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Southampton are still showing an interest in S.C. Braga’s lethal frontman Vitinha.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke gave his verdict on the rumours linking the Portuguese forward with the Premier League.

The Saints have continued to be linked, alongside Brentford and Newcastle United, with the man that boasts a €30m (£26m) release clause; O’Rourke seems to think this would represent good value for money.

He said: “It’d be an impressive signing because I think there’s a lot of clubs looking at Vitinha.

“He’s had a really good start to the season with Braga, he’s got nine goals and five assists. Also scoring goals in the Europa League, so he’s scoring goals at a good level.”

Ditch Adams

Although he remains their top scorer for the season, Che Adams is hardly the answer to Nathan Jones’ big issue in front of goal.

He only has four goals so far, and yet has more than Mohamed Elyounoussi, Moussa Djenepo, Stuart Armstrong and Theo Walcott put together.

They are in desperate need of someone to replace the goals of Danny Ings, who scored 46 goals in 100 appearances on the south coast.

Meanwhile, his Scottish counterpart is yet to score over ten goals in a Premier League season, with his total in the competition since his 2019 move being just 24 in 110 games.

Then comes Vitinha, who this season alone boasts 14 goal contributions in just 18 games in the Liga Portugal and Europa League.

He seems poised to smash last season’s 14-goal tally in all competitions, and at just 22 years old, he improves with each passing season.

Journalist Zach Lowy has been particularly impressed with the striker, labelling him a “sharpshooter” who is “reaching elite levels” at his current club.

Perhaps a move to St Mary’s could see him continue this form, saving them from relegation and finally offering a valid counterpart to displace Adams.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were linked with signing former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey in January but his performances at the World Cup suggest that the Old Gold dodged a bullet.

It was suggested last season that Wolves were offered the chance to sign the Wales international on loan from Juventus after a torrid spell with the Old Lady in Turin.

There were high expectations for Ramsey with the Italian giants after such an impressive spell with the Gunners, where he contributed 65 goals and 65 assists in 371 appearances.

However, he would muster just six goals and as many assists in 70 appearances for the Serie A side, with injuries hampering his time at the Allianz Stadium.

Had he signed for Wolves on loan, it would have certainly opened the door for the 31-year-old to make a permanent move to Molineux in the summer, when he was available on a free transfer.

Instead, he would join OGC Nice in France, where he has continued to struggle, tallying just one goal and one assist in his first 11 appearances for his new club.

There was perhaps hope that the Welsh maestro would rediscover his best form for Rob Page’s side in Qatar, but in truth, he was one of the poorest performers in the squad as Wales crashed out in the group stages with just one point to their name, following disappointing defeats against Iran and England.

WhoScored ranked the midfielder as the worst-performing in Page’s squad of those to start every single game at the World Cup, and his 5.97 average rating suggests that he is a long way from the player who was starring in the Premier League just a few years ago.

Arsenal journalist Mark Mann-Bryans summed up how much difference a few years can make with his tweet about Bukayo Saka replacing the midfielder for the Gunners four years ahead of the Wales vs England clash on Tuesday, with the youngster now starring in Qatar, while Ramsey has been “rubbish.”

Although Wolves can’t claim to have too many players who are performing to their full potential so far this campaign, it seems clear that Ramsey wouldn’t have been a good signing for the Molineux outfit given how his form has drastically declined in recent years.

Manchester United are eyeing up Switzerland and Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer as a replacement for David De Gea, according to a new claim.

The Lowdown: Sommer shining at the World Cup

The 33-year-old is currently on international duty at the World Cup, playing his part in Switzerland progressing to the knockout rounds for the third finals in a row.

Sommer has started two of his country’s games in Qatar, keeping a clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Cameroon and only conceding late in the defeat by the same scoreline against Brazil.

The Swiss stopper has been at Monchengladbach since 2014 but it looks as though a move to the Premier League could be on the cards.

The Latest: Man United keen on Sommer

According to German outlet Bild, United are eyeing up a move for Sommer next summer, as he potentially comes in as De Gea’s replacement between the sticks.

He was linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier this year, and a transfer didn’t materialise then, the Red Devils’ interest doesn’t seem to have gone anyway.

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The Verdict: Is he the right man?

Hailed as a “role model” by his former boss Marco Rose, Sommer has enjoyed an excellent career, winning an impressive 79 caps for Switzerland and notably saving a penalty from Kylian Mbappe in his nation’s spot-kick triumph over France at Euro 2020.

However, there may be question marks over whether or not he would be a long-term solution at United.

He turns 34 later this month, meaning that he is a year older than De Gea, and Erik ten Hag could arguably do with bringing in a younger goalkeeper who can be the Red Devils’ first choice for many years.

Sommer could certainly do a good job in the short-term, proving to be much better on the ball than De Gea – he has a 92.9% pass completion rate at the World Cup, in contrast to the Spaniard’s 65.5% in the Premier League – but his very best days could arguably now be behind him.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is desperate to bring Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat to the club, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target midfielder

Conte already has an array of talent in central-midfield, with the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Yves Bissouma at his disposal, while Oliver Skipp will look to force his way in now he is fit and firing.

However, the manager has seemingly identified the need for another option in the engine room, perhaps to bolster his side’s bid for Champions League football with additional depth, and he now has his eye on an emerging star from the World Cup.

The Latest: Conte eyeing Amrabat

According to a report from CalcioMercato, Amrabat was specifically requested by Conte last summer but a deal did not transpire, and Spurs may now have to fend off interest from the likes of Liverpool and Marseille if they want to get their man.

The report claims Conte told Fabio Paratici: “No one passes him in the middle of the field.”

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It is also pointed out that Fiorentina are in a strong position when it comes to negotiations, as they are able to extend the 26-year-old’s contract until 2025 if they wish, meaning a bid exceeding £26m may be required to tempt them into a sale.

The Verdict: Make it happen

The Moroccan has been hailed as ‘brilliant’ for his performances at the World Cup by football writer Matt Spiro, and his dominant displays in the middle of the park have been a key reason for the African side’s unexpected run to the semi-final.

In the recent round of 16 clash against Spain, the enforcer exhibited one of his key attributes by making four tackles in the match, the joint-highest figure amassed by any player on the pitch, while also winning all seven of the ground duels he contested.

The 44-time international’s qualities don’t end there, however, as he also specialises in distributing the ball, as shown by an average pass completion rate of 90.4% per 90 minutes over the past year, a figure that puts him in the 96th percentile when compared to his peers.

As such, Amrabat is a multi-talented player with a range of different abilities to offer the Tottenham midfield, so even if Spurs have to pay upwards of £26m for his signature, he is worth it.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to being Wilfried Singo to the Premier League.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), who claim that the likes of Spurs, Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona are all keeping a close eye on the situation of the Torino right-back – with the outlet giving a particular warning for clubs to be ‘careful of Antonio Conte’ in the race for the 21-year-old.

Apparently heeding this advice, the report goes on to state that Torino are hoping to tie the defender down to a new contract at the Stadio Olimpico in order to receive the largest fee possible for the Ivory Coast international, with the Serie A side said to be well aware that Singo has ‘many admirers’ in the Premier League.

Conte’s dream

With Conte himself revealing that he prefers his wing-backs to be primarily attack-minded, coupled with just how impressive Singo has been for Torino going forwards, it is not difficult to understand why the 53-year-old would be interested in a deal to bring the 21-year-old to north London – either in January or the summer transfer window.

Indeed, over his 35 Serie A appearances last season, the £17m-rated talent was in sensational attacking form, scoring three goals, registering four assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.7 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles – at a success rate of 51% – per game.

The £4.2k-per-week full-back also impressed in a defensive capacity, making an average of 1.6 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 1.2 clearances and winning 5.6 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Matteo Bonetti dubbed a “revelation” average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.95, ranking him as the Granata’s eighth-best performer in the top flight of Italian football last time out.

Furthermore, according to FBref, the four-cap international also ranks in the top 11% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for shots per 90, as well as the top 21% for non-penalty goals, the top 15% for non-penalty xG, the top 13% for dribbles completed, the top 19% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 35% for assists – highlighting his attacking inclination.

As such, considering Singo’s forward-thinking mindset and the fact that the defender is still only 21 years of age, it is indeed easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal to bring the €30m (£26m) valued youngster to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as the full-back would appear to be something of a dream addition for the Italian manager at wing-back.

It’s safe to say that 2022 hasn’t been the most productive of years for Everton.

A year that started out with the miserable reign of Rafael Benitez coming to an end seems set to end in a similar fashion, and in a similar place in the table.

There were flashes of excitement, and the highs were sensational. However, that only made the lows even more crushing.

Frank Lampard’s arrival came at the epicentre of fan unrest, which remains even now despite a summer of vast recruitment. However, he did bring an initial spark that spurred the fans into action.

Often encased in a cloud of blue smoke, the Goodison faithful would then play a starring role in their survival bid as the Toffees were driven to some famous results.

It was a year of creating few heroes and many villains, but ultimately will be one that fans will want to forget.

But before you try to expunge it from your mind, why not test your memory on the rollercoaster that was Everton’s 2022 campaign? Only the best fans can get 100% on our Big Fat Everton Quiz of the Year. Give it a go below…

Celtic have made an offer for Busan IPark midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu, according to Sports Chosun.

The Lowdown: Early January business

The Hoops have made a head start on their winter window business by reaching agreements for two transfers.

Defenders Yuki Kobayashi and Alistair Johnston will officially be eligible to play for the club in the New Year after joining from Vissel Kobe and CF Montreal respectively.

A new forward also appears to be on the radar with links to Cho Gue-Sung, and it seems as if recruitment chief Mark Lawwell has made another move.

The Latest: Hyeok-kyu bid

Sports Chosun shared a transfer story in the last 24 hours regarding Hyeok-kyu and Celtic.

They revealed that the Hoops have ‘sent an offer’ to sign Hyeok-kyu and are ‘active enough to offer a fairly large transfer fee’.

The Verdict: One to watch…

Hyeok-kyu is primarily a holding midfielder but can also turn out in a more advanced role or out wide, according to Transfermarkt.

The 21-year-old has made 24 appearances for his current employers following a loan spell with Gimcheon Sangmu. He has been credited with having a ‘European physique’ and someone who has ‘high-level speed and excellent technique’.

Therefore, a move could be another shrewd one by Hoops officials and one that could be one to monitor heading into 2023.

Scottish champions Celtic are reportedly plotting a move to sign Rosenberg striker, Casper Tengstedt, as manager Ange Postecoglou seeks to bolster his attacking options in the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Mark Hendry, the 22-year-old is believed to be a player who the Parkhead giants are monitoring at present, albeit with the Old Firm outfit seemingly not alone in their admiration of the prolific Dane.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed:

“Celtic consider Casper Tengstedt transfer as Rosenborg striker on wishlist but Hoops face competition”.

In his attached piece for Football Scotland, Hendry claims that the Hoops have already held ‘initial conversations’ with the forward’s representatives, with a move potentially on the agenda amid the uncertainty surrounding Giorgos Giakoumakis’ future in Glasgow.

The report also adds, however, that Tengstedt – who is said to be attracting interest from clubs in Italy and Germany – could command a rather hefty price tag with his existing deal still set to run until 2026.

He’d be a ‘crazy signing’

As mentioned above, the recent interest in Giakoumakis’ services has heightened the need for a new centre-forward recruit in the New Year, with Postecoglou unlikely to want to be left with just Kyogo Furuhashi as his sole option for that striking berth in the second half of the campaign.

Even prior to the recent gossip regarding the Greek international’s future there had been talk that the Bhoys were seeking further firepower, with the Scottish Premiership outfit seemingly not keen to rest on their laurels despite opening up a sizeable, nine-point advantage at the top of the table.

Turning to Tengstedt as that striking solution could well represent an astute move as far as those at Paradise are concerned, with the impressive youngster having been in truly ruthless form in front of goal of late.

The Denmark U21 international has registered “crazy numbers” in 2022 thus far – in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig – having scored 15 goals and registered nine assists in just 14 games for his current side to date.

The £3m-rated machine – who made the move to Norway back in August – had previously fired in 20 goals and laid on ten assists in just 57 games at Danish outfit AC Horsens, taking his overall tally at senior level to 35 goals thus far.

Such “ridiculous” form – as described by Kulig – has unsurprisingly caught the attention of clubs across Europe in recent times, with it hard to ignore an asset who appears to be truly potent in front of goal.

The emerging starlet also provides the benefit of being able to feature on the flanks if required, ensuring his arrival may not necessarily lead to the aforementioned Kyogo dropping out of the side, with the pair potentially able to work in tandem in the attack.

While Postecoglou may well have to fork out a rather hefty fee in order to get a deal over the line, such a ‘crazy’ talent could well blossom were he to move to Scotland.

Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu is close to agreeing a pre-contract with Atletico Madrid, and could even move in January, Alex Crook has claimed.

What’s the word?

The centre-back has made just two appearances this season as he has fallen out of favour and struggled with injury, and looks set to depart after nearly five years at the club.

The Turkey international was sensational at times over the years for Leicester, making 125 appearances, but a fresh start is needed as he seeks to find his form again.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Crook claimed that the deal looks set to go through in the summer once his contract expires, but Atletico also want him now and could pay a fee to secure him this window.#

“Another transfer that I’ve been working on this morning, a bit of an odd one this actually, because he’s not even a starter in a fairly average Leicester side, but Soyuncu agreeing a pre-contract with Atletico Madrid.

“It looks like he’ll be off there in the summer. I think actually Atletico would like to sign him now but would need to pay for him.

“But that pre-contract, we understand, is now close to being signed for Soyuncu to go to Spain and link up with obviously one of the most defence-minded coaches in world football.”

Are Leicester making a mistake?

The 26-year-old is a rarely-seen figure in the team now, but Leicester have struggled defensively at times and Soyuncu at his best could make a huge impact on their performances.

Leicester have conceded 31 times in 18 matches this season and have persisted with a pairing of Wout Faes and Daniel Amartey.

Soyuncu arrived for around £19m, and they are now set to make a loss by his departure for free unless Atletico pay a fee now.

They would need to replace him, either with a first-choice defender or additional cover for their main defence, and with the club already potentially losing James Maddison and Youri Tielemans, this extra bit of necessary business could prove a headache.

Aston Villa have held talks with Juventus over a potential deal this month for the American midfielder Weston McKennie, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest?

There have been reports linking McKennie away from Turin for a number of months now with the Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur, credited with an interest for a while now.

And it is now believed there is an opportunity for the 24-year-old to leave the Serie A side this month with the Italian club currently in a real spot of bother off the field.

Speaking to CBS Sports, Romano has now claimed Unai Emery’s Villa are one of the sides to have recently discussed a potential deal for the American:

“Let’s see what happens with McKennie because they had some conversations with Aston Villa, with other English clubs. At the moment, Juventus have not received any official bids yet, but for McKennie, it’s a possibility to leave the club in January.”

The American dream

Although Romano claims there have been talks over a potential deal for McKennie, he does also say that there is yet to be any formal bids made.

In a recent report from the Daily Mail, it has been suggested that the midfielder could be able to leave Turin this month for a fee in the region of £26m-£30m.

And with the current Juventus regime believing McKennie is a player who is replaceable, it does seem as if there is a real opportunity to be had with some Premier League clubs showing an interest.

Despite Juventus reportedly being open to selling McKennie, the midfielder has played a fairly significant role in Massimiliano Allegri’s side this season with 14 appearances and 11 starts in Serie A.

However, in comparison to Villa’s Douglas Luiz, McKennie has provided fewer tackles, fewer shot-creating actions, fewer passes and fewer goal contributions so far this season (via Fbref).

So there would have to be the question of where would McKennie fit into this Villa side?

Emery set Villa out with two holding midfielders in their last game against Wolverhampton Wanderers with Boubacar Kamara partnering Luiz.

McKennie has marginally provided more of an attacking threat than Kamara this season, but again, the Villa man has offered more defensively with over three times as many tackles per 90 than McKennie (via Fbref).

Given Tottenham’s director of football, Fabio Paratici, is believed to want to reunite with the player this month, there is clearly something McKennie has that the stats do not necessarily show.

And during his time in Qatar for the winter World Cup, it was apparent the 24-year-old did impress with Jamie Carragher taking to Twitter to hail the American as “excellent”.