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Wolves could reportedly get the chance to sign Weston McKennie in this month’s transfer window and the USA international could prove to be Julen Lopetegui’s own version of Conor Gallagher at Molineux.

According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato last month, Juventus are keen on signing Rayan Ait-Nouri in the January window and could offer McKennie as a makeweight in any potential deal for the French defender.

The report claims that if Wolves are to consider a swap deal with the Serie A side, they would have to offer around €15m (£13m) to the Old Lady in order to complete the transfer.

Lopetegui recently lost Boubacar Traore to injury and it seems as if midfield signings are a matter of priority for the Spaniard this month after the arrival of Matheus Cunha on loan from Atletico Madrid.

Since joining Juventus from Schalke in 2020, the versatile midfielder has gone on to make 93 appearances for the Italian giants, contributing 13 goals and four assists in that time, so he has plenty of experience playing at the top level for one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Still just 24, McKennie could prove to be a great long-term addition at Molineux, providing excellent competition for Joao Moutinho, Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes in Wolves’ side, so it is easy to see why Lopetegui might consider bringing him to Molineux this month.

When the American starlet was still just a young player coming through the ranks at Schalke, he earned a lot of praise from sporting director Christian Heidel.

He said: “Weston is a very good footballer, but he also has a lot of traits that are very, very important to Schalke. The fans love the way he plays, and the work he puts in. His body language is extraordinary.”

Should he complete a move to Wolves in the current transfer window, he could potentially emulate Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who lit up the Premier League last season on loan with Crystal Palace.

According to FBref, the England international is the second-most similar player to McKennie when compared with other midfielders across Europe’s top leagues.

The midfield duo appear to be extremely competent in front of goal but most importantly, they are box-to-box players capable of influencing play both offensively and defensively with their strong work rate.

The two youngsters have recorded very similar statistics this season with regard to goals per shot on target (both 0.25), passes leading to a shot (both 13) and recoveries (40 vs 38).

This emphasises that they are both all-action midfielders and given Gallagher’s phenomenal form with Palace last season, which saw him earn an England call-up after hitting eight Premier League goals for the Eagles, then Lopetegui would surely be foolish to turn down such a similar player in McKennie.

Insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) are looking to invest in a football club and a side such as West Ham United could fit the bill.

What’s the word?

As per Sky Sports, it was recently reported that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and QSI head Nasser Al-Khelaifi met last week and the subject of investing in the club was discussed among other topics – although Spurs have denied such reports.

QSI own PSG and recently took on 23% of Portuguese side Braga and are said to be looking at ‘football investment opportunities’ around the globe.

In a new update on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex has now explained that the group are looking to acquire a football club with land that could be developed.

He then explained that West Ham fall into that category though there have been no talks between QSI and the Hammers’ ownership at this stage.

He explained: “Qatar Sports Investment is something worth keeping an eye on. They’ve apparently had talks with Spurs about taking over them.

“They’re said to be interested in acquiring a football club or acquiring a football club that has land that could be developed. Of course, West Ham fall into that category.

“And in 2023, I think from April onwards, the board will not face a fine if they sell the club. Now, at the moment, there has been no offer.

“There’s been nothing that’s even looked like being an offer for West Ham. And it’s not even known whether we would actually entertain an offer with [Daniel] Kretinsky now there and [David] Sullivan, still enjoying what he’s doing.”

Time for a change? 

As Ex makes clear, there is no guarantee that West Ham would even be considered as an option for QSI and so fans shouldn’t start to jump to any conclusions just yet – although, Simon Jordan did predict last year (via West Ham Zone) that the club might be sold in 2023.

As well as that, following the recent passing of joint-chairman David Gold, it would be wrong to speculate heavily on what direction the club will take in the near future at this stage.

It will be interesting to see what steps QSI take over the coming weeks though as they seek out a new project to invest in. Of course, Manchester United and Liverpool are both potentially up for sale and so those two Premier League giants may be viewed as more attractive options.

Arsenal are unlikely to land the Barcelona winger, Raphinha, this month with the Brazilian believed to be keen to remain at the Camp Nou.

What’s the latest?

The Gunners were dealt a major transfer blow over the weekend after they saw their main target for the January window, Mykhailo Mudryk, put pen to paper on a deal with Chelsea.

This came after the north London club had made multiple offers to Shakhtar Donetsk but the Blues were able to swoop in and secure the services of the Ukrainian.

And in light of the transfer development, it has been reported that the Gunners could turn their attention to Raphinha as a potential alternative.

However, speaking on the NBC Sports YouTube channel, journalist David Ornstein has played down the speculation suggesting the Brazilian is happy where he is:

(3:00) “But off course, they will have recruitment lists and already you’re seeing reports around possibly Raphinha, who they went for last summer, but my understanding is that his priority is to remain at Barcelona despite their financial position.”

Blow for the Gunners

This will not be the first time Arsenal will have failed in their efforts to sign Raphinha if the 26-year-old is unwilling to leave the Camp Nou this month.

Only in the summer did it appear that Arsenal were coming close to landing the winger from Leeds United before Chelsea hijacked the deal again – only for Barcelona to swoop in and claim him.

But Mikel Arteta has already made it clear that if a player does not want to make the move to Arsenal then they will not continue pursuing them:

“It doesn’t need much convincing and if they do, for me it’s not a good starting point. If I have to convince a player to stay or to join us. To Arsenal? It holds me back a little bit,” he has said previously.

And this could have been a potential opportunity for Raphinha to revive his career after what has been an underwhelming start too life in La Liga.

Since making the move to Barcelona, Raphinha has started just seven games in La Liga and provided a return of just two goals and two assists in the league (via Transfermarkt).

Which is a stark contrast to the 2021/22 campaign the Brazilian had with Leeds United where he provided the Whites with 11 league goals and three assists.

Although there could be some understanding towards potentially wanting to win the league with Barcelona this season, it has to be said, Arsenal would be offering an attractive move given their current league position.

Raphinha’s last game in the Premier League saw him help save Leeds United from relegation and a return could possibly see him lift the Premier League trophy with a potential move to Arsenal.

But at least if he does not want to move, he is not leading Arsenal down the garden path with just two weeks remaining in the January window.

Newcastle United are in the race to sign the Flamengo youngster Matheus Franca this month and Craig Hope has levelled the possible deal as one to watch.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe’s side are yet to bring any new players in this January despite finding themselves in a serious bid for a spot in next season’s Champions League.

However, that does not mean they have not been linked with any potential new signings and Franca is certainly a player who they are believed to be keen on.

And it has recently been suggested that the Toon have actually submitted a proposal to the Brazilian outfit for their 18-year-old which was believed to be worth in the region of €16m (£14m).

Speaking on his latest YouTube video, journalist Craig Hope has suggested this is a transfer which will be worth keeping an eye on in the days to come:

“I’m told there is interest there and talks are at an early stage. That is another one which is active, but perhaps one to watch.”

One to watch

With just over one week remaining of this winter window, there may be some concerns that Newcastle have not yet brought in any new faces to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad.

The Toon sit in a seriously promising position in the league with a spot in the Champions League on the cards this season.

However, there are yet to be any additions made that would provide Howe with some further firepower to see his side over the line and secure their spot in next season’s Champions League.

Although the Toon are said to have submitted a bid believed to be worth in the region of £14m, there have since been reports suggesting Flamengo are looking to hold out for the £18m they desire.

But even if they are to sign Franca, we do wonder what type of role he could play this season if he was to land on Tyneside in the coming days.

After all, this is an 18-year-old who has less than 20 appearances to his name in the Brazilian top flight (via Transfermarkt).

With this in mind, it would perhaps be unfair to consider him a player who could be signed to make a difference immediately in Howe’s matchday squad.

And having seen the young prospect, Garang Kuol, offloaded on loan to hearts of Midlothian already this month, you do have to question whether this could be the case with Franca if he is to sign.

Manchester United are ‘watching’ Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Randal Kolo Muani ahead of a potential move, according to journalist Christian Falk.

The Lowdown: Kolo Muani impressing of late

The 24-year-old is enjoying an impressive season for Frankfurt, scoring five goals and registering 10 assists in the Bundesliga in just 15 appearances.

Kolo Muani came to prominence during the 2022 World Cup, playing three times and scoring once for France, as well as being denied by Emiliano Martinez in the dying seconds of the final against Argentina.

Now, it looks as though the Frenchman could possibly be heading to England, following a new claim.

The Latest: Man United ‘watching’ Kolo Muani

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Falk said that United are eyeing up a move for Kolo Muani, as Erik ten Hag looks to add further attacking options at Old Trafford.

The journalist claimed:

“They’re watching him, of course, but it’s not concrete now. They have a solution now with Weghorst, and then they have to see, but Frankfurt said they won’t sell him in this winter, €100 million won’t be enough. So, you can now see how much they could like in the summer for him.”

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The Verdict: Good for squad depth

There is no doubt that United need to sign a centre-forward for the long-term, even though Wout Weghorst has come in on loan to add depth for the time being.

Kolo Muani could fit the bill excellently, with his all-round game highlighted by his assist tally, showing that he is someone who can link up well with those around him. He has 33 senior club assists in total, along with one in five caps for France.

He has been hailed as a ‘superb’ player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also described his move to Frankfurt as a ‘masterpiece transfer’, such is his ability.

At 24, Kolo Muani should just be coming into his prime years, so the £25k-per-week attacker could be the next piece of the jigsaw for Ten Hag, bringing pace, power and end product to the United forward line.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be set to round off an already impressive transfer window with at least another signing or two as Julen Lopetegui aims to bolster his squad.

According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Old Gold are keen on signing Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli after he has impressed while out on loan at La Liga side Osasuna this season.

The report indicates that Xavi has been following his progress this term and plan on having him in the first-team squad ahead of the 2023/2024 campaign, which could mean a January move for the player is unrealistic.

A summer option could be the most likely outcome if Barcelona decides against keeping him and he could be an excellent fit for Wolves ahead of next season if Lopetegui still remains keen on signing the youngster.

The 21-year-old has played just 12 times this season while out on loan at Osasuna, however, he impressed after breaking through into the Catalan giant’s first team last term, playing ten times while scoring twice, making 0.6 key passes and creating two big chances, suggesting the pressure of playing for Barcelona didn’t faze him.

Xavi described Ezzalzouli, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo as players “bursting with personality” last season as they were making their inroads into the first-team, while the winger is also statistically similar to Hirving Lozano, who has been one of the most consistent forwards in Europe over the previous few seasons.

According to FBref, Lozano is the sixth-most similar player to Ezzalzouli across Europe’s top leagues, and given that the Mexican has registered 109 goal contributions across spells at PSV Eindhoven and Napoli, it certainly isn’t a bad comparison to have.

This season has seen the two players register similar statistics with regard to assists (three to two), shots per match (2.93 to 2.31), goal-creating actions (seven to three), and crosses (34 to 17).

It’s obvious both players pose a clear attacking threat from out wide and while the Moroccan international is still raw, his potential appears to be limitless and he could develop into a winger of the calibre of Lozano in the next couple of seasons if he gains regular game time.

The Wolves faithful may have to wait until the summer for any potential move to materialise, but it could well be worth the wait.

Leeds United have been tipped to seal a late move for Roma midfielder, Nicolo Zaniolo, with the Italy international facing an uncertain future at the Stadio Olimpico.

What’s the word?

Reports earlier today claimed that Whites sporting director Victor Orta had made a loan-to-buy offer for the 23-year-old, with the towering playmaker having also been linked with a £31m switch to fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in recent times.

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the Elland Road outfit could well capitalise on the player’s apparent desire to leave his current side, by making a concrete move before the deadline.

The respected journalist stated: “Leeds could take advantage of a tricky situation but they only wanted a loan and other clubs, including some in Italy, are having a look. We know Zaniolo is stuck between a rock and a hard place because he needs to leave Roma.”

Aaronson upgrade

The addition of Zaniolo could well allow Orta and Jesse Marsch the chance to secure an upgrade on summer signing Brenden Aaronson, with the USA international having been unable to truly make his mark in the playmaking berth so far this season.

Although the 22-year-old’s relentless work ethic has been commendable – as he notably ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for blocks made – he has been unable to offer a greater end product to go with it, having scored just once and laid on only two assists in 22 games in all competitions this season.

For a player that is seemingly meant to be the creative hub of the side, such a limp return is no doubt something of a problem for the Yorkshire outfit, hence the possible desire to provide quality competition in the form of the Roma maestro.

The latter man – who has been described as “such a special player” by journalist Carlo Garganese in the past – has already provided five goal involvements in 17 outings in all competitions, despite a spell out with injury, after previously registering eight goals and nine assists under Jose Mourinho last season.

That difference in attacking threat between the pair is also illustrated by the fact that Zaniolo ranks in the top 4% for total shots and the top 11% for progressive passes received, while Aaronson ranks in just the bottom 14% and the bottom 17% for the same two metrics, respectively.

While Marsch may be inclined to stick by his compatriot – who cost in the region of £24.7m back in May – the evidence would suggest that it is Zaniolo whom the former RB Leipzig coach could really build his team around.

Arguably Crystal Palace’s most prominent talking point after emerging from another Premier League season unscathed last year was the resounding success of loanee Conor Gallagher, who has been of transfer speculation to the Eagles ever since.

While Patrick Vieira assumed the managerial reins in an exciting arrival in the summer of 2021, replacing the sagely Roy Hodgson, he swiftly looked to rewrite the blueprint for success at Selhurst Park, issuing in a newfound fluidity and emphasis on slick, passing play.

However, this season concerns have been raised over the vigour of the current central crop at the club, with sports writer Tom Dutton lamenting the “struggling” midfield after a discernible decline in performance and energy following the break for the 2022 World Cup.

Indeed, Palace have won just one match from eight outings since the World Cup finale, a 2-0 home victory over newly-promoted Bournemouth, having scored just five goals in this period; despite this, the south London outfit perch in 12th place in the Premier League in relative safety.

And in order to achieve the level of performance that was certainly on show last term, clinching Gallagher on a permanent deal after his previous exploits with the Eagles would go a long way towards threading the team back together without seam.

According to 90min’s Graeme Bailey, Palace were among the admirers for the ace in the closing stages of the January transfer window, with Everton submitting a £45m bid amid their own struggles for form, swiftly rejected by the Blues player.

And now, according to The Sun, Chelsea are set to offer their industrious midfielder a new bumper contract to tie him down to Stamford Bridge for the comings years, in a move that could sever the interest and cement his role within a burgeoning squad at Stamford Bridge.

Having made 26 outings this season, scoring a goal and an assist, the 23-year-old is swiftly asserting himself in Chelsea’s affluent team, still evidently held in high regard and with a part to play despite the lucrative spending spree under the ownership of Todd Boehly.

And with his performances with the Eagles last season placing him into the conversation for the Premier League’s most exciting young stars, a return could have been the catalyst for change under Vieira for the remainder of this season.

As per Sofascore, the “machine” – as lauded by Mark Duffy – recorded an average rating of 7.08 last term, scoring eight goals and providing three assists from 33 Premier League starts, averaging 1.5 shots and 1.1 key passes per game and completing 81% of his total passes, also making 2.0 tackles per match.

It is this level of all-encompassing output that Palace are sorely lacking, and despite signing 20-year-old midfielder Naouirou Ahamada from Stuttgart and loaning Sambi Albert Lokonga from Arsenal to find the swagger that was embedded within last year, Gallagher likely would have been the perfect fit.

Lokonga in particular could enhance the collective efforts of the fold, ranking among the top 3% of midfielders for pass completion and the top 10% for progressive passes, indicating a forward-thinking and slick game.

However, the “monster” Gallagher, as once dubbed by Dutton – is playing with far more regularity in a ‘big six’ outfit, and is also Premier League-proven following his performances with the Eagles last term.

The fact of the matter is, while Palace are currently safely above the flagging outfits at the bottom of the table, further lacklustre showings could result in their six-point gap diminishing, leaving a genuine danger of a late relegation battle.

And with Gallagher in the middle over a player of Lokonga’s ilk, reigniting the fire and rekindling the intensity, Vieira would certainly feel more assurance over his side’s prospects of success ahead of the business end of the campaign. Indeed, he would have been a signing to take them to the next level.

Alas, they will have to make do with a midfielder from a different London outfit; over to you Sambi.

Arsenal chief Edu Gaspar earned himself a promotion back in November as he was appointed as the Gunners’ first-ever sporting director, moving up from his role as technical director.

It’s a move that means he is not only overseeing key decision-making processes for both the men’s senior team and the women’s side but also now the famed Hale End academy.

Since making his return to the north London giants, where he once turned out as a player, the Brazilian supremo has enjoyed mixed success in the transfer market, depending on how you assess moves for players such as Willian and club-record signing Nicolas Pepe.

What he cannot be criticised for, however, is his clear progression and improvement since those days because the likes of Benjamin White, Aaron Ramsdale and Martin Odegaard have been glowing successes.

The latter has particularly been an absolute masterclass in the transfer market, with the former Real Madrid wonderkid now the captain of the Gunners following a permanent £30m switch in the summer of 2021.

Since the downturn in form and subsequent departure of Mesut Ozil, Arsenal had lacked a creative playmaker capable of pulling the strings every week and Odegaard has brought that and more.

Still only 24, the Norway international is looking every bit like a massive bargain, just 18 months on from making the long-term switch to Islington.

The £115k-per-week maestro is capable of pulling defences apart with his vision and movement, such is certainly the case as he averaged 2.2 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per outing for the league leaders this campaign.

FBref have likened him to Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne, so perhaps it’s no surprise to see him excel under Arteta, whilst he also ranks very favourably compared to fellow midfielders across Europe’s top five divisions over the last year.

Indeed, Odegaard sits amongst the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists and shot-creating actions, as well as the top 3% for total shots and touches in the opposition box, all per 90 via FBref.

In the Gunners squad, only White (139) has managed more progressive passes than the Norwegian (127) and what he does off the ball often goes unnoticed, ranking fourth for recoveries and joint-second for tackles in the mid-third of the pitch.

Edu has found a player that Arteta can build around for many, many years to come and it’s already paying dividends to the point that the north Londoners are genuine title contenders for the first time in what seems like a generation.

It’s been nearly a decade since the Invincibles-winning triumph, in which the Brazil midfielder was a valuable depth option, and at the forefront of it all this time is his phenomenal transfer steal – Odegaard.

As per FootballTransfers, the Stromgodset graduate – who was hailed as a “unique talent” by Arteta – is now thought to be worth a whopping €54.9m (£50m), some £20m more than they paid only a year-and-a-half ago.

Just imagine what he could then be worth with a Premier League trophy above his head and a winners’ medal swinging from his neck come the two-year anniversary of the masterstroke capture.

AND in other news, Better than Jorginho: Edu must surely rue not bringing “magic” 6 ft 3 “monster” to Arsenal…

Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against bitter rivals Leeds United exposed a notable concern for Erik ten Hag at present, with the lack of a quality number nine having been laid bare as a result of Wout Weghorst’s limp display.

The January arrival – who was described as “really poor” on the night by journalist Samuel Luckhurst – has featured heavily in recent weeks as a result of the continued injury woes of fellow centre-forward Anthony Martial, with the long-serving Frenchman simply unable to stay fit for a consistent period.

While that may be through no fault of his own, it is growing rather tedious that the 27-year-old is frequently absent from the matchday squad, having now made just 14 appearances in all competitions this season, with only nine of those coming from the start.

Although Ten Hag only recently admitted that his team play their “best football” with the former Monaco gen on the field, the lingering frustration is that the £250k-per-week dud is simply too often unavailable for selection.

Even when the 30-cap marksman he has featured, he has still underwhelmed somewhat, with the “lazy” forwards – as described by journalist Josh Bunting – having scored just eight goals in the Premier League since the start of the 2020/21 campaign (less than half of what he managed in 2019/20 alone).

As The Athletic’s Carl Anka pointed out, it is now more than two years since the struggling hotshot last completed 90 minutes in the top flight, with a club harbouring ambitions of returning to trophy-winning standards in need of a far more reliable goalscoring presence.

The Old Trafford outfit could well find their ideal candidate to fill that role in the form of Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen, with The Telegraph’s James Ducker reporting that Ten Hag is “weighing up” a possible move for either the Nigerian ace or Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane.

Should the Dutchman opt to snap up the former Lille predator this summer, he would be securing the services of a player who is in simply sensational form at present, with the 24-year-old having scored 16 goals in just 17 Serie A games this season.

The 6 foot 1 speedster was described by journalist Gianni Visnadi as a “crazy” talent and a “jewel” who has the ability to do “things that others don’t even think about”, having only recently produced a moment of “Pele style” magic – according to Napoli and Brazil legend Antonio Careca – to score in the win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

The “brilliant madman”, as described by Visnadi, has been integral to helping to steer Luciano Spalletti’s side to the top of the table, hence the lack of surprise that he could command a fee of at least £100m come the end of the season.

That price tag has been warranted by the prolific form that Osimhen has showcased throughout his career so far, having scored 83 goals in 173 games across spells in Italy, France, Belgium and Germany, with only his brief stint at Wolfsburg – in which he failed to score – proving something of a letdown.

By contrast Martial has racked up 369 club career appearances to date and boasts a tally of 101 goals in that time, having only reached double figures for league goals during his time in England on three occasions. Osimhen has now done that for five seasons running.

Amid reports from Manchester Evening News that the injury-prone Frenchman could be moved on by Ten Hag ahead of next season after almost eight years at the club, his exit could well be hastened if United can get a deal for Osimhen wrapped up.