, having found teammate Takuma Asano with a lofted pass over the top to set the former Arsenal man on his way to scoring a memorable winner.

Unsurprisingly, that all-round performance saw Itakura record an impressive match rating of 7.2, as per SofaScore, while 90min’s Kyle Picknell wrote of his display that he was ‘composed on the ball and tenacious off it.’

Although Postecoglou’s side have only just strengthened their backline with the signing of Yuki Kobayashi, missing out on the 22-year-old’s compatriot will no doubt sting as far as the Bhoys are concerned.

Chelsea have entered pole position to sign Vasco de Gama midfielder Andrey Santos, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Boehly transfer planning…

Since taking over as the club’s new owner, American business tycoon Todd Boehly has been making waves in the transfer market.

Under Boehly’s watch, the Premier League giants spent £243m over the summer in a serious statement of intent to the rest of the English top flight.

However, things haven’t exactly gone smoothly since then, with managerial changes and a current league position of eighth, so it may be time to back Graham Potter in the January transfer window.

The Latest: Chelsea enter pole position for Santos…

As per Le10 Sport, it appears that Brazilian starlet Santos is now ‘close to committing’ for Chelsea and a move to Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old, who is also being targeted by Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain, is apparently ‘heading to the Blues’ after Potter’s side overtook the likes of PSG in the race to sign him.

It’s added that Chelsea appeared to be quickest in their dealing with the player and his club.

The Verdict: Promising claim…

Former Brazil star Juninho Pernambucano has already claimed that Santos will go on to be a much better player than he was – undoubtedly high praise from such an elite ex-pro who became legendary for his free kick prowess at Champions League level.

The teenager appears to be one of a plethora of South American stars making waves across the Atlantic, and Chelsea supporters will surely be hoping that their club have indeed won the race for Santos’ signature.

Newcastle United could well be set for a timely boost heading into the second half of the season, following an update on the fitness of striker, Alexander Isak.

What’s the word?

As per the Chronicle, the 23-year-old is currently stepping up his return from injury, with the Sweden international having been included as part of the Magpies’ travelling party for the warm weather training camp in Saudi Arabia.

The report suggests that manager Eddie Howe is hopeful of having the former Real Sociedad man ready for action when club action resumes at the end of the month, with the Englishman set to assess whether the 37-cap marksman will be able to feature against Al Hilal later this week.

The 6 foot 4 superstar has not featured since the draw with Bournemouth at St James’ Park back in mid-September due to a thigh injury, having joined the northeast side for a club-record fee of around £59m over the summer.

Boost Howe’s Champions League hopes

It is no doubt encouraging news to learn that the one-time Borussia Dortmund man could even be in contention to take to the field later this week, with it having been a real “nightmare” scenario – in the words of pundit Alan Hutton – for all parties in recent months.

While fellow striker Callum Wilson has held the fort impressively in his teammate’s absence, scoring six goals in just 11 Premier League outings, it will certainly be a real boost to provide further competition to the Englishman’s striking berth by bringing Isak back into the fold.

The latter man had initially made a strong start to life in his new surroundings prior to his stint on the treatment table, with the Solna-born ace scoring twice in his three top-flight outings to date, including on debut in the narrow defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

That clash on Merseyside showcased the youngster’s undoubted finishing prowess as he lashed on from the angle to initially put the visitors ahead, while also showing great composure to fire in after the break, albeit with that second effort subsequently ruled out for offside.

Having only seen flashes of that talent thus far, it will surely be a welcome boost as far as Howe and co are concerned to have their marquee addition fit and firing again, with that impending return likely to only bolster the Tynesiders’ hopes of securing Champions League football.

For all the talk of potential new acquisitions to strengthen the forward line – including the likes of Marcus Thuram and Mykhaylo Mudryk – the return of Isak could well prove to be like a cliched new signing.

Newcastle have already been thriving in his absence – losing just once so far this season – hence the excitement at the potential improvement that the Swede could make over the festive period and beyond.

Chelsea are an incredibly successful and efficient football club, boasting a prospering youth academy in Cobham training ground. 

One player who has been a hot prospect from west London for some time is the wily Callum Hudson-Odoi, who emerged onto the scene in 17/18 and became a fan favourite with his quick bursts of pace and direct approach to his clashes with opposing defenders.

Once the subject of heavy interest from German champions Bayern Munich in 2020, with the Blues rejecting a loan offer with the option for a future £70m fee, the player may have felt stung by the decision.

Hudson-Odoi is currently performing below expectations at Bayer Leverkusen, and Chelsea boss Graham Potter will surely be considering his options with the winger’s £100k-per-week contract set to expire in the summer of 2024.

With impressive form of any real consistency or regularity seeming to evade the 22-year-old, his parent club might now consider cashing in on their player at the culmination of his current loan spell, before losing him on a free transfer. 

As per Sofascore, Hudson-Odoi has only recorded a rating of 6.74 while plying his trade in the Bundesliga, yet to find the net and only registering one assist. 

And while he has exhibited crisp passing with an 89% average success rate, he has neglected his defensive duties – making 0.2 tackles, 0.2 interceptions, and 0.3 clearances per match – and has failed to demonstrate any clinical prowess.

His fortunes are not really bolstered by his statistical data either, with FBref stating that he only ranks inside the top 46% for progressive passes and 38% for dribbles completed this last year, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues. 

Quite simply, he will need to crank his performances up a gear if he is to win over Potter, and start combining an increase in goals and assists with more convincing performances across the park. 

And having scored just 16 goals and serving 22 assists across 126 appearances for the Blues, time may be running out with new owner Todd Boehly likely unimpressed, and possibly looking at replacements in the near future. 

There will undoubtedly be an overarching sense of disappointment emanating from the Chelsea ranks over the travails of Hudson-Odoi, who was supposed to have reached greater heights than he has at present. 

While the club could be hopeful that he will unearth a richer vein of form sooner rather than later, Potter will have a big – and ruthless – decision to make over the future of Hudson-Odoi, who is still rated at £21.4m.