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Arsenal are yet to sign anyone in the January transfer window, but that could soon change…

What’s the word?

According to reliable Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, those around the Emirates Stadium should expect something to happen before Monday night’s deadline.

“Expecting movement at Arsenal in coming days,” he tweeted following Calum Chambers’ exit to Aston Villa on Thursday.

Worryingly thin

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has been left hugely light on options heading into the second half of the season as the English defender’s departure was their fifth of the window so far.

The north London outfit saw a game postponed earlier this month due to the lack of players available, yet they continue to let the bulk of their backups leave the club.

Players like Chambers, Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles aren’t going to set the starting XI alight but one or two injuries would’ve seen them required and they would’ve certainly done a solid job.

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s attempts to bring in new additions has been frustrating as they continue to miss out on targets. For instance, the club were prepared to splash out on the highly-coveted Dusan Vlahovic but he has instead opted to join Serie A giants Juventus.

It also appears as if another target in Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak isn’t keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium either, as per transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Gunners are running out of time to bolster Arteta’s playing squad and a new striker has to be among the priorities given the uncertainty surrounding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah.

However, Taylor’s latest claim should provide worried Arsenal supporters with some encouragement heading into Monday night. They have left it late but the belief that there should be some business completed is certainly exciting to hear.

AND in other news, Arsenal eye “phenomenal” £25m dynamo with “quick feet”, he’s shades of Thierry Henry…

2021 has been a frustrating year for Sunderland as they ended another League One campaign without promotion back to the second tier.

Lee Johnson’s side were unable to fight their way back to the Championship and are currently battling through the 2021/22 season in hope of finally achieving their goal.

They currently sit third in the table after 22 games and have put themselves in an excellent position as 2021 comes to a close. Johnson’s men were also able to make it to the quarter-finals of the League Cup in 2021, losing 5-1 to Premier League side Arsenal recently as they failed to make it to the last four.

It remains to be seen what 2022 will bring for the club and its supporters, but we do know what has happened in 2021 so far.

So, take our massive, bumper, Sunderland quiz of 2021 and see if you can get 100% – only true Black Cats fans will get all of them right!

An update has has emerged on Sunderland and their interest in Hamilton centre-back Jamie Hamilton…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Black Cats are one of a number of teams looking to sign the defender as his contract with the Scottish sides runs out in the summer.

The report claims that Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Celtic, Aberdeen and Newcastle are among the other sides keen on a pre-contract agreement this month.

Masterclass

Lee Johnson could seal a masterclass by swooping to land Hamilton on a pre-contract deal as it could end up being a bargain for the Black Cats. They would only need to worry about a tribunal fee, rather than negotiating a transfer with the Scottish side, and this means that they could end up paying a nominal price for a player with vast potential.

Sunderland are on course to achieve promotion from League One and return to the Championship and Hamilton could arrive in time to bolster their squad for a crack at the second tier in England. The defender has shown promise in Scotland and he could be a player Johnson works with over time and looks to develop by offering him first-team chances at the Stadium of Light.

He played 27 times in the Scottish Premiership last season between the ages of 18 and 19, winning 59% of his duels and making 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game.

Hamilton boss Brian Rice previously lauded the defender’s improvement, saying: “I think you saw in young Jamie Hamilton today. Absolutely outstanding for an 18-year-old, absolutely fantastic. He needs the help of the experienced lads. It’s trying to get the blend right. I think we are nearly there.

“Jamie has certainly improved with Aaron Martin alongside him, Lee Hodson, talking to him.”This highlights his potential and why this could be a masterclass of a deal from Johnson, as the teenager has plenty of room left to improve and grow as a player. He has already shown that he can hold his own in the top division in Scotland despite his age and this suggests that he could make an impact at Sunderland in the short term, whilst also being an investment for the future.It is now own to the Black Cats boss to convince the Wdefender that a move to the League One outfit will be more beneficial to him than joining another club where he may not get as much game time.

AND in other news, Johnson must land SAFC deal for “sensational” £450k-rated beast, he’s “some finisher”…

Many West Ham United fans were critical of the “non-existent” Said Benrahma during their Premier League clash with Burnley on Sunday afternoon. 

The Irons were looking to move three points clear of Manchester United in the race for the top four by following up their 3-2 victory over Chelsea with another win today.

David Moyes made two changes from the side which beat the title-chasing Blues, with two injured players dropping out. Ben Johnson gave way to Arthur Masuaku, scorer of the winning goal last weekend, and Kurt Zouma was replaced by Benrahma as Moyes moved away from a 3-4-2-1 and to a 4-2-3-1.

The Algerian had started every league game in 2021/22 before being benched against Chelsea after a four game run without a goal or assist (via Transfermarkt).

The numbers behind Benrahma’s struggles

Benrahma’s SofaScore rating of 6.3/10 was among the lowest in the West Ham ranks. He lost four of his seven duels, completed only one of his four dribbles and was also guilty of missing a ‘big chance’.

Indeed, Sky Sports’ live commentary on the match pointed out how he got into some fantastic positions in the final third against the Clarets but let himself down with some wayward finishing before being substituted for Nikola Vlasic in the 70th minute with the teams still tied at 0-0.

These West Ham fans rip into Benrahma

“Benrahma has been so poor yet again”

Credit: @TheHammers_

“Antonio and Benrahma are embarrassing themselves tonight”

Credit: @_danieluker

“Benrahma has been pants recently, doesn’t seem to want to beat anyone”

Credit: @danwestham1

“Benrahma makes me sick”

Credit: @poshboyh

“Benrahma loves to take an extra 16 touches before trying to play a pass”

Credit: @DanJames9121

“Benrahma been non-existent”

Credit: @Irons_Stuff

In other news, West Ham are willing to meet the asking price for this transfer target

As per Italian news outlet Leggo, another update has come to light involving Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus attacker Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyeing Kulusevski…

Numerous reports from the media have indicated that the Sweden international is firmly on Spurs and transfer chief Fabio Paratici’s radar heading into the transfer window.

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According to TUTTOmercatoWEB, for instance, both Paratici and manager Antonio Conte are firm admirers of the player as they add Kulusevski to the target list – with both Spurs chiefs believing he is a ‘gem’.

Elsewhere, reporter Daniele Longo recently claimed that Tottenham contacts were in progress over a January move as he dropped a teasing Twitter hint.

Now, as per Leggo, Spurs haven’t given up their chase.

The Latest: Spurs and Arsenal race…

According to their information, both Spurs and arch north London rivals Arsenal are in a race to sign the 21-year-old with the duo most eager to sign Kulusevski over everyone else.

This comes as Juve green light a sale in January with the winger ‘on the market’ – potentially boosting Spurs with the Old Lady willing to entertain offers.

The Verdict: Get it done?

While primarily out wide, the versatile attacker can be deployed as an ‘advanced playmaker’, making this move worthwhile given Tottenham arguably still haven’t found their ideal heir to Christian Eriksen.

When comparing Kulusevski’s best season with the Dane’s, the former averaged an impressive 2.2 key passes and 2.1 completed dribbles per 90 in the final third for ex-club Parma over 2019/2020 (WhoScored).

Similar to Eriksen’s numbers during his time at Tottenham (WhoScored), this could be an indicator that Kulusevski may come as a likely successor for the Spurs favourite.

If he can revive his form at Tottenham, Conte may well have a €35 million (£29.7m) diamond on his hands, especially considering Portugal footballing stalwart Bruno Alves called him ‘incredible’.

In other news: Levy now open to another big name exit as Conte tells Spurs to sell ‘magnificent’ star, find out more here.

Following their successful start to an extensive rebuilding job, Crystal Palace aren’t expected to spend big money in the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Sky Sports journalist Michel Bridge, who believes the Eagles’ chairman Steve Parish will be satisfied with the work he conducted over the summer.

The likes of Odsonne Edouard, Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher have made huge impressions at Selhurst Park in the opening weeks of the current campaign, and Bridge is adamant that Patrick Vieira’s winter budget will be restricted as a result.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Knowing Steve Parish like I do, I don’t think he will go all out in January when things have gone well.

“It’s usually when they’re a bit worried and looking behind them that they would spend, but I don’t think they’re looking behind at the moment. They’re looking at what’s in front of them in a positive sense.”

Crystal Palace fans will be gutted

Despite the extremely positive start made by Vieira’s charges, a large section of the capital club’s supporters will be gutted that further acquisitions won’t be made over the coming months.

The south London outfit are currently on a six-game unbeaten run and have masterminded famous victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City to provide a new wave of hope and optimism following four years of pragmatism under Roy Hodgson.

However, with the likes of Joel Ward, James McArthur, Jordan Ayew, Christian Benteke and Cheikhou Kouyate all in their 30s and approaching the twilight zone of their careers, the squad overhaul is far from complete.

Further investment will be needed by Parish in due course, but that appears unlikely to come in the January window, with Palace fans being forced to wait until the summer to see any more fresh faces.

And, in other news…”At the moment..” – Journo delivers big CPFC update that should leave fans worried 

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action in Sunday’s late kick-off as they welcome Leeds United to north London for Antonio Conte’s first home game in charge of the club.

And the 52-year-old Italian has plenty to ponder after his first two matches in the dugout saw his Spurs side narrowly defeat Vitesse 3-2 in the Europa Conference League before making his top-flight bow with a 0-0 draw at Everton before the international break.

A lot of Spurs’ major problems still linger but that should be expected having only been appointed a week before his key stars competed on the biggest stage.

For instance, the Lilywhites have failed to score a Premier League goal in around five hours of playing time, the last being Heung-min Son’s winner at Newcastle United, whilst their last shot on target came nearly four hours ago.

Similarly, the north Londoners rank second-bottom for shots per game (10.1), meaning only the division’s basement boys, Norwich City (10), have managed fewer. Meanwhile, they are also the second-worst team for expected goals, managing an xG of just 11.43.

It’s clear, on the evidence above, that Conte has a massive problem with creativity in the final third, and scoring goals. Perhaps his initial system at the club – a 3-4-3 of sorts – isn’t helping.

Recently, it has been mooted by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold that the former Chelsea boss could tinker with his system to deploy an attacking no.10, rather than two inside forwards behind Harry Kane.

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You could argue that the lack of a creative middle man is exactly what is holding them back right now, so wingers – on top of wing-backs – isn’t necessary.

That could well be a solid solution to the problem but it means someone has to unfortunately make way, and that won’t be Son. We could well see Lucas Moura most at risk, despite his performances for the club this season.

Indeed, only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (7.15) has managed a better average WhoScored rating this campaign than the £18m-rated Brazilian winger (7.04) but given the change in system, he simply cannot be accommodated.

However, what makes this even better for the Italian head coach is the subsequent use of the 29-year-old dynamo from the bench.

His pace and tenacity could cause all sorts of problems when the opposition is looking a little leggy, and with Marcelo Bielsa demanding relentless work rate throughout, Moura could feast as a substitute late in the second half today.

Spurs teammate Eric Dier once dubbed him a “nightmare” to train against, so that only bolsters such claims.

Conte needs a man in the middle to pull the strings and that can’t be Moura, so he should be be the unlucky casualty from the starting XI. Instead, the 52-year-old ought to turn to Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli.

It’s bold and brutal but it could be the solution Spurs need.

AND in other news, Spurs could find new Christian Eriksen after big January transfer boost…

Out of sorts, out of the team and still out of England reckoning. Dele Alli could be feeling a sense of deja vu at Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Had Jose Mourinho remained in charge in north London, then there was always going to be a chance that the 25-year-old had moved onto pastures new but after the Portuguese’s sacking, he was given a new lease of life under new manager Nuno Santo.

And after starting their opening six league games, it certainly looked as if the England midfielder was going to be an influential figure under the 47-year-old.

However, he was a half-time casualty during their embarrassing defeat to arch-rivals Arsenal in the north London derby several weeks ago and has not featured since.

In his absence, Spurs have won back-to-back matches, ending a run of three straight heavy defeats with him in the side.

The £27m-rated star was restricted to only 1,355 minutes across all competitions last season, in which just 617 were in the Premier League as Mourinho did not favour him whatsoever – hardly a surprise after dubbing him “lazy” in more colourful terms during training, as seen in their ‘All or Nothing’ docuseries.

Football Insider even reported in September that Spurs were considering selling him, with sources claiming that he is ‘difficult to manage behind the scenes’ and is an ‘inconsistent trainer.’

Alli was a player known for bringing goals and creativity from midfield and at just 25, he should be continuing to elevate his game heading into the peak years of his career.

Back in 2016/17, the 6 foot 2 dynamo provided 18 goals and seven assists in one Premier League season alone. By comparison, he has delivered only nine goals and five assists since the start of the 2019/20 season, as per WhoScored.

His old form earned serious comparisons to the likes of Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard but after clinching 37 caps, he has not been called up by Gareth Southgate in over two years – his last appearance coming in the UEFA Nations League third-placed playoff in June 2019.

Lilywhites legend Darren Anderton described Alli as a “freak of a talent” who is “a real joy to watch” after that lucrative goalscoring campaign, yet we’ve not seen such returns in a long, long time.

Nuno’s recent decision to axe him from his regular starting XI must be a major cause for concern for Alli, even more so as the side appear to be winning without him and Tanguy Ndombele’s recent form certainly makes his chances of breaking back in even more difficult.

Heading into the winter transfer window and beyond, the 25-year-old star may well be fighting for his future in N17.

AND in other news, Paratici could land Nuno’s next Neves in Spurs swoop for £18.9m-rated “special player”…

Premier League, watch out.

Harry Kane could be about to return to form at Tottenham Hotspur after an intriguing claim emerged following the appointment of Antonio Conte as manager.

What’s the word?

According to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, the England international is “really excited” about the prospect of working with the Italian boss after he replaced Nuno Santo in the Spurs dugout.

“Not the most startling news you’ll ever hear but I understand Harry Kane, among others in the Spurs squad, is really excited about working with Antonio Conte and is impressed with the ambition of the appointment and what the future holds,” he tweeted.

A return to form?

It’s no wonder the 28-year-old striker is keen to work with Conte given his illustrious coaching career. He has secured no fewer than nine major trophies, including a Premier League title and an FA Cup with Chelsea.

His latest triumph was just last season as he delivered Inter Milan their first Serie A triumph in over a decade.

So if it’s silverware that the Hotspur Way graduate desires so much, there’s a good chance the club break their 13-year duck with a proven winner at the helm.

Kane has looked like a dejected figure for much of the season, after a move to Manchester City failed to materialise, and that has correlated into some pretty dire performances on the pitch.

Indeed, the Englishman has found the net just once in eight league starts, with the Lilywhites ranking amongst some clear relegation candidates for key attacking metrics.

Spurs are tied-last alongside winless Norwich City for average number of shots per game (10.3), as per WhoScored, and they also rank fourth from bottom for expected goals (10.63 xG), via Understat.

Conte managed to get a tune out of Manchester United flop Romelu Lukaku during his time at the San Siro as the Belgian colossus bagged 64 goals in 95 appearances under the 52-year-old, so Kane should be thrilled about his chances of returning to form.

If much of Spurs’ success boils down to the Englishman’s form, then the Lilywhites faithful should be absolutely buzzing by this claim from Gold as a happy Kane will surely see him return to the goalscoring machine we’ve seen for several years.

AND in other news, Paratici could transform Conte’s Spurs by signing “special” £63m-rated “absolute gem”…

Celtic midfielder James McCarthy is ‘available’ for selection for Ange Postecoglou against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday evening, Alison Conroy reports.

The Lowdown: McCarthy’s knock

The Irishman has worked his way into Postecoglou’s plans and has started the last three games in all competitions.

However, McCarthy, who was described as ‘quite incredible’ by his then-Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson last year, was forced off with a knock on Sunday in the 1-1 draw against Dundee United.

The 30-year-old seems to have recovered, though, providing Postecoglou with an injury boost ahead of the Europa League Group G clash tonight.

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The Latest: Conroy’s tweet

Reliable reporter Conroy took to Twitter on Wednesday to share comments from Postecoglou on injuries.

The Hoops manager admitted that right-back Josip Juranovic is set to be sidelined for a few weeks and provided updates on Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor.

Conroy’s post ended with four words on McCarthy, who is ready to go against the Bundesliga side:

“Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou says Josip Juranovic will be out for “a couple of weeks” with a hamstring injury. McGregor & Kyogo trained today but won’t be available for tomorrow’s game v Leverkusen. James McCarthy is available.”

The Verdict: Good news

Captain McGregor has missed the last four Celtic games and it seems as if he won’t be ready from the off again, so having McCarthy available in midfield is good news.

He has plenty of experience at the top level with 42 caps for the Republic of Ireland and 272 Premier League appearances, and although he has reportedly struggled in training, he appears to be growing on Postecoglou, who has trusted him with a start in Celtic’s last three matches.

Hopefully McCarthy will impress at Parkhead, which could then give Postecoglou another selection headache when McGregor is 100%, but this time a positive one for the manager.

In other news: Celtic outcast on £9k-p/w set to have ‘two different’ approaches.