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Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is personally targeting the signing of Inter Milan wing-back Federico Dimarco, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Tottenham making transfer plans…

Despite a summer of spending which totalled £147m, the Lilywhites have been tipped to potentially return to the market in 2023.

Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar and Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovksyi are mentioned as Spurs targets by sections of the media, and full-backs like Denzel Dumfries have also emerged as candidates to strengthen the Premier League side.

This comes as Spurs continue their chase for Champions League qualification ahead of the 2023/24 season, and this could be major factor in convincing serial winner Conte to remain in N17.

Backing the Italian with major transfers could be crucial, and one claim has suggested that the 53-year-old has his sights on another of his former Inter Milan stars.

The Latest: Conte targeting Dimarco…

Indeed, the Tottenham head coach is now believed to be personally targeting wing-back Dimarco from the San Siro. The 25-year-old has impressed for Inter this season and has even managed to battle his way into Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad.

Bearing that in mind, Calciomercatoweb state that Conte now has Dimarco in mind for next summer as a possible left-sided heir to Ivan Perisic, especially considering that the 33-year-old Croatian has entered the twilight phase of his career.

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The Verdict: Exciting target…

Dimarco could actually be the wing-back Spurs that have been crying out for, with question marks also surrounding the readiness of Ryan Sessegnon.

As per WhoScored, the Italian ranks in Inter’s top five best overall players and has averaged the team’s second-highest rate of key passes per 90 in the final third.

Dimarco has delivered more crosses from out wide on average than any Nerazzurri player, further backing why Conte is allegedly targeting him ahead of next year.

Called ‘world class’ and a ‘goal threat’ by members of the Italian media, we can think of nobody better to hand Spurs a serious full-back upgrade.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were heavily linked with Mohammed Kudus during the summer and after a superb World Cup display, Julen Lopetegui should reignite the Old Gold’s interest.

It was reported in the summer that the Midlands outfit and Everton both wanted to prise the 22-year-old away from Ajax as he struggled for regular game time under Alfred Schreuder at the start of the campaign.

However, he would remain with the Eredivisie side and quickly established himself as one of the key players for the Dutch giants, hitting ten goals and two assists across ten starts for Schreuder’s side, including five in the Champions League, where he averaged an incredible 7.34 rating from WhoScored.

It was no surprise therefore to see him starting for Ghana in their World Cup opener against Portugal on Thursday, and the young midfielder was a constant menace throughout the game.

As per Sofascore, Kudus would earn an impressive 7.4/10 rating for his display in the 3-2 defeat, with no Ghana player rated higher and only Bruno Fernandes and Otavio (8.4 and 7.5) earning a better rating from the opposition.

The youngster’s direct running and dribbling caused all sorts of problems for Portugal in Qatar, as he completed all four of his dribble attempts during his time on the pitch, while he also registered two shots.

Of the nine duels that Kudus was involved in with Portuguese players, he would win six with a success rate of 67%, which suggests that he had the edge over the opposition, despite the plethora of world-class players at their disposal.

After Portugal took the lead through a contentious penalty decision, Ghana suddenly looked far more dangerous and pushed Kudus forward, which resulted in the equaliser as his cross was turned home by Andre Ayew for 1-1.

The only surprise at that point was that he was taken off by manager Otto Addo on 77 minutes, with the Black Stars then conceding twice in quick succession to lose the game.

Kudus, who has previously been dubbed a “superstar”, looked dangerous throughout and could add a serious attacking threat at Molineux should Lopetegui look to bring him in during the January window.

While it might be tough for the Midlands outfit to tempt him to Molineux given their current Premier League standing, as well as the other interest that will no doubt arise from Kudus’ recent displays, the Spanish manager should do all he can to sign the Ajax star after such an impressive World Cup debut.

Liverpool will head into the post-Christmas break needing to greatly improve on their 2022/23 campaign so far.

Under Jurgen Klopp, we have been used to heavy metal football, with the Reds playing with a relentless press, a swashbuckling offensive line and a rock-solid defence.

However this season, it has been all change. The German’s side are now a shadow of their former selves. The defence looks as though it’ll concede first in every game and without Sadio Mane, the attack has lacked an element of spice.

That’s not to suggest those up top have performed badly, though. In fact, they have still performed well with Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino scoring 32 times between.

Yet, the table doesn’t lie and at the moment Liverpool sit in sixth place, 15 points behind league leaders Arsenal.

Strengthening in January, therefore, is of utmost importance. Firstly, adding a body of real quality in the middle of the park will be key but despite their wealth of options in the final third, it’s a striker who is being linked.

Reports in Italy suggest that Klopp is willing to do anything he can to bring Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic to Merseyside next year.

The Serb was the subject of an intense transfer saga last January with Arsenal keen on bringing him to English football, only for him to make the move to Turin instead after leaving Florence and Fiorentina behind.

Vlahovic, who could cost in the region of a whopping £87m, would be a fine signing and one that could make the club forget about a certain Cody Gakpo, another player linked with the Reds in recent times.

The Dutch star is very much the talk of the town this season and has followed up a remarkable haul of 13 goals and 17 assists for PSV with three further strikes at the World Cup in Qatar.

Gakpo has been the breakout star of the tournament and as such, is likely to command quite the bidding war in the January window.

Thus, Liverpool might well be wise to turn their attentions elsewhere to Vlahovic, a man who has also impressed on the biggest of stages in the last fortnight.

The 22-year-old didn’t start all of Serbia’s games but came up trumps when his nation needed him most, with the dominant 6 foot 3 attacker finding the net against Switzerland in their final group game.

His country didn’t end up going through but big goals seem to follow Vlahovic, a trait Klopp would only be too delighted to have in his armoury.

Perhaps the best appraisal you can give the Juventus ace is that he is like the Premier League’s top scorer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones once stated that he is “a bit like Haaland” with that comparison having seemingly followed him around since he burst onto the scene.

Nenad Bjekovic, the president of the Serbian FA, went one step further. He said: “Vlahovic is better and more complete than Haaland.

“The Norwegian has devastating power, but Dusan is not inferior: there is also very little difference in their height.

“But the Juventus forward’s variety and styles of play is better.”

That is quite the statement and although suggesting he’s better than Haaland might be pushing it, there are certainly comparisons.

Both possess great pace, have lethal left feet and more importantly, are ruthless goalscorers.

Indeed, Vlahovic has found the net on seven occasions in 15 outings for his club this term, a tally that adds to the red-hot tally of 29 in 45 outings last season.

At such a young age, his form in a big league is inspiring and Liverpool would be wise to bring him to Anfield over a certain Gakpo.

Leeds United will look to sign a young left-back and forward in the New Year, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Summer business

The Whites were active in the summer ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge at Elland Road, with seven new signings made.

The club did receive big fees for Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, which ultimately paid for big arrivals such as Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams.

Leeds have tended to avoid any winter window business in recent years, but it looks as if that might change in 2023 in what appears to be an exciting update for supporters.

The Latest: Hay’s claim

Hay shared a link to a story for The Athletic on Twitter, with the Whites currently out in Spain in what he describes as feeling like another pre-season.

The reliable reporter described the training camp plans and intense double sessions, but also added that a young left-back and forward are ‘on the agenda’ at Elland Road – surely music to the ears of fans hoping for a busier winter window than usual.

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The Verdict: Right move

Centre-back Pascal Struijk has had to fill in for Junior Firpo this season and has actually been the club’s best-performing player, as per WhoScored.

However, looking to bring in a young left-back to rival the pair seems to be smart, whereas a new forward seems a must despite Rodrigo having nine Premier League goals to his name this season.

Patrick Bamford hasn’t scored a competitive goal in 2022 and has once again struggled with fitness, so a new striker could help the club avoid another serious battle against relegation.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Ola Aina ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to Italian newspaper Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), the Whites are expected to come forward with an offer to sign the Torino wing-back as his contract is set to expire in the summer.

That means the Yorkshire outfit are able to tie him down to a pre-contract agreement from January 1st but the Serie A outfit could look to offload him in January in a bid to garner some sort of fee.

Elland Road now seems a likely destination, whether that’s next month or in the summer.

Bye-bye Ayling?

The 26-year-old is well-known in England. Having come through the renowned Chelsea academy system, the versatile wing-back has also played for Fulham and Hull City across both the Premier League and the Championship.

He has now made something of a name for himself in Italy, emerging as one of Il Toro’s regular starters, largely owing to his ability to play on both the left and the right.

Aina is currently the club’s best performer in the league, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.74 – only forward Demba Seck is averaging more dribbles per game, whilst he’s more than pulling his weight defensively with 1.3 tackles per game too.

Such versatility and ability on the ball has seen former teammate Cristian Ansaldi sing his praises in the past, claiming: “I see him very often. He has an intelligence that allows him to play in many positions, then physically he is an animal, more or less like [Wilfried] Singo.”

Perhaps his potential arrival could spell the end for one of Marcelo Bielsa’s long-standing favourites in vice-captain Luke Ayling who, despite his return from injury this season, has struggled to get into Jesse Marsch’s starting XI ahead of summer signing Rasmus Kristensen.

Indeed, the Leeds stalwart has started just one game this campaign – a 3-2 defeat to Fulham – with the rest of his minutes coming from the bench. Ever since his red card against Arsenal last season – an incident that was brandished both “disappointing” and “disgusting” by the media – he has never really been in favour with the American manager again.

You’d imagine that any move for another player in his role would surely spell the end of his career at Elland Road because it’ll only make it harder for him to break into the side.

Torino wanted just €12m (£10m) for Aina during the summer, so that price will surely have to come down if they are going to lose him in the summer for nothing anyway and that would make him even more of a bargain.

As a result, Marsch may well finally ditch Ayling from west Yorkshire, should he successfully secure a deal for the Nigeria international this January.

AND in other news, Orta “set to begin” talks with “dangerous” £35m Leeds “beast”, it’s great for Marsch…

The post-Michael Beale era did not get off to a good start for QPR on Sunday as they were comfortably beaten by league leaders Burnley at Loftus Road.

With the Clarets top of the form table and QPR bottom ahead of the World Cup break, Hoops fans will have been hoping that the time off would allow the west London side to get back to their best, ahead of potentially causing an upset against Vincent Kompany’s side.

However, the game played out to the form book on Sunday afternoon as goals from Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, Ian Maatsen and Nathan Tella handed the promotion hopefuls a 3-0 win.

The result leaves QPR outside of the playoff positions, having topped the table in October, so the Hoops will be desperately hoping to get Neil Critchley through the door at Loftus Road early next week ahead of a crucial and busy festive period.

As per Sofascore, one man who disappointed in the defeat was 25-year-old winger George Thomas.

The Welshman was hooked at half-time by interim manager Paul Hall after a sub-standard display which was far too similar to several of his disappointing displays this season.During his time on the pitch, Thomas would register just 13 touches of the ball and complete six passes, both of which were fewer than goalkeeper Seny Dieng, which emphasises just how little he was involved.He would also fail to register a single shot, successful dribble or cross during the game, also losing the ball on five occasions despite barely seeing it against the dominant visitors.It was something of a surprise that he was handed a start given that he has made just two substitute appearances in the Championship so far this campaign, but he hammered home exactly why he isn’t good enough to be a starter under the new manager.Hall will be desperately disappointed in the former Leicester City man, and it would be a surprise to see him feature from the start again in the future.

Aston Villa are looking to wash out the deadwood and fortify the ranks now that Unai Emery has assumed the role of head coach at the club, with the Spaniard eyeing some top talent from his former club.

Indeed, last week The Mirror reported that Arnaut Danjuma was one talent the Midlands outfit hold a vested interest in, with sights set on luring him to Villa Park and bolstering the offensive flanks.

Emery knows the player well, having signed him for his previous Spanish outfit, and could use his relationship with the Yellow Submarine and Danjuma to forge a worthy acquisition for the ambitious Claret and Blue.

Valued at €40m (£35m), Danjuma would be a welcome addition to the side having flourished at Villarreal since his move from AFC Bournemouth for £21.3m in August 2021, and could take the Premier League by storm with a second shot at success in England’s top-flight.

Emery’s next Di Maria

Originally a winger, the 25-year-old Danjuma has found success in Spain as his side’s centre-forward, finding a prolific edge to his game and consequently seeing his stock rise.

His market value rose from £22m to £43.8m after a resounding debut season that saw him score 16 goals and serve four assists across 34 appearances, before dropping to £30.7m this term after a slight decline in goal-scoring efficiency.

Still very much regarded an “exceptional talent” by the likes of EFL pundit Clinton Morrison, the six-cap Netherlands international has snatched five goals from 15 fixtures this term, despite Villarreal scoring just 15 leagues goals so far – the lowest of any team in the top-ten of the Spanish La Liga. 

And a move to Aston, to play under the wing of Emery once again, the manager who gifted the ace the most fruitful spell of his career, might prove to be a very good move indeed for all parties involved.

His exploits could leave him breeding similar success to that of World Cup winner Angel Di Maria, who scored 35 goals and assisted 27 more from 88 outings under the tutelage of the 51-year-old.

While Danjuma offers a more direct approach, it is likely that he would be deployed out wide by and large for Villa, should he join, allowing the likes of Danny Ings or Ollie Watkins to flourish in the centre-forward role, and he would need to utilise his creativity, blending it with his eye for the back of the net, to truly earn his place among the division’s finest talents.

As per Sofascore, in the 2020/21 EFL Championship season with the Cherries, the gem scored 15 goals and provided seven assists in a seasonal show that earned him the move to Spain, with his eight big chances created and 1.5 key passes per match channels that must be tapped into once more, giving him a dynamic sheen not too dissimilar to Di Maria.

Indeed, the Argentine showed those attributes in Qatar just this winter, scoring in the final as well as supplying two key passes per game.

Based on that, it would be quite the signing for Emery’s villains, bringing in a player he knows well and thus transforming his new side in the process.

Leeds United may be set to move for a leading creative defender, which could see one of their recent transfer blunders ditched.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to journalist Phil Hay, who delivered a detailed transfer roundup with the January window approaching.

Among plenty of others, he would claim that left back and a forward are Victor Orta’s priority, with the former hoping to replace the disappointing Junior Firpo.

Kai Wagner is namedropped as someone they are looking at, with the 25-year-old having excelled in the MLS for Philadelphia Union. In his adorning Tweet, he claimed that they hold “interest” in the defender.

Ditch Firpo

In what has been one of the Spanish director of football’s more notorious transfer blunders, the £12.8m deal to bring Firpo to Elland Road ranks high up on that list.

Joining with a fine reputation from Barcelona, he quickly established himself as defensively culpable and an unreliable defender for both Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch.

This has culminated in his 6.30 average rating for this season, with even Pascal Struijk playing out of position to ensure he does not have to feature.

In his potential German replacement, they could gain a fine attacking left-back who boasts more than capable defensive qualities too.

Having already recorded 32 assists in his career, this season has perhaps been his most lucrative as he has provided nine in just one year.

He has earned a 7.48 average rating from Sofascore, which only exacerbates his offensive assets by showcasing his 2.6 key passes per game too. His 1.7 interceptions, 1.6 clearances and 1.4 tackles only serve to sweeten the deal.

It is therefore no surprise to see him labelled “creative and technical” by journalist Ben Jacobs, with this statement only supplemented by the claims of former teammate Aurelien Collin.

He said: “He’s young. He’s a fighter. He’s not scared of the contact, which is something very important in this league, and I think that’s why right now he’s adapted very well.”

With this not being the only rumour linking them to a new left-back, it seems Firpo’s time in Yorkshire could be coming to a close.

Orta could finish what he started by securing the long-term answer to this role to ditch his previous botched attempt.

Since Erik Ten Hag arrived at the helm of the Manchester United ship in the summer, there have already been sweeping changes as the side look to return to former glory at the dawn of this exciting new era.

Casemiro and Christian Eriksen have entered the fray to replace the recently departed Paul Pogba, with the bemoaned central partnership of Fred and Scott McTominay now receiving scant starting minutes as a pair.

In order to continue the club’s resurgence, further additions of genuine quality must be deployed into the midfield ranks, and recent reports from Spain indicate that Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is one maestro that could soon find himself in Manchester red, although he is unlikely to depart the Reale Arena for anything less than his €65m (£56m) release clause.

The 23-year-old has blossomed into a slick cog in his Spanish outfit, and might be seen as a shrewd investment into the Theatre of Dreams for the next chapter of the illustrious history.

Replace Fred

Having made 115 appearances for the Royal since emerging from the youth ranks, the “special” Zubimendi – as lauded by Sid Lowe – has snatched four goals and assists apiece from his industrious role within the Spanish outfit.

And this season he has been an integral force for the Champions League-chasing outfit, scoring a goal and registering two assists from 18 displays.

As per Sofascore, the £51k-per-week phenom has achieved an average rating of 6.94 in the Spanish La Liga this term, a pivotal player in the side’s endeavours as they perch in third place after 15 matches.

His assured passing accuracy of 85% has instilled composure throughout the ranks, while his defensive pedigree is unquestionable with his 1.6 tackles and 1.7 clearances per outing; with a 60% success rate when duelling his opponent, he is a player that would certainly bolster the United ranks.

He must enter the fold, casting the likes of Brazilian marauder Fred out of the system, who has failed to live up to the sizeable £52m price tag after joining from Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.

This season, Fred’s Sofascore rating in the English top-flight sits at 6.81, with the 29-year-old’s 81% passing accuracy, 0.8 tackles and 0.2 clearances all bettered by his Spanish counterpart.

Journalist Josh Bunting once heralded Zubimendi for being the “key element” to his side’s success, and he must channel that energy towards the Red Devils’ fortunes if a prospective bid from John Murtough does indeed materialise.

With the 29-year-old Fred six years Zubimendi’s senior, it appears to be a prudent move to delve into the market and bring the talented star to Ten Hag’s expanding pool of talent, and the changing of the guard must continue here, with Fred having played his part at Old Trafford.

Journalist Beren Cross has reported that Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has complained that the technical area was too small for him at Newcastle amid telling off from officials.

What’s the latest?

In their latest Premier League fixture, the Whites managed to pick up a decent point on the road against high-flyers Newcastle United.

Indeed, the game ended all square as a goalless draw in what turned out to be a bit of a heated encounter, with the two sides caught up in a bit of a brawl towards the end of the game.

Only adding to the drama, it seems Marsch managed to get himself told off by fourth official Craig Pawson after he’d left his technical area to have a word with winger Jack Harrison.

Indeed, Cross noted as much for LeedsLive, writing: “Marsch ventured out of his technical area to give instructions early in the first half. Not to be shackled by the white paint on the grass, the American went a few yards down the touchline to get Jack Harrison’s attention.

“While he got his message across, fourth official Craig Pawson was not happy with his raid down the touchline and had words with him. Marsch was quick to comment on how small the area was and not fit for purpose.”

Marsch the rule breaker

Seeing as Harrison didn’t have the best of days – he was given a 4/10 for his efforts in the LeedsLive player ratings – it’s easy to understand why Marsch was keen to get some kind of message across to the player mid-game.

The American certainly hasn’t been shy of breaking the rules in the past either. For instance, earlier on in the season, he was hit with a touchline ban and a fine by the FA after using improper language during his side’s 5-2 defeat at Brentford.

However, seeing as how that incident resulted in a direct punishment he may have to be careful not to overstep the line – even if he might not be alone in thinking the technical areas in the Premier League are too small, with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta frequently leaving his own one too.