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Nottingham Forest have made an offer to sign a new forward in the January transfer window, according to a recent report.

Nottingham Forest lose Awoniyi to injury

The Reds have been going through a tricky period recently, although owner Evangelos Marinakis is still backing Steve Cooper ahead of a crucial run of games, with results needing to improve. Cooper has also been defiant regarding his position, recently saying:

“I really like being the manager when things seem to be going well here. But I want to be the manager even more when it's on the back of a negative result or even a couple of negative results, because I think that's what this club deserves – a manager who cares as much as I do.

“You are never too far away from excessive praise and also the opposite and some clubs will be noisier than others. I don't pay any attention to it. I didn't last year and I won't now or in the future either.”

In terms of Cooper’s attacking options, he will be without star striker Taiwo Awoniyi for months after he underwent groin surgery. As a result, Forest head into a busy period with Chris Wood and Divock Origi as centre-forward options. Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi are also options in the final third behind a striker, and by the looks of things, Forest want to bolster their attacking options with a move for a versatile forward.

According to reports in Turkey, Forest have made an offer to sign Ryan Kent from Fenerbahce. The Englishman only joined the club in the summer but the Reds want to bring him back to his native country on a loan deal until the end of the campaign. Fenerbahce have received the bid but are yet to accept or decline the move, with Forest expecting a response as soon as possible.

"Unplayable" Kent is struggling at Fenerbahce

After leaving Scottish giants Rangers following a five-year period which saw him make more than 200 appearances, Kent, who can play as a left-winger, right-winger or a second striker, has struggled in Turkey. (Ryan Kent profile – Transfermarkt)

In total, the "unplayable" 27-year-old – as he was once dubbed by journalist Andrew Dickson, has contributed to just two goals in 15 appearances for his current employers. (Ryan Kent stats – Transfermarkt)

Kent showed his quality at Ibrox though, providing 56 assists and scoring 33 goals, so he could be a smart option, providing he can get back to his best from in the UK. It could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, as could Cooper’s future, especially if Forest fail to record a single win against Everton, Fulham or Wolves.

Liverpool have made a surprising decision over an "unbelievable" Reds player who Jurgen Klopp admires, with a January update emerging over the weekend.

Liverpool held by Man Utd

While much focus has been on the Reds' potential incoming business during the January transfer window, there are also players who could move on to pastures new in 2024. Both Joel Matip and Thiago are out of contract at the end of the season and are 32 years of age.

Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future is also set to become a big talking point once again, with rumours of a huge bid from Saudi Pro League Al-Ittihad emerging over the weekend. With the 31-year-old's current deal running until 2025, he will surely either leave or sign a new deal next year.

There are also players who could head out on loan, with young right-back Conor Bradley wanted by a host of English clubs on a temporary basis, and a significant update has emerged regarding a player already at another club this season.

The Reds were held by Manchester United on Sunday afternoon in a frustrating encounter that saw them rack up over 30 shots and hold nearly 70 per cent of the possession, so their latest decision on a player who could add a bit of creative spark in those sorts of games is a surprising one.

Fabio Carvalho transfer update

According to a fresh transfer update from The Mirror, FSG are planning talks to recall Fabio Carvalho in the winter market, but not to unleash him into Klopp's team. Indeed, Liverpool youngster Carvalho could make a "shock" return to former club Fulham next month instead.

"Fabio Carvalho is open to a shock return to Fulham – if Liverpool are able to recall him from his loan spell at RB Leipzig. The Reds have opened formal dialogue with the Bundesliga club as they're currently unhappy with Carvalho's lack of minutes in Germany so far this season.

Sources close to the player have allegedly confirmed there is interest from both Fulham and the player's side in making a deal happen.

Liverpool's success rate with signings has been so high under Klopp, with an endless number of players proving to be outstanding acquisitions – Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson stand out as arguably the best of this era – but Carvalho increasingly feels as though he could be a rare failure.

The 21-year-old couldn't make a proper impact in his first season at Anfield, barring a memorable late winner at home to Newcastle United in the Premier League, and the fact that Klopp was willing to loan him out says a lot about his squad status.

The attacking midfielder's time on loan at RB Leipzig has been similarly underwhelming to date, with Carvalho only making one start in the Bundesliga this season, and it could be best for him to end his spell there early and go back to Fulham – even though many may like to see what he could produce in front of the rebranded Reds midfield.

“Charismatic” Liverpool target is now open to leaving his club in January

This could be a big boost for the Reds.

By
Henry Jackson

Dec 17, 2023

Given his age, all hope is not lost for Carvalho with the Reds, and Klopp has described him as "unbelievable" in the past, but big improvements are needed if he is to make the grade at Anfield, or a permanent exit could end up happening in the relatively near future.

Harry Kane’s wife Kate has highlighted the key factor that helped her 44-goal husband feel settled at Bayern Munich following his move from Tottenham.

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• Prolific striker left Spurs in 2023
• Initially headed to Germany by himself
• Family reunited & feeling happy

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The prolific England international striker completed a €100 million (£86m/$108m) transfer to the Allianz Arena during the summer of 2023. That switch was initially made without his young family by his side, with several months spent living out of a hotel room.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kane has since been joined in Bavaria by partner Kate and their four children. He has continued to deliver on the pitch, smashing through the 40-goal barrier, but has seen elusive major silverware fall out of reach once again – leading to suggestions that he could beat a hasty retreat to the Premier League.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  Kate has offered no indication that the Kane clan are looking to head home, posting on Instagram after joining in with the end-of-season lap of honour: “Loved taking the kids on to the pitch yesterday. They loved it! The fans cheering all their goals also made it special and the way we’ve been welcomed into the club and the city has made a big difference.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  With Kane putting down roots and determined to make a success of his time in Germany, with plenty more shots at major silverware to be taken in, the expectation is that he will honour at least one more year on a contract in Munich that is due to run until 2027.

As Arsenal go in pursuit of the Premier League title yet again following the heartbreak of last season, the January transfer window could prove to be crucial. The Gunners missed out on the all-important silverware by a matter of points, despite leading the way over Manchester City for the majority of the campaign. It is the type of fall-off that Mikel Arteta will be hoping to avoid this time around.

As things stand, after defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 on Sunday, those at The Emirates remain on course to be among those still vying to lift the title come May. And one potential January arrival could hand Arsenal a major advantage over the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

Goncalo Inacio transfer update

Arsenal didn't just rest on their laurels during the summer transfer window, settling for a place in the Premier League's top four. Instead, they went after improvements, welcoming the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and David Raya, who have all gradually become important parts of Arteta's side. The January window could yet see Arsenal repeat their transfer trick too, in an attempt to gain an advantage in the title race and beat rivals to one particular star signing.

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal are ready to trigger the release clause of Goncalo Inacio in the January transfer window, which stands at €60m (£52m). The North London side could face competition from Liverpool, however, who have also been linked with a move for the Sporting Club defender.

With both sides competing for the Premier League crown, Inacio's decision could make all the difference. If Arteta does manage to welcome the defender next month, then he could have the ideal depth in central defence, with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba keeping hold of the starting spots, potentially competing with Inacio.

"Excellent" Inacio could decide title

Not only could Arsenal be potentially denying Liverpool a vital arrival, but they'd also be significantly strengthening their own side. Away from Gabriel and Saliba, Arteta's backup central options remain Jakub Kiwior and Ben White, who often finds himself at right-back. It is a drop-off in quality that could see the Gunners struggle if either Gabriel or Saliba suffered injuries in busy periods. Signing Inacio would help them to avoid that problem, however. Here's how Inacio's stats compare to Gabriel and Saliba.

It's no surprise, given the numbers, that Inacio has been at the centre of praise, including from Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig. Kulig posted on X:

"14 goals & 8 assists in 143 games. G/A is not his main job of course, but Gonçalo Inácio's numbers are really good. And above all, he is an excellent central defender. 22 years of age. Alcochete's Finest."

As January approaches, it certainly looks as though the Sporting defender is one to keep an eye on, with Arsenal reportedly ready to launch a move in the winter transfer window.

Ben Foster has revealed James McClean to be the “hardest-working” player at Wrexham, calling him an “absolute animal”.

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• Irish winger joined in 2023
• Pushes himself to the limit
• Rewarded with promotion

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The experienced Irish winger signed for the Red Dragons in the summer of 2023, as he dropped down from League One at Wigan to join an ambitious project in North Wales. McClean jumped at the chance to link up with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at SToK Racecourse.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A brave career call has been rewarded with another promotion for Wrexham, with McClean giving his all to the collective cause. His versatility has been put to good use by Phil Parkinson, while his fiery character can always be relied upon to get under the skin of opponents that could do without any kind of distraction.

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  WHAT FOSTER SAID

  Foster, who started the season at Wrexham but headed into retirement after just five games, has told his podcast of the most impressive trainer in Parkinson’s squad: “I think James McClean is the hardest-working player I have ever come across in my life! The very first day that he signed, I used to get in early and get on the bike and do my session and I got in there probably an hour before the rest of the lads got in.

  "As I open the gym door I can hear – I don’t what it’s called, Ergo Ski or something – it’s the most brutal thing in the world. There are two battle ropes running alongside it and he’s on this Ergo Ski sweating his tree off and I’m just like ‘you alright, mate’ and he looks at me as if to say ‘not now, I’m dying!’ He gives me a thumbs up and carries on. He’s straight on to the battle rope, he’s doing a circuit. This is at like eight in the morning. I’m like ‘you’re an absolute animal!’ I get on my bike and that is James McClean in a nutshell. He was like that every day. Genuinely, every day.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  That hard work has paid off for McClean, as he was able to take in 44 appearances for Wrexham across all competitions as they claimed a runners-up finish in League Two. He will be back for more next season, following a celebratory trip to Las Vegas, with an extension option in the 35-year-old’s contract being taken up.

Alan Shearer has explained how Real Madrid have helped Jude Bellingham to add “X-factor” for England ahead of their bid for Euro 2024 glory.

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• Playmaker starring for Spanish giants
• Sights locked on more major honours
• Three Lions boast bags of potential

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 20-year-old playmaker has enjoyed a dream debut campaign at Santiago Bernabeu on the back of his big-money transfer from Borussia Dortmund. Bellingham has broken through the 20-goal barrier while becoming a La Liga title winner and Champions League finalist.

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  WHAT SHEARER SAID

  He is considered to be a contender for the next Ballon d’Or, with former Three Lions star Shearer telling why Bellingham is ready to lead a charge for glory at international level: “He could be the X-factor when you look at what he has achieved. His numbers at Real Madrid this season, his goals and assists, it is just not easy what he has done. When you think of going to the might of Real Madrid and playing in that stadium and the pressure you are under for someone so young, you have to use that as an advantage. There is no doubt playing for England in a Euros will not phase him in the slightest, you can tell how level-headed he is. He will play a huge part in what England do.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Shearer believes that another golden generation of talent for England are capable of bringing a 58-year wait for major honours to a close in the men’s game, having fallen at the final hurdle in the last European Championship. The former frontman added: “I firmly believe that England should have as good a chance as we have ever had, especially with our front six players. We have a great chance of winning the tournament, definitely. It has been such a long time, they nearly got there last time at Wembley against Italy but lost on penalties. It is a chance for these boys to put their history and be iconic like the boys of ‘66 were. That is what is at stake for themselves so let’s hope they go out and do that. England have got to somehow find a way. If there is going to be a year, this should be it.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND?

  England sit among the pre-tournament favourites at Euro 2024 and will open their bid for long-awaited success when facing Serbia on June 16 – before going on to tackle Denmark and Slovenia in their other Group C fixtures.

Crystal Palace have been a mixed bag in the Premier League this term and look to have identified a potential long-term successor to Roy Hodgson, according to a report.

Roy Hodgson's future at Crystal Palace in doubt

Despite speculation that Crystal Palace could sack Hodgson if they were to fall to defeat against Brentford last weekend, the Eagles recorded a comfortable 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park, prompting the 76-year-old to hit back at recent rumours in his post-match press conference.

Hodgson stated: "I'm 76 years of age. I've been working 47 years, I've got a CBE for my services and I've got a CV which is incredible. So, my final answer to you is that it makes no difference [talk of potential Crystal Palace departure]."

Crystal Palace leading race to sign "outstanding" player ahead of rivals

The Eagles could receive a January boost…

By
Tom Cunningham

Dec 24, 2023

The Sun claimed last week that former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is said to be on Crystal Palace's wishlist as they look to replace Hodgson and he is supposedly "open-minded" to the possibility of stepping into the Selhurst Park dugout.

One source told the publication when explaining the permutations of the Welshman taking over in South London: "Palace are very interested in Steve Cooper, but there are no immediate plans to part ways with Roy Hodgson. Roy’s a legend at the club and will be treated with the respect he’s earned and which he merits. One option being looked at is whether a deal can be agreed for Cooper to join in the summer and for Hodgson to stay on until then."

Nevertheless, new reports suggest that an up-and-coming star in the coaching world could be next in line to succeed Hodgson at Selhurst Park once the veteran departs the club.

Crystal Palace eye Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna

According to The Sun, Crystal Palace could battle it out with rivals Brighton & Hove Albion to try and appoint Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna, who has directed his side into an automatic promotion battle in the Championship this campaign.

The report states that a summer move would be most likely in the event the 37-year-old ended up at the Eagles, given that they are still behind Hodgson and also factoring in the difficulties that would arise trying to finalise a deal with McKenna while he is in the middle of a battle for promotion.

McKenna left Manchester United to take on his first venture into senior management with Ipswich Town in 2021 and achieved promotion at Portman Road in 2022/23 after his side finished runners-up in League One.

Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, pundit Gary Lineker labelled the former Red Devils' coach as the best manager in English football outside of the Premier League, stating: "I’m going to go with Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. I think he’s done a brilliant job with them. He’s young, he was a youth coach at Manchester United, and was at Tottenham a bit before that."

Crystal Palace will be keen to ensure the future after Hodgson is clear and McKenna would be a fantastic appointment who would fit the bill as an exciting hire at Selhurst Park.

Leeds United secured their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday with an emphatic 3-0 victory away at League One side Peterborough United.

The Whites will now host Plymouth Argyle in the next round and the cup competition has provided a welcome distraction from the pressure of the race to finish in the automatic promotion places.

Daniel Farke's side are currently seven points adrift of the top two and, therefore, have plenty of work left to do to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

They do, however, have an opportunity to bolster their chances of earning promotion from the Championship by adding to their squad in the January transfer window.

The winter market opened for business at the start of last week and Leeds could look to improve the quality of their options across the park, particularly in the full-back position.

Leeds transfer news – Neco Williams

Farke could swoop to add another right-back and Nottingham Forest gem Neco Williams is one player who has reportedly caught his eye this month.

Speaking on The Square Ball Podcast after the win over Peterborough, The Athletic's Phil Hay revealed that the Whites 'like' the Wales international.

The reporter claimed that he has been told by a 'few' people that Leeds are interested in the former Liverpool prospect, who currently plays in the Premier League with the Tricky Trees.

However, the journalist also added that it would be a very difficult deal for the club to complete as he is 'rated' by Nuno Espirito Santo, who replaced Steve Cooper in the dugout at the City Ground.

This suggests that Leeds would need to come in with a fairly convincing offer to tempt Forest into doing business before the end of the month.

Hay went on to add that the squad does not look solid in the full-back positions and that he would expect the club to strengthen the group over the coming weeks.

The need for a new right-back stems from the decision to send Djed Spence back to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur five months earlier than expected.

Leeds decided to end his loan earlier this month and the Evening Standard interpreted Farke's comments on the decision as a suggestion that attitude concerns contributed to that decision.

When asked about Spence's situation, the German head coach cited professionalism and discipline as two important topics that he has expectations of from every player in the squad, although he did not go as far as to say that the Spurs loanee, in particular, fell short in that respect.

Farke could now forget all about the England U21 international and perfectly replace him with a swoop to sign Williams if the club can convince Forest to do a deal, whether that is on a loan or permanent basis.

Spence's time with Leeds in numbers

The 6 foot dynamo was an exciting addition to the Whites squad last summer as he arrived with an excellent reputation at this level, having caught the eye during Forest's promotion campaign.

As you can see in the table above, Spence made contributions at both ends of the pitch for the Tricky Trees as a wing-back in Steve Cooper's system.

However, the 23-year-old ace had a horrible start to life at Elland Road as a knee injury sustained after his debut, which came off the bench against Sheffield Wednesday in September, ruled him out for ten matches.

His next appearance for Leeds came on the 9th of December as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers in an unnatural position for him at left-back.

In December, Spence made six Championship appearances for the Whites and started five matches, although four of those starts came as a left-back.

The English dynamo averaged 3.5 tackles and interceptions combined per match but failed to showcase his creativity with 0.7 key passes per game and zero 'big chances' created across his seven league outings for the club.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Williams

Farke could perfectly replace Spence by landing an upgrade on the Tottenham youngster with a swoop to sign Williams, who has proven his quality in the Championship.

The Wales international, who has made 4.0 tackles and interceptions per match in the Premier League this term, spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Fulham in the second tier.

In those five months, the £50k-per-week dynamo started 14 league matches for the Cottagers and contributed with two goals and two assists from right-back.

He was an exceptional progressive force down the right flank. Williams ranked within the top 1% of Championship full-backs for progressive passes (6.42) per 90 and the top 2% for progressive carries (4.23) per 90 for Fulham that term.

Spence, on the other hand, has only averaged 3.91 progressive passes and 3.45 progressive carries per 90 respectively over the last 365 days for Leeds, Spurs, and Rennes combined.

These statistics suggest that the current Forest gem has the quality in possession to make a greater impact than the Tottenham youngster due to how often he is able to progress the ball up the pitch into dangerous positions.

As you can see in the table above, Williams has struggled for regular game time in the Premier League this season and the prospect of starting week-in-week-out could be a tempting one for him.

He has showcased his defensive ability, despite limited minutes, with an impressive output of tackles and interceptions – 0.5 more combined per game than Spence for Leeds – and could combine his defensive and offensive qualities to be a fantastic player.

That is why the Forest whiz, who was once hailed as "excellent" by journalist Callum Castel, would be the perfect replacement for Spence at Elland Road for Farke.

Lille boss Paulo Fonseca is all set to join AC Milan this summer in place of current manager Stefano Pioli.

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• Fonseca set to join AC Milan this summer
• Milan end five-year partnership with Pioli
• Portuguese manager will sign three-year deal

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pioli's five-year-long tenure at the helm of AC Milan has come to an end with the Rossoneri opting to part ways with the 58-year-old. They are now set to sign Fonseca to take over this summer as they look to return to challenging for the Serie A title after Inter Milan won the most recent Scudetto.

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  As per Calciomercato, the Portuguese manager has already fully agreed all terms with the seven-time Champions League winners and will sign the contract officially with them when the club returns from the post-season friendlies in Australia.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Fonseca's contract with Lille will run out this summer and the Portuguese was also linked with a move to Marseille, who as per the report were ready to offer a bigger deal than the Rossoneri. However, Fonseca preferred Milan's project and is set to sign a three-year deal.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MILAN?

  The Italian giants are currently touring Australia for a post-season friendlies tour and will be in action on May 31 when they take on Fonseca's former side Roma at Optus Stadium in Perth.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is reportedly set to find out his managerial fate this week – with Thomas Tuchel no longer in the running.

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• Ten Hag under pressure at Man Utd
• Tuchel no longer in the running
• Dutchman to learn fate this week

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Daily Mail reports Ten Hag will know where he stands in the coming days but despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe holding talks with former Bayern Munich boss Tuchel – he is no longer a candidate to replace the Dutchman at Old Trafford. Moreover, no final decision on the future of the ex-Ajax boss has yet been made.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ratcliffe's INEOS group have been carrying out a review of United's season under Ten Hag, which included finishing eighth in the Premier League, crashing out early in the Carabao Cup and Champions League but also winning the FA Cup. The Dutchman repeatedly stressed the club's injury list hurt their results and while that is being taken into consideration, it may not save his United job. A huge decision lies ahead for the club.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The candidates in the running to potentially succeed Ten Hag in the United dugout are Brentford's Thomas Frank, ex-Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi, England manager Gareth Southgate and former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While Ten Hag awaits to learn what the future holds for him, United will return to pre-season action next month before taking on Rosenburg, Rangers and Arsenal in July friendlies.