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Journalist Ryan Taylor has been left feeling ‘sorry’ for defender Japhet Tanganga after how Tottenham boss Antonio Conte’s treated him.

The Lowdown: Tanganga linked with exit…

Over the January transfer window, Spurs’ young centre-back was linked with a move away from N17 as a number of clubs took real interest.

Reports suggested that Tanganga was attracting ‘huge’ attention with as many as seven clubs identifying him as a target last month.

However, Conte opted not to let him go and instead kept hold of the Englishman – potentially to reinforce his squad numbers.

The Latest: Taylor makes Tanganga claim…

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Taylor has claimed that he feels sorry for the 23-year-old – mainly because Conte has ‘halted’ his progression.

He explained:

“Davinson Sanchez has never been good enough. Japhet Tanganga, I feel sorry for because he’s not had a run of games, his progression was really halted”.

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The Verdict: Right verdict?

Tanganga has displayed his sky-high potential on numerous occasions when given the chance, most notably in a stunning performance against Premier League champions Man City last season.

Indeed, the homegrown ace drew praise from Sky pundit Gary Neville for his one-v-one displays against the likes of Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling.

Neville branded Tanganga ‘really special’ after that performance under Nuno Espirito Santo with the former Spurs boss also calling him ‘huge’.

Since Conte’s appointment though, and especially this season, Tanganga hasn’t been able to grasp regular minutes – starting just two top flight matches this season.

It is a real shame to see him relegated to the sidelines considering he could’ve gone out on loan last month, but the player will be hoping he can work his way into Conte’s plans.

TalkSPORT’s Jim White has insisted that Declan Rice, who’s been labelled as perfect for Newcastle United, could cost the club around £120m.

The Lowdown: Rice would fit nicely

Rice was certainly the talk of Newcastle on Saturday night as he dominated the midfield and has earned specific praise from both Toon boss Eddie Howe and journalist Aaron Stokes after his impressive display, with the latter labelling Rice as an ‘absolutely perfect’ signing for the Magpies, who have been mentioned as a potential destination come the summer.

While Newcastle were indeed without Bruno Guimaraes, Rice stepped up and showed how good he is despite West Ham’s struggles this season, with the midfielder bossing the game with three interceptions, six progressive passes and registering the most carries into Newcastle’s final third (FBref).

Therefore it’s no surprise that a lot of people, including Stokes, have been speaking about how Rice would be perfect for Newcastle’s midfield as they look to take the next step in their development.

The Latest: Perhaps it’s a signing too far

It has been mooted that Rice wants to join a Champions League club, and while that could be Newcastle in the summer, it remains to be seen whether or not the Magpies would pay his mammoth price tag that White spoke about.

He said “It’s our understanding £120m plus add-ons will get him; £120m plus add-ons would secure you Declan Rice. We understand that Manchester United last summer bid £100m and didn’t get him.”

The Verdict: Perfect signing for Howe

It would be a tremendous signing if Newcastle could lure one of the top midfielders in the Premier League to Tyneside amid interest from the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea, but it does appear to be a pipeline dream as things stand.

While Newcastle are indeed enjoying a marvellous season in the Premier League sitting fourth with just 17 games left to play, they are far from a finished article and may fall off next season when they have to potentially cope with midweek European football.

Therefore, Rice making the switch to somewhere more used to winning silverware over the past few years and also, in London where he’s from, could well be more appealing but it does show how far the Magpies have come in a short period of time that some are even talking about them looking at Rice.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their attempts to add a winger to their squad during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

French outlet Le Petit Lillois has reported that the Black Cats are in talks to sign Lille forward Isaac Lihadji in the final week and a half of the month.

They Tweeted: “As announced by@Treize013and which we can confirm, Isaac Lihadji is in very advanced contact with Sunderland AFC (D2). The player even visited the facilities of the English club. The Hamburg club (D2) also approached the player, to no avail.”

The attacker is expected to secure a permanent transfer to the Stadium of Light if all goes to plan but it remains to be seen whether he will be a signing for the first team immediately or for the future.

Imagine him & Edouard Michut

Sunderland dipped into the French market last summer to sign Edouard Michut from Paris Saint-Germain and could now find an exciting partner for him in attack by landing Lihadji.

The current Black Cats midfielder has only started twice in the Championship this season but is a long-term asset for the club, at the age of 19, and showed promise in Ligue 1 last season by assisting one goal in five appearances for PSG.

Lihadji, meanwhile, racked up 13 appearances, starting twice, in Ligue 1 for Lille last season and chipped in with an eye-catching one goal and three assists – creating 13 chances in total – despite his limited involvement.

French reporter @treize013 spoke to the Roker Report to provide insight on the winger and said:

“He is fast and explosive. He enjoys taking defenders on in 1v1 situations. He is very comfortable at dribbling, and has good ball control. He also has a good quality through the centre. His strengths are speed, and decision-making with good technical quality.

“He can ignite the stadium, and can also become one of the darlings of Sunderland supporters if things go well.”

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig also once described the attacker as being “explosive” and this indicates, along with the creativity that he displayed in the French top-flight last term, that the gem could be an exciting player for the fans to watch.

The 20-year-old is a promising young talent, who has already shown flashes of his quality in a major European league, and could be the future of Sunderland’s attack alongside his fellow countryman Michut, 19.

Just imagine the pair developing alongside each other and eventually making themselves mainstays in the Black Cats team in the Championship, or even in the Premier League, for years to come…

Kevin Hatchard has revealedKevin Hatchard has revealed the latest update he’s received on the future of Chelsea target Marcus Thuram.

The Lowdown: New attackers a priority

After a dreadful run of results for Graham Potter, which has included back-to-back defeats to nil against Manchester City, it appears obvious that new attacking reinforcements are required.

The Blues have reportedly entered advanced talks over a move for Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, though it seems their spending may not stop there.

Chelsea are also being linked with exciting players such as Thuram and Mykhailo Mudryk, showing Todd Boehly isn’t going to be taking it easy, and, much like over the summer, will look to flex his financial muscles once again.

Thuram wouldn’t actually set Chelsea back too much given he’s out of contract in the summer, which could appeal to the Blues – especially if they could beat Manchester United to his signature.

The Latest: Thuram being considered

Hatchard has admitted live on Kevin Hatchard has revealedSky Sports that he received an update on Monday morning regarding Chelsea’s genuine interest in the France international.

He said: “I had a text this morning from a journalist friend of mine who says Chelsea are definitely interested, they would like to do that deal in this month.”

The Verdict: Smart business could help out Potter

On paper, signing Thruam ticks multiple boxes for Chelsea as he’s in a rich vein of form this season with 13 strikes across all competitions, is a versatile forward who can play across the frontline and would reportedly only cost £8.5m.

Therefore, instead of splashing out silly money on inflated price tags, Boehly should box smart and bring in an exciting talent who is available for a cut price fee and would be able to help Potter immediately.

But it’s not just Chelsea that can see Thuram’s ability, with clubs such as Man United and Newcastle United being linked with the forward, who was labelled ‘world-class’ only a few months ago.

QPR’s failure to tie down Bright Osayi-Samuel to a new contract at Loftus Road could be set to cost the Hoops a significant sum in the future, as his transfer valuation is skyrocketing at Fenerbahce.

The Nigerian winger joined the R’s from Blackpool in 2017 and went on to make 115 appearances for the west London outfit, contributing 13 goals and 13 assists in that time.

Osayi-Samuel enjoyed a superb 2019/20 campaign which saw him contribute five goals and nine assists in the Championship for Mark Warburton’s side, so it was no surprise to see him linked with a move away from Loftus Road the following season.

The pacey winger produced a memorable display in a 6-1 win over Cardiff City in January 2020, scoring twice, which led Warburton to sing his praises following the game.

He said of Osayi-Samuel: “He’s been very good in spells in games but today he was consistent from the first whistle to the 75th minute. I’m not sure many teams have that blistering pace. As long as he knows how to use it and that’s the key for him learning the game.

“He’s working so hard. He’s got that sheer pace which terrifies defenders and when he uses it wisely like he did today he looks a real handful. Today he was outstanding and deserved the applause.”

However, a contract dispute with QPR the following season saw Fenerbahce reach a pre-contract agreement with the young attacker, before a decision was reached with the Turkish giants to sign him early, paying a minuscule fee for a player who appeared to have a lot of potential with the Hoops.

He is certainly starting to fulfil that potential with the Super Lig club, as his market valuation has now rocketed to around €11.1m (£9.6m), with Napoli amongst the suitors reportedly interested in signing him.

Osayi-Samuel has begun to feature as a right-back with the Yellow Canaries and appears to have found a new lease of life in that position, after managing just three goals and six assists during his time at the Istanbul club.

If he were to sign for Napoli, who are going strong in Serie A and the Champions League this season, it would really hammer home QPR’s folly in letting him leave for next to nothing in 2021.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reportedly wants to sign Sevilla left-back Marcos Acuna.

The Lowdown: Acuna profiled

The 31-year-old has been with his current club since 2020, making 92 appearances for the La Liga side. The Argentine is currently at the World Cup in Qatar, featuring in all three group games to help his country into the last 16.

He is primarily a left-back but is capable of lining out in a number of different positions, featuring in seven different areas of the pitch during his career.

The Latest: Emery interest

A transfer update has emerged over the last 48 hours regarding Acuna, in which Aston Villa were named.

One Spanish outlet said that ‘Emery has been captivated by the Argentine and wants him to be his new winter reinforcement’, with the Spaniard also eyeing a new winger to come in at Villa Park.

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The Verdict: Needed?

Emery seems to be a big fan of Acuna, although he currently has three left-backs on the books at Villa in Ashley Young, Lucas Digne and Ludwig Augustinsson.

The latter of those is on loan from Sevilla, so the manager may see Acuna as a shrewd prospective addition to possibly replace Augustinsson and provide competition to Digne and Young.

Acuna would also offer an option further forward and in midfield, so he could prove to be a smart prospective addition in the Midlands for the right price.

Leicester City are now monitoring Fenerbahce defender Attila Szalai, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Szalai profiled

The Hungarian only arrived in the Super Lig last January but has quickly established himself as a rock at the heart of Jorge Jesus’ backline.

Despite still having three years remaining on his contract, his impressive performances appear to have caught the eye of a trio of English clubs, and the Foxes have been name-checked as one of those who are keen on bringing him to the Premier League.

The Latest: Leicester eyeing Szalai

According to Turkiye Gazetesi (via Sport Witness), Leicester, alongside Newcastle United and West Ham, are all ‘following’ Szalai ahead of a potential move in 2023.

The threesome are said to be ‘closely monitoring’ the 6 foot 3 centre-back who has the top flight ‘in his heart’.

Fenerbahce are aware that they will ‘not be able to keep him’ for long because his ‘desire is to leave’ at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Szalai has been dubbed an ‘exemplary’ player by İstanbul Başakşehir manager Emre Belözoğlu and he is someone who can impact the game at both ends of the pitch, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

The Budapest native has registered eight goal contributions during his time in Turkey and currently averages 5.3 long balls, 2.2 successful aerial duels and 1.8 clearances per league game (WhoScored).

Leicester have already conceded 25 goals this season so could do with signing someone to tighten things up at the back, and Szalai would be the ideal man for the job.

Tottenham Hotspur secured yet another comeback victory on Saturday afternoon, with Antonio Conte’s side coming from behind three times against Leeds United to seal a 4-3 win in north London.

Indeed, goals from Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo saw the visitors take a 2-1 lead into half-time, with Harry Kane scoring Spurs’ solo goal in the first 45 minutes, before a late Rodrigo Bentancur brace sealed all three points for the hosts after Ben Davies had pulled Tottenham level and Rodrigo had subsequently restored the Whites’ advantage with just 14 minutes left to play.

However, while Conte will undoubtedly be delighted with his side’s grit and determination to grind out a result, there were still a number of worrying individual performances on display at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier both failing to impress in their final club game prior to the start of the Qatar World Cup later this month.

Having said that, while the Frenchman and Englishman were both disappointing on Saturday afternoon, it was yet again the display of right wing-back Emerson Royal that will be the biggest cause for concern for the 53-year-old manager, as the Brazilian turned in another abject display against Jesse Marsch’s energetic Leeds side.

Indeed, over the course of his 49 minutes on the pitch, the £35m-rated full-back offered his side extremely little going forwards, completing just 25 of his 34 attempted passes – a success rate of a mere 74% – failing to find his man with either of his two attempted crosses and losing possession of the ball on 11 separate occasions.

The £40k-per-week talent also missed a glorious chance to get himself on the scoresheet, inexplicably firing Ben Davies’ cut-back miles over the Leeds bar when it appeared easier to hit the back of the net.

Emerson was not much better in metrics more typical of his position, blocking one shot, making one interception and one tackle during his time on the pitch, before being hauled off early in the second half – with his withdrawal met by a chorus of cheers from Spurs supporters, something that Tim Spiers described as “horrible to watch”.

Indeed, Alasdair Gold awarded the right-back a disappointing five in his own player ratings, while Hunter Godson questioned how bad the 23-year-old has to be in order for Conte to drop him, with the journalist stating in a post on Twitter: “Can someone explain why Emerson is undroppable? Is it that his positional play is pretty good? Genuinely wondering.”

And, with recent reports suggesting that Tottenham would be open to parting with the Brazil international in the January transfer window, considering the fact that Spurs will play just one Premier League game between now and the opening of the winter market, this may well be the final time the Lilywhites faithful see Emerson in action for their club.

However, judging by their reaction to his substitution on Sunday, the potential sale of the defender would not appear to be something that many Tottenham fans will have sleepless nights about.

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan is set to be available to face Morecambe in the FA Cup on Friday night, according to journalist Dom Howson.

The Lowdown: Injury concern

The Owls secured an emphatic 4-2 victory over Burton Albion in League One last weekend, but there were concerns surrounding the captain’s fitness when he was removed from the pitch after 66 minutes.

Despite sustaining an earlier knock at the end of the first half, an update has emerged regarding the 32-year-old’s situation, and it’s a positive one for the Hillsborough faithful.

The Latest: Bannan injury boost

Taking to Twitter, Howson revealed that Bannan was simply substituted as a precautionary measure at the weekend and insisted that the 32-year-old will be fit to take on Derek Adams’ side later this week.

Asked by a Wednesday supporter for any further news on the Scotland international’s fitness, the journalist responded: “Was just a precaution. Will be fine for Morecambe.”

The Verdict: Good news for Moore

Wednesday having Bannan back at their disposal will be a massive lift for Darren Moore, given the impact that the player has at Hillsborough.

The Scots has a remarkable nine goal contributions to his name this season and is averaging 3.8 key passes and 1.8 shots per 90 minutes (WhoScored).

He tops the Owls’ squad for the former metric, while he is by far their highest-rated player according to WhoScored, highlighting how crucial a presence he is in the middle of the park.

Being able to play in every position across the midfield also offers the Owls boss plenty of versatility, and Bannan’s availability for the cup clash against the Shrimps will be most welcome.

When Matty Longstaff scored on his Newcastle United debut against Manchester United, it seemed as if the Magpies had a potential superstar on their hands.

Sadly, since then, the young midfielder has done little to suggest that he will ever make it as a Premier League player, and Eddie Howe should look to get rid of the 22-year-old at the earliest opportunity.

The younger brother of Sean, made his first team debut as a 19-year-old and scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win, adding another goal in a 4-1 defeat against the same opposition later in the season.

Longstaff’s only other goal for the club came in a FA Cup replay against Rochdale in the 2019/20 season, with the youngster unfortunately never kicking on from that eye-catching campaign.

The midfielder was sent on loan to Aberdeen for the first half of the 2021/22 season after struggling for regular game time in the 2021/22 campaign, with links to Udinese perhaps disrupting the youngster’s focus.

During his time in Scotland, he would manage just five appearances, in which he failed to score or assist, with his chances of making it in Newcastle’s first team quickly diminishing.

There were eyebrows raised when Longstaff joined Mansfield Town in League Two for the second half of last season but his performances there indicated that he could still have a promising future, as he contributed an impressive six goals and two assists in 18 appearances.

However, it became clear that he wasn’t part of Howe’s plans for this season and inexplicably, he was sent back on loan to League Two, this time with Colchester United.

After scoring six goals in a side challenging for promotion, it seems baffling that he was allowed to join Colchester, who look likely to be involved in a relegation battle this season, as surely a League One loan or return to Mansfield would have been far more beneficial.

The fact that he has made just six appearances for Colchester this season and has failed to score or assist, suggests that Longstaff simply does not have a future in Newcastle’s first team, and Howe must bite the bullet and get rid of him at the earliest opportunity.