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Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as their potential successor for Antonio Conte at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

What's the latest on Conte's future at Spurs?

The Italian finally got Spurs back to winning ways on the weekend with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at home which strengthened their hopes of Champions League football for next season.

However, serious question marks are still looming over the Italian's future in north London with a clear expectation for the 53-year-old to walk away at the end of the season.

And there have been reports suggesting there could be a reunion on the cards with Pochettino a potential candidate to replace Conte if he is to leave.

But speaking to NBC Sports, reliable journalist David Ornstein has played down this suggestion claiming those around the situation are not so convinced a return for Pochettino is likely to happen:

(2:20) "From those you speak to around the situation, they feel it's quite unlikely and that it's going to be an uphill task if he is going to be appointed."

Would Pochettino be a good fit for Tottenham?

The Argentine had a sensational spell in north London which saw him earn Spurs a consistent spot in the top four of the Premier League table.

Unfortunately for the 51-year-old, he was also unable to get Spurs over the line when it comes to the elusive search to end their trophy drought.

However, the Argentine did go a lot closer than what Conte has managed since he took charge with the Italian overseeing some embarrassing exits in the FA Cup as well as their Champions League misery last week.

Pochettino's Spurs were also a lot more exciting to watch than anything which has been on offer in N17 under the three managers since his departure in 2019.

But the big question is whether it is still too soon for Pochettino to return with some of the players who were playing for him at the end of his tenure still at the club.

Although there would be the upside of reuniting with the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, there may be some players which he may not be keen to return to managing.

Granted, there is the summer transfer window on the horizon which would allow him to potentially make some changes to match his plans.

But the prospect of working in Tottenham's current recruitment set-up which has a director of football in play may also prove an off-putting factor for the Argentine.

Tottenham Hotspur could be a suitor for Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke…

What’s been said about Spurs’ interest in Allan Saint-Maximin?

Spurs have long been mooted with interest in the Magpies sensation, with respected football.london reporter Alasdair Gold claiming last month that “[Fabio] Paratici is a big fan” of his.

The arrival of Anthony Gordon from Everton in January has also put the 25-year-old’s long-term future at St James’ Park in doubt, so the north Londoners could make a move if he were to become available.

Speaking to Football FanCast this week, O’Rourke said:

“If someone like Allan Saint-Maximin did become available in the market, I’m sure Spurs will look at him because he does have something different up front and in the final third.”

Would Saint-Maximin be a good signing for Spurs?

The French dynamo would certainly add some flair to Spurs’ current attack, which is already awash with talent. He’d likely be competing with the likes of Heung-min Son, Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski, perhaps even Arnaut Danjuma too.

In the past, his exploits have been lauded as “breathtaking” (Gary Neville) and as “unplayable” (Rob Lee) because of the way in which he’s able to torment the opposition when the ball is at his feet.

Last season, Saint-Maximin led the dribbling charts in the Premier League with an average of 4.3 per game, and despite a lack of game time this term, he still leads the way with 2.3 dribbles per game.

For context, few in Antonio Conte’s squad offer this sort of dynamism with Kulusevski leading the charge on 1.4 dribbles per outing.

The versatile frontman, who is currently valued at €24.4m (£20m) by FootballTransfers, is under contract in the northeast until the summer of 2026 so it remains to be seen how much he could cost Paratici and co.

Comparisons to former Spurs star David Ginola will only help his cause too.

As such, the Mapgies “wizard” – as once dubbed by journalist and transfer insider Graeme Bailey – could well be an intriguing signing for the north London outfit heading into the summer.

If his game time continues to wane, then he may indeed be available and Paratici could finally get his man.

AND in other news, Conte could bin £100k-p/w “liability” as Spurs plot summer swoop for “excellent” titan…

The 22nd December 2021 happened to be “the best day” in Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino’s life.

Why? Well, the now 19-year-old played for the Gunners senior team for the first time and in the process, rolled home his first goal during a League Cup clash with Sunderland.

It wasn’t quite a coming-of-age story just yet for Patino, but it was a fine glimpse at a player who Mick McCarthy recently suggested would be “very good” in the future.

There has been a great deal of hype surrounding the teenager since his emergence as a genuine star from Arsenal’s Hale End youth factory, with comparisons being made to the likes of Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas.

The youngster has some way to go before he reaches those dizzy heights but there is a feeling within Arsenal that he is now ready to explode at a higher level.

How is Patino doing this season?

This term has been a crucial one in the development of the eye-catching midfielder who was sent out on loan in search of earning precious first-team minutes.

With the pairing of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka seeming immovable, Patino was never going to earn a place under Mikel Arteta this term but thanks to his displays at Blackpool, he could become a genuine option at the Emirates Stadium.

The goal for the teen this term was to play around 15 matches, admitted new Tangerines boss, McCarthy. However, he has surpassed everyone’s expectations to feature 28 times in all competitions so far.

Along the way, he has found the net three times, including a strike against Premier League Southampton in the FA Cup, as well as supplying two assists.

There is a lot more to come from an offensive point of view in the coming years but it’s a promising start for someone who has taken to Championship football like a duck to water.

Dubbed a “special talent” by Phil Smith of the Sunderland Echo, it hasn’t all been plain sailing however, with the Blackpool loanee also being given a red card in the defeat to Swansea City last month.

That will serve as a learning curve and is precisely why Arteta didn’t deem him ready for a first-team spot at the beginning of the campaign.

Patino is a wonderfully gifted player from a technical point of view but as a young individual, there will be that inexperience and sometimes the occasional bout of ill-discipline.

At Bloomfield Road, it is down to the 6-foot talent to get that out of his system before truly bursting onto the scene next season.

Will Patino get a chance before Balogun?

All of the hype of late has been about another young Arsenal talent out on loan; Folarin Balogun.

The England U21 international has been one of the most talked about forwards in European football of late, with his 15 goals in 23 outings for Reims in Ligue 1, the joint-highest tally alongside Kylian Mbappe in the entire division.

A player of ruthless and clinical nature in front of goal, a spot for the American-born forward next season could be tricky.

With Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in front of him for a lone place leading the attack, a loan spell may well be forthcoming.

However, for Patino, there are two spots he could occupy in Arteta’s starting XI. Either as the sitting midfielder – Partey’s role – or as the more advanced number 8 – Xhaka’s role.

There has, of course, been talk of a move for Declan Rice, but even if the West Ham captain arrives in the summer, there is space for someone of Patino’s ilk to still make an impression.

After such an impressive time out on loan, it would be foolish to ignore him. He has all the qualities to explode in the top flight throughout 2023/24.

West Bromwich Albion enjoyed a relatively quiet January transfer window, but admittedly they were hardly in need of vast reinforcements.

Carlos Corberan had already inherited a relatively strong squad and managed to knit them together into a unit which will now have eyes on a return to the Premier League. Considering where the Baggies lay prior to Steve Bruce’s dismissal, this marks an outstanding turnaround.

There was no need for his Spanish successor to go wild in the transfer market, as it offers unpredictability alongside the potential to upset his finely-tuned machine, although he did supplement the squad with two new arrivals and nearly added a third on deadline day.

It was reported by the Evening Standard that Albion had agreed a deal with Chelsea starlet Omari Hutchinson to join until the end of the season, with the 19-year-old turning down offers from Europe and other Championship clubs in favour of a move to The Hawthorns.

However, according to The Athletic’s Elias Burke, it appeared that complications arose, which in turn led to Karlan Grant’s failed move to Swansea City. As such, both deals could not be completed in time, and the clubs missed out on their respective targets.

This arguably would have been the perfect move for West Brom to make given their current situation, bringing in a super-talented teenager to supplement the likes of John Swift, push them for a place in the team or even offer an instant upgrade to drive the team even closer to their objective of promotion.

The youngster has impressed this season for Chelsea’s youth setup and already boasts two senior appearances, having only moved from Arsenal last summer.

In 14 Premier League 2 appearances, he has notched five goals and a further seven assists. This is further supplemented by his three goal contributions in four EFL Trophy matches. 

His dynamism paired with a fine technical proficiency would have made him an ideal partner for Daryl Dike to play off of, with the American having only recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

He has notched two goals in his last three league games and will likely play a big role in their promotion push. His return adds pace and power, as well as the cutting edge that they had been lacking up front, and he would have surely thrived from the service of Hutchinson.

Graham Potter’s line about the teenager’s performance during a mid-season friendly further outlined exactly what Dike and West Brom will miss out on, with the Chelsea manager saying: “[Hutchinson] was really good, dangerous and asked a question all the time.”

That prying offensive nature could have been the additional spark to add even more goals to a solid West Brom outfit with the Championship’s fourth-best defensive record.

They should still finish in the play-offs without him, but he could have been the vital difference towards going even further and daring to dream of an automatic promotion spot.

Chelsea are planning on signing a new striker once the summer transfer window arrives, according to a claim from Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Chelsea’s attacking issues

The 2022/23 season has undoubtedly been a disappointing one at Stamford Bridge, with a top-four finish in the Premier League looking increasingly unlikely, with the Blues 10 points adrift of the Champions League positions.

There have been issues all over the pitch but Chelsea’s attack has been particularly disappointing, with only Kai Havertz (five) and Raheem Sterling (four) scoring more than three league goals all season.

While Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk have arrived in January, it could be that another significant attacking addition also comes in during 2023.

The Latest: New striker in this summer?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano claimed that the addition of a new centre-forward will be at the top of Graham Potter’s wish list in the summer.

The Italian stated:

“I think they will go for a striker. It’s their plan to go for a traditional striker and someone who can bring them goals, after a complicated summer of striker signings last year. So I think this summer Chelsea will move for a striker.”

The Verdict: Big-money addition needed

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is certainly spending plenty of money at the moment, with an outlay of more than £156m this month alone, and while some may feel that their expenditure is excessively frivolous, a new big-money striker is a must for them moving forward.

The Blues should be able to manage between now and the end of the season, with the likes of Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang potentially benefiting from Mudryk’s arrival after the latter enjoyed a 93% pass completion rate and won seven duels on his club debut against Liverpool on Saturday.

However, as a collective Chelsea’s attacking unit needs to look more cohesive, improving on the team’s meagre tally of 22 goals in 20 league matches so far this season.

Marcus Thuram is a striker who has been linked with move to west London and the 25-year-old could be an ideal target, having netted 10 times in 15 Bundesliga appearances for Borussia Monchengladbach in 2022/23.

Tottenham Hotspur will not look to bring in a new goalkeeper this month and will instead prioritise the position in the summer, according to Michael Bridge.

What’s the latest?

There have been reports suggesting that Spurs could look to bring in a new goalkeeper with the plan of replacing their veteran Frenchman, Hugo Lloris.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford has been named as a potential option in recent weeks with the England shot-stopper currently playing into the final 18 months of his contract at Goodison Park.

And another name to emerge as a potential option for Fabio Paratici is the Brentford goalkeeper David Raya who recently kept David de Gea out of the Spain squad for the Qatar World Cup.

But speaking on Sky Sports News on Monday night (09/01/23; 7.20pm), Bridge suggested this is an area which Spurs fans will have to wait until the summer to see addressed:

“Now, I’m told that’s one to look at in the summer. Hugo Lloris’ contract runs till 2024. They’ve got Fraser Forster as a No 2.”

Time catching up on Lloris

Now at the age of 36, there have been some instances this season where Lloris has cost the Lilywhites with the recent game against Aston Villa being a key example.

And when you consider no other player in the Premier League has made more errors leading to goals this season, it does seem as if the time for Lloris to move on is approaching.

On Monday evening, Lloris announced his retirement from international football after finishing second in the World Cup having lost the final to Argentina just last month.

But it seems as if Lloris is at least poised to keep his spot between the sticks at Spurs for the remainder of the campaign with Paratici set to tackle the goalkeeper spot in the summer.

Last year, Lloris put pen to paper on a new deal for a further two years in north London which will see his stay up until the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

However, what will be interesting to see is if Spurs bring in a new goalkeeper in the summer, whether Lloris sees out his contract or whether he is offloaded in the summer.

With the likes of Pickford and Raya already playing first-team football for their respective clubs, it would be difficult to imagine either of those wanting to come to Spurs to sit on the bench behind Lloris for the 2023/24 campaign.

Arsenal have reportedly had a £57m transfer bid for Mykhaylo Mudryk rejected by Shakhtar Donetsk. 

The Lowdown: Arsenal linked with Mudryk

The Premier League leaders have been linked with a move for the 21-year-old since last summer’s transfer window. Since then, the Ukrainian has gone on to score 10 goals and deliver eight assists in 18 games for Shakhtar across all competitions.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the Gunners have been dealt a setback to their hopes of securing a deal for the winger.

The Latest: Arsenal have Mudryk bid rejected

According to a report from the Daily Mail on Tuesday evening, Arsenal’s bid of £57m for Mudryk has been rejected by Shakhtar.

The report adds that the Ukrainian club are looking to get as much as £85m for the winger, who Kevin Campbell previously claimed would be a “devastating” player for Mikel Arteta’s side and who ‘has made clear his interest in joining the north London side’.

The Verdict: Disappointing for Arsenal

In addition to providing a goal contribution in almost every league game that he’s played this season, Mudryk has also showcased his attacking capabilities in the Champions League, with three goals and two assists to his name in six appearances in Europe.

Arsenal’s bid being rejected will come as a blow for the north London club, but with the January transfer window not officially open yet, they still have time to potentially negotiate with Shakhtar and come to a conclusion which would satisfy all parties.

However, considering the transfer fee that the Ukrainian club reportedly want for their star attacker, it’s safe to say that this could be a very expensive move for the Gunners to make, perhaps one which could see them get near or even break their transfer record.

Arsenal sporting director Edu will have to decide whether he thinks Mudryk is worth the fee that Shakhtar are demanding for him.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been handed a boost in his pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The Lowdown: Bellingham targeted

There are a whole host of Premier League clubs plotting a move for Bellingham, with Sky Sports recently indicating that Liverpool have made him their priority in the summer transfer window, while Man City have also stepped up their interest in the wake of his performances at the World Cup for England, according to Football Insider.

While Guardiola will no doubt have to fend off interest from elsewhere to secure the central-midfielder, a new development has came to light which indicates that his side may be ahead of another potential suitor in the race for his signature.

The Latest: Real Madrid’s interest

According to Spanish sources, via CaughtOffside, Real Madrid would be unwilling to spend the £130m price tag slapped on the 19-year-old, meaning City may have one less club to compete with to complete a deal for the sought-after youngster in 2023.

However, they would have to be willing to break their own British transfer record of £100m, which they spent on Jack Grealish in 2021.

The Verdict: He’s worth it

Recent performances at the World Cup have only underlined the talent of the England international, displaying the passing range that would be required in a Guardiola team with an extraordinary 96% accuracy against Iran, second to only current City player John Stones in terms of England starters.

Lauded as ‘one of the most gifted players’ fellow Man City man Phil Foden has ever seen, the starlet also showed another side to his game with his first England goal in the same match, sending a deft, looping header past the goalkeeper to get the Three Lions off the mark for the tournament.

During his time with Dortmund, the £49k-per-week earner has wowed fans at the Signal Iduna Park with other aspects of his game as well, registering 1.79 dribbles per 90 minutes over the past year, in the 95th percentile compared to players in the same position.

Given that Bellingham has all the hallmarks to be a top quality central-midfielder for at least a decade to come, he is worth the £130m price tag, and Guardiola should do everything he can to lure him to the club.

West Ham United are reportedly one of the clubs looking at Villarreal attacker Boulaye Dia for a potential transfer move. 

The Lowdown: Dia in World Cup action

With domestic football on hold while the World Cup takes place in Qatar, Dia found himself on the scoresheet as Senegal beat the host nation 3-1 on Friday.

He also earned himself a strong match rating of 7.3/10 from SofaScore, making him the highest-rated player on the day.

This then led to one journalist sharing some transfer details over the interest that the attacker has gathered from numerous Premier League clubs.

The Latest: West Ham keeping tabs on Dia

In a recent Twitter post, journalist Ben Jacobs had this to say about Dia and the clubs interested in him.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

He said: “Boulaye Dia scores Senegal’s first World Cup goal. He also has six goals in Serie A for Salernitana, where he’s on-loan from Villarreal. Salernitana have an option to buy for £10m. Leeds, Everton, West Ham and Leicester all keeping tabs on him, too.”

The Verdict: A good signing for West Ham

In addition to scoring six goals across the 14 Serie A games he’s played in this season, Dia has also racked up more shots on target (10) than any other player at Salernitana.

As well as that, only two other players at the club have made more key passes than the Senegal international (13).

This highlights how much of an exciting and capable attacking figure he is and why so many Premier League clubs have their eyes on him. Bearing in mind how only four clubs in the top flight have lower rates of shots on target per 90 minutes than West Ham (3.53) this season, it’s easy to see why they may want to sign the Villarreal loanee.Described as a “versatile” player by journalist Josh Bunting, Dia will undoubtedly be only focused on continuing his journey with Senegal in the World Cup rather than a potential transfer move.However, we feel that this would be a good signing for the Hammers and that they should do all they can to work out a deal for him in the near future.

Several pundits have criticised Antony’s showboating antics in Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Antony’s moment of showboating

The Red Devils cruised to victory at Old Trafford, with Cristiano Ronaldo among the goalscorers, but the match will be remembered for one specific moment.

Antony received the ball during the first half with nobody around him and produced a bizarre piece of skill, swivelling twice with the ball stuck to his feet.

He then attempted a pass which was overhit for a goal-kick, with his antics ultimately killing a potentially dangerous attack.

The Latest: Antony criticised

Speaking on commentary for BT Sport, Robbie Savage fumed at what he saw from the 22-year-old, saying “if I was a manager, I’d drag him off”:

Meanwhile, United legend Paul Scholes called it a ‘ridiculous’ moment, while BT commentator Ian Darke said it was ‘out of Strictly Come Dancing’, showing that they were similarly unimpressed.

The Verdict: Uncalled for

Producing entertaining moments as a footballer is all well and good, as long as it is done in the right moment and isn’t seen as either unsporting or pointless.

Antony’s behaviour against Sheriff fell into the latter category, with his attempted skill ultimately achieving nothing when he simply could have moved the ball quicker.

Erik ten Hag wasn’t exactly enamoured by that moment either, judging by his post-match comments, and it is something that the Brazilian should cut out of his game, unless it is going actually benefit the team in tight spaces and open up an opposition defence.