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Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing Newcastle United captain Jamal Lascelles this month and the 29-year-old could be a better option for Julen Lopetegui than West Ham man Craig Dawson.

According to Football Insider, the Old Gold will target a move for the former Nottingham Forest man if they fail to prise Dawson away from relegation rivals West Ham.

A bid for the 32-year-old centre-back has already been rejected by David Moyes’ side, although he was left out of their squad during their 1-0 defeat at Molineux at the weekend.

Lascelles would represent a younger option who could replace the leadership void left by Conor Coady, after Bruno Lage inexplicably allowed the club captain to join Everton on loan.

It is also more likely that a deal could be done, as while West Ham may have qualms about strengthening a direct rival, Newcastle will have no problem with sending a player down the league while they challenge for a Champions League spot.

Since joining Newcastle from Forest in 2014, he has gone on to make 221 appearances for the Toon, contributing 14 goals and four assists in that time.

Although he is officially captain of Eddie Howe’s side, the summer addition of Sven Botman has meant that Lascelles has managed just six appearances in the top flight so far this campaign.

However, he has impressed on his two starts in the League Cup, averaging a superb 7.15 rating from WhoScored for his performances against Tranmere Rovers and Crystal Palace.

Dawson, meanwhile, has struggled to replicate his form from last season with the Hammers so far this campaign, averaging a disappointing 6.42 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The former Rochdale man will turn 33 later this year so wouldn’t represent a long-term option, while he perhaps wouldn’t bring the leadership skills that Lascelles would, with the defender having captained both Newcastle and Forest in his career.

Howe was full of praise for the titan, who earns £40k-per-week at Newcastle, last season despite him losing his place in the first-team lineup.

He said: “His attitude has been spot on. He’s obviously our captain and he’s led like a captain even in a difficult moment for him because he would want to play every game.

“I always think that’s a true test of a leader is in the difficult moments and I think Jamaal has been absolutely superb – he’s been positive in the changing room before the game, during training – I cannot speak highly enough of his reaction to that.”

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Lopetegui is definitely lacking an alternative centre-back option to Max Kilman and Nathan Collins, so he should definitely consider a swoop for Lascelles this month.

Newcastle United were forced to settle for just a point in a goalless draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League last weekend.

The Magpies have now drawn three of their last four Premier League matches 0-0 and Eddie Howe may be concerned by the recent struggles his team has had in the final third.

Dan Ashworth and the Toon head coach could now use the remaining days left in the January transfer window to bring in attacking reinforcements in order to bolster the side’s chances of retaining their place in the top four for the rest of the season.

Howe has been forced to rely on underperforming players off the bench at times due to the lack of quality in depth in his current options at the top end of the pitch.

Jacob Murphy was brought on as a substitute in all three of the 0-0 draws and was unable to be a difference-maker for the side, which came as no shock given his record in the Premier League.

The former Norwich attacker has produced five goals and eight assists in 113 top-flight appearances in his career and has been directly involved in two goals in the current campaign – starting five matches and coming off the bench in 15.

Quite simply, the Englishman has not proven that he has the quality to come on and win games for the club and that is why bringing in a new attacker could improve the team.

One player who could come in as an upgrade on Murphy out wide is Chelsea forward Hakim Ziyech. Journalist Ben Jacobs recently told GIVEMESPORT that the Magpies are one of the clubs who have “looked” at a potential deal to sign the 29-year-old wizard, whilst admitting that the winger “could” still leave Stamford Bridge before the end of the month.

The dynamo, who has been capped 50 times by Morocco, has never been a regular for the Blues, with no more than 23 Premier League appearances in a single campaign, but has shown flashes of quality with six goals and seven assists in 33 top-flight starts since joining the London club.

Ziyech, who was dubbed a “magician” by both former Chelsea TV employee Jake Heasman and journalist Peter Hall, arrived in England after a phenomenal spell for Ajax. He scored 49 goals and assisted 81 in 165 matches in all competitions for the Dutch giants as he produced goal contributions on a regular basis.

Newcastle could now find the upgrade on Murphy that could elevate their attack, off the bench and from the start, by bringing the Moroccan international in and helping him to rediscover his best form in the final third.

Reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella has shared an update on Arsenal and their links to West Ham United star Declan Rice.

The Lowdown: Gunners chase midfielder…

The Gunners, amid their chase for a Premier League title, are reliably believed to be after a signing for the midfield era as manager Mikel Arteta searches for possible upgrades.

Reports suggest Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo, for example, is ‘one to watch’ for the rest of this January transfer window.

As well as Caicedo, the north Londoners have been linked to Toffees ace Amadou Onana, yet Rice has also been mentioned as an option for 2023.

The Latest: Rice ‘keen’ to join Arsenal…

Kinsella, writing for The Evening Standard, claim the 24-year-old is ‘keen on a move’ to Arsenal to play under Arteta amid their potential battle with Chelsea to sign midfielders this year.

It’s added there is a ‘growing expectation’ Rice will leave this summer and he has emerged as one of their top targets for the role.

The Verdict: Superstar…

The Irons star could add serious steal to Arteta’s midfield if Arsenal manage to win the race for his signature.

As per WhoScored, the England international matches Thomas Partey for successful tackles per 90 on average and has also made more interceptions per match than any Gunners star.

Out of any Arsenal player who’s featured over 200 league minutes, Rice has a higher pass accuracy (89.4%) than any real regular in Arteta’s side other than mainstay William Saliba (WhoScored).

The Three Lions ace is also homegrown an experienced figurehead in the English top flight, which will undoubtedly attract sporting director Edu and the title-chasers.

Reports also claim Rice could leave for as little as £70 million in the summer – a fee which is arguably very reasonable for a player with real quality and pedigree in the top flight.

Called a ‘superstar’ and ‘sensational’ by members of the press, this is a deal which Arsenal should undoubtedly make happen later this year.

Aston Villa are thought to be one of numerous Premier League clubs keen on signing Conor Gallagher before the January transfer window closes tonight, according to The Athletic’s Chelsea reporter Liam Twomey.

The Lowdown: Gallagher profiled

The 22-year-old appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €32m (£28m) Transfermarkt valuation. Capable of playing as a holding, central or attacking midfielder, he has made 25 appearances in all competitions at Stamford Bridge this season.

Described as “outrageous” by Crystal Palace podcaster Dan Cook following a goal during a loan spell at Selhurst Park last term, the England international is reportedly ‘one of the most sought-after players heading into the final hours of the transfer window’.

The Latest: Villa interested in Gallagher

Twomey took to Twitter on Monday, claiming that he can’t see Gallagher joining Everton following a reported offer.

The Athletic’s Chelsea correspondent said that the player is ‘expected to have better PL options’, with Villa one of four clubs named alongside Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and West Ham.

The Verdict: Get it done

Unai Emery has wanted to bring in a new midfielder this month after already signing defender Alex Moreno and forward Jhon Duran, so winning the race for Gallagher’s services could prove to be a major coup for Villa.

Still just 22 years of age, the Chelsea gem has gone from strength to strength in recent years, winning Crystal Palace’s Player of the Season prize after contributing to 39 appearances last season.

Gallagher would offer plenty of versatility at Villa Park, something which could come in handy with Emery tinkering between a 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 system since taking over in the Midlands. Gallagher could play in defensive, central or attacking midfield roles in those formations, so a late move appears to be a no-brainer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers had a busy winter transfer window, but the Premier League outfit’s greatest coup of the season comes in the form of head coach Julen Lopetegui.

What’s the word?

Having largely impressed since clinching promotion from the Championship in 2017/18, qualifying for the Europa League in their first season back in the top-flight and reaching the quarter-finals, Wolves have been exceptional in grinding out results and maintaining a largely unwavering level of resilience.

This season, however, past concerns of mid-table mediocrity were replaced by genuine worry that a relegation scrap might be on the cards, concerns that proved true and resulted in the dismissal of head coach Bruno Lage in the season’s early phase.

With the ensuring managerial appointment of Europa League winner Lopetegui in November, the Old Gold were presented with a first-rate manager who could turn the fortunes around, and thus far results have been promising.

It is unsurprising, therefore, to hear transfer insider Dean Jones suggest they are in a far better position with the 56-year-old at the helm.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “They’ve reached their target for the month; the squad is in much better shape now. Speaking to the club, they feel like a completely different club now from two months ago.

“They feel that this transfer window has been a real success, and they’re very confident not only of steering clear of relegation now, but actually trying to push their way up towards the mid-table.”

A game-changing appointment

Having clinched seven points from a possible 15 with the Spaniard at the helm, the Midlands outfit now perch outside the league’s relegation zone on goal difference, having previously languished within the bottom three.

And while the six acquisitions made this January – notably on-loan Matheus Cunha, who could be tied down to a permanent transfer for an eye-watering €50m (£44m) – all possess the calibre to make a meaningful difference to the combative nature of the squad, it is the manager pulling the strings that will prove to be the difference in the fight to maintain coveted top-flight status.

Having lost only to Manchester City and Manchester United in the league since assuming his role, the Spaniard will be comprehensively impressed with the strides made across the maiden period of his tenure.

And indeed with a pedigree that stretches his influence over former outfits such as the Spanish national team, Sevilla – where he won the Europa League – and Porto, it is clear that given the right tools, he will be able to craft success with any side.

And with Wolves having entrusted him with the job of securing survival, providing a raft of fresh faces to spearhead the new chapter at Molineux, a promising period of football for the side’s owner Jeff Shi awaits.

The 56-year-old, should he succeed in guiding the English outfit away from their current mess, will strive for a return to prominence in the Premier League, having recorded a top-four finish in all but one of his full managerial campaigns to date, which bodes well for his new team’s aspirations.

Wolves will undoubtedly be delighted with the acquisitions made over the past several weeks, but it is in fact the man running the dugout that will have the most decisive say in their trajectory over the coming years.

Leeds United made an attempt to sign young Southampton striker Jimmy-Jay Morgan, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Morgan linked with Leeds

The Whites managed to add to their academy ranks last month with a move for young centre-back Diogo Monteiro, while also making three first-team signings for Jesse Marsch.

Another teenager who appeared to be of interest at Elland Road was Morgan, who has been described as ‘one of the best finishers’ at Southampton’s academy.

There was speculation that Leeds were weighing up a move for the 17-year-old, and it seems as if a transfer attempt was made.

The Latest: Leeds had made move for Morgan

Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey shared an update regarding Morgan on Saturday evening, reporting that the teenager looks set to sign for Chelsea in a deal worth £6m including add-ons.

Veysey claimed that Manchester City offered the player a contract and Leeds made a move for him before the forward decided on a transfer to Stamford Bridge.

The Verdict: Transfer blow for Leeds

Leeds have been relatively successful when it comes to bringing in young talent since returning to the Premier League, handing a record number of debuts to teenagers in the Premier League last season.

There seemed to be room for Morgan at Thorp Arch as well, especially after young forward Max Dean departed on a permanent deal to join Mark Jackson at League One side MK Dons.

Morgan could have rivalled the likes of Sonny Perkins and Mateo Joseph in the under-U21s, but it now seems as if a move to Chelsea is set to materialise, which may come as a blow to Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta at Elland Road.

Leeds United caretaker boss Michael Skubala has been handed some respite ahead of the Whites’ trip to arch-rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this evening…

What’s the latest?

The U21s head coach has been given the job on an interim basis following the sacking of Jesse Marsch on Monday. The American lasted less than a year in charge and the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest sent him on his way.

The Yorkshire side have won just twice in the Premier League all season and now face the tough test of back-to-back matches against a resurgent and in-form Red Devils side.

But Erik ten Hag will be without some pretty key attackers in the form of Antony and Anthony Martial, whilst Casemiro begins his three-match ban, according to GOAL.

The Brazilian winger, who cost a whopping £85m in the summer, is the latest player to join the ever-growing treatment room at Old Trafford after he collided with advertising hoardings against Crystal Palace.

Big boost for Skubala

With just 48 hours with the team and perhaps even less time on the training pitch, Skubala will not have had enough time to present his own ideas and methods, so very little is expected to change in terms of tactics and team selection.

But for the opposition – who sit third in the standings before kickoff – to be without a trio of important stars is surely a source of encouragement.

Antony was their marquee signing in the summer, having worked with Ten Hag at Ajax in the past, where he scored 12 goals and laid on ten assists last season.

Whilst not a regular starter, he has shown glimpses of such form with three goals from 915 minutes of top-flight action.

Meanwhile, Martial has suffered from inconsistencies over the course of his United career but under the Dutchman, he’s looked pretty good when fit. Indeed, he’s bagged six goals from 14 appearances, averaging one strike every 120 minutes.

With Leeds’ leaky backline, the £58m star would have been sure to add to those return this evening. The Whites conceded 34 goals from their 20 outings under Marsch, which is the fifth-worst in the division.

Casemiro is possibly the biggest miss for Ten Hag and the Red Devils as he has arguably been their player of the season – so far.

After joining in a £70m deal from Real Madrid in the summer, the Brazil powerhouse currently ranks as their second-best performer per WhoScored ratings, with Antony and Martial also making up the top ten.

The 30-year-old defensive midfielder also leads the way for tackles (3.3 per game) and there are few who can replace his quality in the side – last season neither Fred nor Scott McTominay averaged more than 2.3 tackles per outing.

All in all, with United set to be without £213m worth of talent, it could be a good time for Leeds – who have no players valued above €30m (£26m) – to cause a major upset under the temporary control of Skubala, who’ll surely see this news as a major boost heading into tonight’s kickoff.

AND in other news, Skubala must ditch Leeds’ £50k-p/w “revelation” vs Utd tonight, he badly failed Marsch…

Phil Hay has claimed that Leeds United are admirers of out-of-work coach Marcelo Gallardo.

The Lowdown: The manager search continues

After sacking Jesse Marsch over a week ago, Leeds are still without a permanent manager, and caretaker boss Michael Skubala will take charge for the time being, including for their relegation six-pointer at the weekend.

Leeds have certainly been trying to land a new manager, though they have been foiled in their attempts to bring in a new coach, with the likes of Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot and Alfred Schreuder all now off the table.

Someone who may well have been easier to land is the unattached Gallardo, who is yet to take up another job since leaving River Plate last year, although his unwillingness to join mid-season is proving to be a stumbling block.

The Latest: Gallardo is wanted by Leeds

Hay has admitted Leeds do admire Gallardo, who has been called ‘legendary’ and would love him as their manager, although he has also claimed on The Phil Hay Show that the Argentinian is unwilling to join a club without a pre-season to work with the players.

He said: “They like Marcelo Gallardo, who was at River Plate for eight years and left that job in October, but everybody around Gallardo says he does not want to take his next job at this stage. He wants it to be with a full season ahead of him, which I totally understand; it makes sense.

“That’s kind of the Bielsa attitude towards work, is that you want pre-season so you can plan it properly – you don’t really want to firefight.”

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The Verdict: Leeds must make an appointment sooner rather than later

Given that Leeds have got the two Manchester United games out of the way that were always going to be tough tests, the Whites now have two huge games on the horizon against relegation rivals Everton and Southampton, though having a new man in place in to prepare for them clearly would have been ideal.

In terms of bringing someone in from elsewhere, the Whites are seemingly back at square one, with Schreuder – who was in the Elland Road stands last weekend – now reportedly out of the running for the vacant role, so many will hope Orta and Andrea Radrizzani have something else up their sleeve.

When Marsch was sacked, many will have expected that something was in the pipeline, and even more so following Radrizzani’s ‘white smoke’ tweet, which suggested something was close to being finalised, but that has not come to fruition.

And while Skubala may yet be a relatively safe pair of hands for now, the Leeds board could well be counting their lucky stars he has got something of a tune out of the squad since Marsch’s departure – or Tuesday evening’s announcement will surely have seemed far more panicked indeed.

Leeds United managerial target Javi Gracia is expected in England this morning ahead of a proposed move to Elland Road, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: U-turn from Leeds

The Whites confirmed last week that caretaker Michael Skubala would continue to lead the first team for the upcoming fixtures, starting against last Saturday’s clash at Everton. However, after a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park which saw Leeds fall to 19th place in the Premier League, it seems as if there has been a U-turn by club officials.

There was speculation on Monday over former Watford manager Gracia, and it looks as if a move for the Spaniard is gathering pace.

The Latest: Gracia expected at Leeds

Sky Sports News presenter Tom White shared a live update on Tuesday morning regarding Leeds and Gracia, via Football Daily.

He stated: “Right Leeds fans, you’ve been waiting for an update on your new manager for quite a while. It looks like things are getting closer and the name that we can tell you now a little bit more so than yesterday is Javi Gracia.

“We told you that he was a name in the frame to get the Leeds job – well things are moving closer. He is expected in Leeds this morning.”

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The Verdict: Good move?

Saturday’s performance against Everton was extremely disappointing, with Leeds failing to register a shot on target, so it is good to see that the club have seemingly taken swift action.

Leaving the inexperienced Skubala in charge could have been a gamble and ultimately the end of the club’s Premier League stay, so bringing in Gracia – who has knowledge of the division with Watford – seems to be a wise move.

He led the Hornets to an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League during the 2018/19 season, and if he is to save the Whites from relegation, he’ll need his plans to work immediately, beginning against bottom club Southampton next weekend.

Out-of-favour Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has effectively left the club already, according to a claim from journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Aubameyang out of favour at Chelsea

The 33-year-old has become a peripheral figure under Graham Potter in recent months, with the manager clearly not seeing him as a key player in the slightest.

Prior to his late introduction as a substitute in today’s defeat at Tottenham, Aubameyang hadn’t featured since a brief cameo away to Liverpool last month and he has only started four times in the Premier League this season.

It seems inevitable that the striker will depart Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window, and one journalist has claimed that the Gabon forward has already more or less checked out from the club, who he only joined six months ago.

The Latest: Aubameyang has ‘mentally’ checked out

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown went as far as to say that Aubameyang isn’t even at Chelsea in a mental sense these days, such is the extent to which he has fallen off Potter’s radar.

The reporter said:

“I think, mentally, Aubameyang is gone. I think he’s left already.

“It’s quite clear that, as deprecating and nice as Graham Potter has been about him, he doesn’t really see him as someone who’s going to play for him at all.”

The Verdict: Dreadful signing

The signing of Aubameyang felt like a risk at the time, given his age and disruptive influence at Arsenal, and he has turned out to be a disastrous addition.

The former Borussia Dortmund marksman has scored just three goals in 17 appearances for Chelsea, all while earning an eye-watering £160,000 per week.

At 33, and with his performances clearly not impressing the manager, selling Aubameyang this summer seems an absolute no-brainer for the Blues, although they could struggle to yield much of a transfer fee given how much his stock has fallen.

The attacker was described as ‘excellent’ by Potter earlier this season, but the Chelsea boss has clearly run out of patience with him given Aubameyang’s lack of involvement in recent weeks, and it looks like a transfer which will go down as a massive flop.