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Southampton have now emerged as the favourites to sign Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Southampton target Akpom

It was reported at the beginning of the month that Southampton were monitoring Akpom, with Crystal Palace and Everton also keeping tabs on the striker for a potential move this month.

The Saints have since added winger Mislav Orsic to their attacking ranks, but they are still crying out for a new centre-forward option, given that Che Adams has struggled in front of goal in the Premier League, missing a total of nine big chances so far.

The Latest: Saints leading the race

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Southampton have pushed their rivals aside in the race to sign the former Arsenal man, although Boro are reluctant to lose him, after his fine form in the Championship this season.

It is claimed that the Saints are now ready to test the resolve of the Teesside club with an offer, now emerging as the team that are pushing hardest to get a deal done in the January window.

The Verdict: Best option?

There is a definite element of risk involved when it comes to signing the 27-year-old, given that he is yet to prove himself at Premier League level, only ever appearing in the competition four times, but he has been fantastic in the second tier, emerging as the league’s top scorer this season, with 13 goals to his name.

Nathan Jones’ side need a fresh spark in attack, and Akpom, who has been described as ‘brilliant’ by reporter Craig Johns, could be the man to kick start their season, judging by his recent record in front of goal.

However, there are arguably better options available to Southampton, as they are currently favourites to sign Terem Moffi, who is much younger at 23, and has a proven record in a top league, with ten goals in 16 Ligue 1 appearances for FC Lorient this season.

Wolves are reportedly among a host of Premier League clubs who are interested in signing Palmeiras defensive midfielder Danilo in January.

The Lowdown: Forest in pole position

Earlier this week, it emerged that Nottingham Forest were in pole position to sign the 21-year-old, who has already become a key player for his current team despite his tender years.

Danilo has shone in an anchoring midfield role, averaging 2.1 tackles per game in the Brazilian Serie A this season, and he could be an astute signing for a struggling Premier League side looking to beef up the midfield ranks.

Now, it looks as though Wolves could potentially snap him up, following a new update.

The Latest: Wolves in the picture

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Wolves are battling numerous others for the signing of Danilo, namely Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Brighton, Leeds United and West Ham.

The report states that Forest are still the favourites to get their man, but Julen Lopetegui is eyeing him up as someone who can bolster his midfield.

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The Verdict: Long-term Neves replacement?

Danilo is already a top-quality player, despite his age, but he is also a huge long-term prospect who could be viewed as a successor to Ruben Neves in Wolves’ midfield.

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The Portuguese maestro could potentially leave Molineux at the end of the season and the Palmeiras man could help fill the possible void left, with both averaging 0.8 key passes per game in the league this season.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described Danilo as a ‘modern defensive midfielder’, ‘tenacious tackler’ and ‘tireless runner’, all of which would surely appeal to Lopetegui.

West Ham United return to Premier League action today, as they host an equally-atrocious Everton side still managed by Frank Lampard.

It is a match-up of little form, with both sides entering the game without a league win since October. As such, they sit beside one another at the foot of the table, with the Hammers only above on goal difference.

It, therefore, makes this clash all the more important, and should either side claim victory they could climb as high as 14th.

In a game of what is likely to be small margins, with two diffident outfits facing off, any slight upside that David Moyes can offer his team could be integral in condemning his former club to another relegation scrap.

It is therefore fortuitous that he has just signed the Toffees’ worst nightmare, with Danny Ings having been officially confirmed by the club as their new marksman yesterday morning in a £15m deal.

As such, he sneaks in before the deadline for registration and is available to face the Toffees.

Throughout his illustrious playing career, one laden with goals for whoever he has featured, he boasts a particular penchant for bagging against the Merseyside outfit.

In fact, of all the teams he has faced, they remain his favourites, as his seven goals against them are higher than he has managed against any other club.

With goals for Southampton, Burnley, Liverpool and Aston Villa all against Everton, the 30-year-old will be looking to add to that tally with his new club.

What helps is that he is in particularly impressive form anyway, having benefitted greatly from the arrival of Unai Emery.

Having scored six goals in the league this season, five of those have come in his last eight games. The only other goal outside of this run came in just their second game of the campaign, as he hit a swivelled shot with his left foot to leave Jordan Pickford with no chance. It would be the winning goal in the Villans’ clash with the Blues.

Having recaptured similar form to that which spurred Chris Sutton to label him “lethal” back in 2020, perhaps his first act at the Irons could be to once again terrorise the Toffees.

His inclusion is a must, especially over the likes of Michail Antonio who has scored just twice this season in the league.

Starting Ings against Everton seems to almost guarantee at least a 1-0 head start, and as such he must be thrown back into action.

Manchester United takeover progress is expected to be made ‘by April or May’ if ‘sources’ are to be believed, according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Glazers out protests

The Glazers have had a rocky relationship with United supporters over the years, and after yet another bout of protest banners on match-days throughout 2022, the owners ended up putting the Premier League club up for sale in November.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is currently the leading candidate to take over after admitting that he is now in negotiations to complete the deal, and a further update has emerged regarding when big developments are to be anticipated.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs suggested that the Red Devils’ focus on carrying out the takeover explains exactly why they haven’t been hugely active in the winter market.

“The expectation from sources is that if it proves to be a full takeover, which is what the Glazers have always leaned towards, then by April or May, significant progress may well have been made.

“That informs you why Manchester United are having a quiet January transfer window so far.”

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The Verdict: Start of a new era?

The Glazers have rightly felt the brunt from supporters having spent more than £1billion to service the £500m debt created by their takeover, so letting someone else steady the ship is completely the correct decision.

The final years of their ownership have been truly horrific for a club of this stature, with no serious title challenge mounted in nearly a decade.

Cristiano Ronaldo even gave them huge criticism in the interview that saw his contract with the club terminated, and should Ratcliffe be the man to take the helm, he’s expected to pay approximately £5billion, highlighting his wealth and giving supporters reason for excitement.

Erik Ten Hag will likely be financially backed a lot more in transfer windows – Ratcliffe is a United fan and will surely be more passionate about success – and as he starts to build his long-term project, the 70-year-old businessman’s investment could mark the start of an exciting new chapter on and off the field at Old Trafford.

CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of signing Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Lowdown: Spurs submit loan bid for Zaniolo

After renewing their interest in the Italy international, Spurs reportedly lodged a loan bid with an obligation to buy, which was rejected by the Serie A club.

Sky Sports shared that information with numerous updates coming out since, including talks with Zaniolo’s agent as the north Londoners attempt to beat capital rivals West Ham to his signature.

The 23-year-old was also offered out to Paris-Saint Germain as Jose Mourinho and Roma attempt to offload him before the January window closes.

The Latest: Zaniolo signing ‘very possible’ at Spurs…

Jacobs took to Twitter to claim that the signing of Zaniolo at Spurs is ‘very possible’, as Mourinho is ‘happy’ to sanction his sale this month.

He adds that there are ‘talks ongoing’ over the attacker’s signature, although no agreement has been reached just yet, coming after strong summer interest.

Spurs manager Antonio Conte is thought to view Zaniolo as a highly versatile player who can operate further forward and as a wing-back when required.

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The Verdict: Right man?

Going by Zaniolo’s statistics last season, when he was arguably at his best, it’s clear to see why Conte could view the 23-year-old as a solid makeshift wing-back option.

As per WhoScored, the forward averaged a higher rate of successful take-ons and attracted more fouls per 90 than any Roma player in 2021/22. The latter aspect of his game could even help to drag Spurs further up the pitch and relieve pressure, akin to someone like Jack Grealish, the fourth-most fouled player in the Premier League per match (2.4).

The fact that he racked up Roma’s highest rate of successful take-ons last season indicates that, at wing-back, he could provide a dynamic presence and more creativity out wide than that of current first-choice Emerson Royal.

Indeed, he could not only come as a further attacking option, but perhaps even an alternative to fellow target Pedro Porro at right wing-back, although Spurs supporters would most likely want both players to come in.

Everton have had a tumultuous week with the sacking of Frank Lampard, the transfer hijacking of Arnaut Danjuma and Anthony Gordon refusing to turn up to training until Friday morning.

However, the Toffees are now on the brink of appointing former Burnley boss Sean Dyche to steady the ship at Goodison Park when they return to action in the Premier League against leaders Arsenal next Saturday and the Everton hierarchy will surely be desperately hoping they have made the right choice.

With just 18 league fixtures left, Everton find themselves 19th in the top-flight table and two points deep into the relegation zone, so an instant positive impact on the squad from Dyche will be desperately needed to ensure they can pick up enough points to retain their Premier League status by the end of the season.

Indeed, there is little time left for the new manager to make his own mark on the squad by adding new additions with the January transfer window set to slam shut on Tuesday, however, it hasn’t stopped Everton from being linked with potential moves for players who could strength to the attacking threat.

One player who has been recently linked to the club is Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic and although the player is Premier League proven with a consistent goal-scoring record, it could be another major transfer howler for Farhad Moshiri.

Over 464 career appearances, the Austrian goal machine – once dubbed “aggressive” by Josh Bunting – has scored 127 goals and registered 73 assists with a goal contribution every 162 minutes.

However, his antics on and off the pitch have made it difficult in the past for previous managers to work with him and could ultimately be detrimental to Everton’s desperate need for togetherness over the remainder of the season.

Former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho claimed that Arnautovic had the “attitude of a kid” when managing the centre-forward at Inter Milan:

“Marko is a fantastic guy, but he has the attitude of a kid.

“Mario Balotelli is his best friend and they just happen to have the same traits. It’s not easy.”

The former West Ham forward – who will reportedly cost €20m (£18m) to sign this month – has also been caught up in more than one racism scandal too, with the first incident occurring in a clash with Willem II defender Ibrahim Kargbo back in 2009 whilst he was playing in the Eredivisie, and second coming more recently at Euro 2020 in an outburst against North Macedonia, which almost cost him his spot in the competition but UEFA settled for a one-match ban, just a couple of many controversial incidents listed by the Daily Mail.

With the drama surrounding Anthony Gordon’s future and an extremely fractured relationship with the Goodison Park faithful already, Moshiri could hammer the final nail into the coffin by bringing in a player with a poor attitude that could ultimately shatter their hopes of survival by unsettling the squad.

Everton are running out of time to get a deal done to improve their forward line in an attempt to save their season and now a last-minute update has emerged from a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Everton have now made a late enquiry to sign Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.

As per the report, the Merseyside club realise they are running out of options and as a result, have made a move for the Crystal Palace striker.

Unfortunately, it is claimed that they are likely to reject a move due to their limit on time to replace him but have been willing to listen to offers for a permanent transfer.

Imagine him & Gray

There is no doubt that the desperation at Goodison Park has reached its peak as the club have now taken their search for a forward down to the wire, which will be incredibly frustrating for the supporters who have already had to endure a nightmarish season already.

The Toffees are currently 19th in the Premier League table after a run of inconsistent and poor performances has left them two points deep into the relegation zone at this point with just 18 games left to go.

Indeed, the appointment of Sean Dyche will surely lift the hopes of the supporters as the former Burnley boss became somewhat of a relegation expert during his time at Turf Moor, saving the club time and time again from a drop back into the Championship on a shoe-string budget.

As a result, the signing of Mateta may seem like a stretch but if they could pull off a deal for the Palace centre-forward it could be a golden opportunity to add depth with a player who already has experience in the Premier League.

Over his short time at Selhurst Park so far, the 25-year-old talent – who was hailed “fantastic” by Steve Parish – has scored nine goals and delivered one assist which isn’t the best output for a striker, however, the Frenchman has not been given consistent game-time tallying up just 27 minutes per performance this season with Patrick Vieira preferring to deploy Odsonne Edouard and Jordan Ayew.

Dyche could get the best out of Mateta at Goodison Park by forming an attacking partnership between the Palace outcast and Demarai Gray, with the Everton winger renowned for his pace, link-up play and dangerous balls into the box which could be taken advantage of by Mateta if he can gain consistent game time at Goodison.

Indeed, Gray has registered the second-highest number of key passes per game (1.3) in the entire Toffees squad this term so would certainly be one of the best placed to provide adequate scoring opportunities for Mateta.

With that being said, although the Palace attacker has struggled at his current club that doesn’t mean he can’t improve with more opportunities for first-team football with Everton and playing him alongside Gray could be the key to unlocking his untapped potential under Dyche’s management.

90min journalist Graeme Bailey has given his verdict on the future of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount. 

The Lowdown: Future talks

Journalist Dean Jones recently claimed the player is ‘highly thought of’ as a part of Graham Potter’s side and expects him to sign a new deal soon.

Fellow Premier League club Liverpool were linked with the player last month according to The Guardian, which has led to the Blues trying to get a new contract sorted as soon as possible.

In all competitions, Mount has nine goal contributions from 27 appearances in the 2022/23 campaign so far – some 20 fewer than last season’s total as he played 53 games in all competitions.

Only Raheem Sterling can match Mount’s numbers in goals and assists this term, showing that the England ace is still performing in an underwhelming Chelsea side to this point in the campaign.

The Latest: Priority of the hierarchy

Bailey claimed that a new deal for Mount was a priority for the higher-ups on the Chelsea board, when speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast.

He stated: “That is one of the priorities for the hierarchy at Chelsea now, to get Mason Mount to a new deal.

“From my understanding, they are prepared to make him one of the highest-paid players at the club.

“They’ve been talking with him since the start of the season when Reece James signed his new deal. There’s been a few issues there in terms of wages, but they’re hopeful, and they’re expecting him to sign this new deal.”

The Verdict: In Chelsea’s plans

We believe that the news of Mount likely signing a new deal suggests that he’s valued in high regard by Potter and the Chelsea hierarchy.

In our view, the midfielder is someone with a lot of talent, and he certainly showed what he was capable of last season when he produced some stonking numbers.

However, Mount certainly has had his critics from both fans and pundits alike this season, as the 24-year-old certainly hit a dip in form.

Earlier in the season against Dinamo Zagreb, former Chelsea man Frank Leboeuf tore into Mount when speaking to ESPN (via The Daily Mirror).

Leboeuf described Mount’s performance as ‘appalling’ and claimed that he ‘disappeared’ in a clash against ‘average’ opponents.

Our view is that the player fits the mould of the young type of central midfielders Chelsea have at the club, so it comes as no surprise that they’re looking to secure a new contract for him.

West Ham United will attempt to claim successive victories in the Premier League for just the second time this season when they make the trip north to face high-flying Newcastle United at St James’ Park this evening.

The Hammers have fallen from their pedestal under David Moyes this season, teetering precariously above the relegation zone by just one point and two places prior to the start of today’s action.

Having qualified for the Europa League and the Europa Conference League across the past two campaigns, the Irons now face a battle to remain in the English top flight for next season.

Moyes did earn some welcome respite by defeating lowly Everton 2-0 in the Premier League last time out, a result which preceded an FA Cup victory over Derby County on Monday night, with the resurgent Jarrod Bowen netting three of the four goals during this period.

A trip to Tyneside represents a far more challenging obstacle for West Ham, though, with Eddie Howe’s high fliers perched in third place in the league and into the final of the Carabao Cup. Therefore, Moyes will need to ensure that his side are at their very best if they are to continue their winning streak.

Here is how Football FanCast expects the Irons manager to deploy his starting line-up for the encounter at St James’ Park, with five changes from Monday’s cup win at Derby…

West Ham predicted starting XI v Newcastle – Fabianski; Kehrer, Ogbonna, Aguerd; Coufal, Paqueta, Rice, Emerson; Bowen, Benrahma; Antonio

Established as first choice and “excellent” – as once heralded by Moyes – Lukasz Fabianski will likely come back into the team between the sticks after being rested in favour of Alphonso Areola on Monday night.

Right wing-back Ben Johnson started against the Rams but will likely be replaced by Vladimir Coufal, who has started the last five league outings in succession, while Emerson will hold his position on the opposite flank.

With the east Londoners short on central defensive options, the triad of Thilo Kehrer, Angelo Ogbonna and Nayef Aguerd which started in the FA Cup will maintain their places against the Magpies.

In midfield, Declan Rice will return alongside £51m summer arrival Lucas Paqueta, with the dynamic duo holding the centre during the recent league win over Everton. That means Flynn Downes will be pushed back to the bench after earning a rare start against Derby, with Tomas Soucek also dropping out.

Bowen will almost certainly maintain his starting berth on the right-hand side of attack after scoring three goals from his past two appearances. On the other side, Said Benrahma’s inclusion in place of Pablo Fornals – who failed to have a single shot last Monday – might just sprinkle a bit of flair against a resilient Newcastle backline, the stingiest in the Premier League with just 11 goals shipped.

With £15m January signing Danny Ings sidelined due to injury, veteran forward Michael Antonio is expected to lead the line again, with his physicality perhaps well suited to posing a threat to a resolute Magpies backline.

Liverpool host their local rivals on Monday night when they meet Everton in the Premier League for the 242nd Merseyside derby at Anfield, and a new injury update has emerged which will come as a huge blow for Jurgen Klopp ahead of that clash.

What’s the latest Liverpool injury news?

According to The Times’ northern football correspondent Paul Joyce, Thiago Alcantara is struggling with a hip injury, which could make him a doubt to feature.

Joyce revealed via Twitter on Friday: “Thiago Alcantara struggling with a hip injury for Liverpool ahead of Merseyside derby.”

Klopp surely frustrated

The latest blow to the Liverpool squad will be massively frustrating for Klopp, as his side has been plagued with injuries to key players throughout the campaign, which has ultimately contributed to their poor performances and inconsistency so far.

The Reds are currently tenth in the Premier League table after 20 games, with only one victory in in their last five top-flight games (against Leicester in late December), a run of form which has left them 11 points adrift of a Champions League qualifying place inside the top four.

In terms of injuries, Luis Diaz, Arthur Melo, Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk all remain unavailable for the clash against Everton on Monday, alongside the news of the concern surrounding Thiago’s fitness.

The German detailed in his pre-match press conference: “Thiago has some problems. I know the problems, but I have to ask the medical department what I am allowed to say about it. The hip flexor, stuff like this, that’s it pretty much. He wasn’t able to train.”

There is a silver lining for the Liverpool boss as Fabinho and Diogo Jota are in line for a return to action, with the latter expected to undergo a late fitness test following his return to team training after recovering from a long-term injury.

Due to the nature of the injury to Thiago, who has endured multiple knocks during his two-and-a-half years at Anfield, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Spaniard to be rested in the Merseyside derby. Klopp could deploy Jordan Henderson in the middle of the park instead, as the daunting Champions League clash against Real Madrid in ten days’ time looms ever larger.

The Liverpool boss will be feeling the pressure for his team to perform when Sean Dyche’s side visit on Monday, as another defeat could leave them in the bottom half of the table depending on Aston Villa’s result against Manchester City on Sunday.