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Crystal Palace have reportedly held talks with former Borussia Monchengladbach manager Adi Hutter, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Vieira’s departure

The Eagles officially confirmed Patrick Vieira’s dismissal on Friday, leaving U21s coach Paddy McCarthy to take this afternoon’s Premier League clash with leaders Arsenal.

Palace actually first considered sacking Vieira last February, according to Matt Woosnam, while many inside Selhurst Park were unconvinced by his coaching staff.

The Daily Mail add that those at boardroom level had concerns over his communication ad poor discipline. The club are currently on an unwanted streak of 12 games without a win dating back to New Year’s Eve, with Steve Parish admitting he will not rush when it comes to bringing in Vieira’s successor.

However, reports elsewhere seem to suggest he has already contacted two potential managers, one of which being Hutter.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports shared an update regarding Palace’s search for a new manager in the last 48 hours on Twitter, saying that the Eagles have been in talks with former manager Roy Hodgson, who is the ‘clear frontrunner’. However, they added that the club have also spoken with Hutter.

‘We understand Roy Hodgson is in talks to go back as Crystal Palace manager. We understand they have spoken to a number of candidates that include Adi Hutter who was recently head coach at Borussia Monchengladbach, but Hodgson, at 75 years of age, is the clear frontrunner to take over from Patrick Vieira.’

The Verdict: One to watch?

Hutter, like Hodgson, is currently out of work, so a move could be one to keep an eye on and one that could be finalised very quickly due to his availability.

The 53-year-old likes to play a 3-4-2-1 system and as well as Monchengladbach, has managed Eintracht Frankfurt, BSC Young Boys and Red Bull Salzburg.

Hutter has taken charge of 365 games with those four clubs, winning the double with Salzburg during the 2014/15 season and the league title with BSC Young Boys in 2017/18.

He even has experience of managing sides in the Europa League and in the qualifying stages of the Champions League, so could prove to be a shrewd option in either the short or long term.

However, with Palace now battling to avoid the drop, they may see Hodgson’s previous Premier League experience as key over the coming months to steer the club to safety, before looking at their long-term options in the summer.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is considering his options on the managerial market and could look to hire former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino amid the tumult of the club’s seasonal fortunes.

What’s the latest on Chelsea’s manager search?

Despite clinching a pivotal Premier League victory against Leeds United last time out, Blues boss Graham Potter holds a loose grip on his future in the Stamford Bridge dugout, and despite retaining the backing of the outfit’s American owner.

With just three victories from 16 matches across all competitions and languishing in tenth in the league, reports attributing interest in the likes of Pochettino might bear fruit, with the likes of Football Insider naming the Argentine as one of the key candidates to succeed Potter, should he be handed the axe.

The 51-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season, despite winning Ligue 1 months prior.

Could Pochettino get the best out of Sterling?

During his time with Spurs, despite failing to clinch a major honour – Tottenham have infamously failed to taste silverware since winning the League Cup in 2008 – the aura and identity that was embedded into the outfit, transitioning from European hopefuls to tangible Champions League contenders, crystallised.

According to one tactical analysis, Pochettino’s approach with the Lilywhites heaped onus on innate awareness and constricting movements in breaking the play and buffering the opposing advances.

His emphasis on breaking the lines and vertical progressions allowed the likes of Son Heung-min to flourish; cheetah-quick and fleet-footed, the South Korean forward was signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m in 2015, and over 203 appearances under Pochettino scored 75 goals and supplied 39 assists.

Ballooning his value under his former boss, Transfermarkt rated the 108-cap phenom at £71m when Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham in November 2019, months after historically reaching the Champions League final for the first time in the club’s history.

Given that success, the distinguished leader’s prospective arrival at Stamford Bridge could pay dividends for Raheem Sterling, who has been “struggling” – according to Kyle Bonn – with the Blues since his £47.5m transfer from Manchester City last summer.

The illustrious £325k-per-week England international has scored 113 goals and registered 79 assists from 338 matches in the Premier League, winning the competition four times, but has failed to replicate past feats with lacklustre Chelsea, with four strikes from 18 top-flight contests this term.

However, given both Sterling and Son boast dynamic brilliance in their flanking roles, prolific and creative on their day, he could rekindle his former verve with Pochettino’s – hailed a “top manager” by Pep Guardiola – appointment.

Indeed, considering the success Son had under Pochettino’s wing, channelling and nurturing his potential and becoming a world-class sensation, the manager’s arrival in west London could be a propitious changing of the winds for the 28-year-old Sterling, who has demonstrated with regularity his clinical nature when harnessed aptly.

And with Chelsea desperate for a newfound collective offensive threat, it might just be the move to make if Potter continues to fall short of expectations.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly plotting a potential summer move to try and bring Serbia under-21 striker Petar Ratkov to Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Morelos replacement?

Alfredo Morelos is out of contract with the Premiership giants this summer, with reports that a number of clubs in the Spanish, Italian and Turkish top flights have registered their interests in signing him on a free transfer.

Should he depart, Rangers would need to find a replacement, and it looks as if they have one player lined up already.

The Latest: Ratkov transfer interest

As per Football Insider, Michael Beale’s side are plotting a move for Ratkov this summer and are ‘keeping close tabs’ on his situation at Serbian top-flight outfit FK TSC.

He is on the radar of some top clubs in Europe heading into this summer, and both Anderlecht and Parma had bids rejected for him in the January transfer window.

Rangers have made no enquiries or bids for Ratkov as of yet, but are assessing the player known as the ‘next Mario Mandzukic’.

The Verdict: Get it done

Ratkov will likely be a player in high demand come the summer, so the Light Blues need to try and wrap up this deal as soon as they can.

It is testament to how highly the 6 foot 4 striker is rated that he has been compared to Mandzukic, a Champions League winner with Bayern Munich and a World Cup finalist with Croatia who boasts 230 senior career goals at club and international level.

At just 19 years of age, Ratkov has already played 63 senior matches for TSC, scoring nine goals and supplying three assists, while he has also scored once in four matches at under-21 level with Serbia (Transfermarkt).

He certainly seems to have a bright future, and he could hopefully be a focal point for Rangers for years to come.

Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Athletic has been left thrilled by the Tottenham ‘statement’ signing of Pedro Porro from Sporting CP.

The Lowdown: Spurs complete Porro deal…

Spurs finally completed and announced the capture of Porro on January transfer deadline day after weeks of seemingly non-stop negotiations.

Warnings of Real Madrid summer interest apparently kicked Antonio Conte’s side into action as they successfully agreed a move to sign the Spaniard.

Porro has joined Spurs in an intricately structured deal with the Premier League top-four chasers even selling 15% of former player Marcus Edwards’ rights to Sporting.

The Latest: Pitt-Brooke thrilled…

Reporter Pitt-Brooke, writing on Twitter, has heaped praise on the Lilywhites for getting Porro over the line – calling it a ‘big statement’.

He also says that the signing is an ‘important’ one both ‘on and off the pitch’ – expanding on the latter point in his article for The Athletic by suggesting the move ends years of underdevelopment in that area of the squad.

The Verdict: Huge…

Conte’s need for an attack-minded wing-back option for his preferred back three formation cannot be understated.

Spurs have been bereft of forward quality on the right side, with first choice Emerson Royal only managing one assist in 16 league appearances all season (WhoScored).

Porro, still only 23-years-old, comes as both a long term signing after Conte’s reign has ended and a player perfectly suited to the Italian’s system. The former Man City starlet thrived going forward under Ruben Amorim at Sporting, racking up the Portuguese side’s highest number of league assists before joining Tottenham.

Porro also ranked in their top two for shots at goal and key passes made per 90 in the final third – very impressive statistics for a defender (WhoScored).

This signing, if all goes to plan, could even be the difference between mediocrity and another top four finish, and is sure to ease at least some of the unrest in the stands after fans once again chanted against Daniel Levy in the FA Cup win at Preston last weekend.

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.

Signing Inter Milan pair Denzel Dumfries and Stefan de Vrij would be a massive boost for Tottenham Hotspur, Sky Sports contributor Paul Robinson has claimed.

What’s the word?

Antonio Conte is looking to strengthen his squad, and could raid his former club for the Dutch defensive duo.

De Vrij is out of contract at the end of the season, and Spurs may fancy their chances at landing the centre-back in January, whilst Dumfries still has two and a half years left to run on his deal.

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson claimed that both are necessary in the next two windows to strengthen the Spurs backline.

“Dumfries would make a huge difference,” he stated.

“De Vrij is also a top player but they can probably get away with the centre-halves they have got until the end of the season.

“Right wing-back is one of the top priorities. It’s obvious that Conte is looking in that area.

“If they could get both those players through the door it would be a massive difference. It seems unlikely they would be able to in January though.

“Both players are proven at the very top level. They both know the system so you would expect them to settle in quickly. That is why the manager probably wants them.”

Two necessary targets

Spurs desperately need reinforcements in both areas, with Eric Dier and Emerson Royal both receiving criticism for their poor performances this season, and signing two experienced players could make a huge difference.

Both players can settle quickly to life under Conte, with De Vrij already having experience under the Italian coach, and would arguably provide upgrades on the current Spurs players in their positions.

Dumfries ranks in the top 6% of fullbacks for aerial duels, shots, and attacking penalty area touches, which resembles a significant improvement over Royal, whilst De Vrij would arrive as a title winner with over 350 senior appearances to his name.

If these two arrive at the club in January, then Spurs would stand a much better chance of a top-four finish.

Chelsea appear to be closing in on signing a defender ahead of the January transfer window as Graham Potter looks to strengthen his squad…

What’s the news?

Fabrizio Romano shared an update via his Twitter page regarding Chelsea’s pursuit of defender Benoit Badiashile: “Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Benoît Badiashile from AS Monaco as new centre-back. Official proposal has been submitted — negotiations now in progress 🚨🔵 #CFC.

“Fee discussed around €35/40m with hope to get it done soon. First call, @David_Ornstein. Talks will continue.”

David Ornstein of The Athletic claimed that Badiashile was the leading candidate for Potter and this recent update suggests that the club are now closing in on his signing.

Potter’s dream

The Englishman is looking to assert his own authority on the squad as he looks to bring in his own players ahead of his first transfer window in charge of the side.

Chelsea signed Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer as defensive options, however, the onus is to bring in more young talent. Badiashile is 21 years old and certainly fits the bill with regard to building ahead for the future, while also being able to challenge for a space in the team at present.

The AS Monaco defender has proven his worth this season in Ligue 1, playing 11 matches and helping his side keep three clean sheets.

The youngster also provides a goalscoring threat, netting twice so far this term while also creating a further big chance, and this goal tally is the same as Chelsea’s centre-backs combined this season.

Badiashile has also made an average of 1.5 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and 3.5 clearances per match, while also winning an impressive 1.9 aerial duels per game at a success rate of 72% – proving just how effective he is in the air and this could be extremely useful for Potter.

The Frenchman was praised by talent scout Jacek Kulig last year, saying: “Badiashile is strong, fast, left-footed, tenacious, good on the ball… A definition of a complete centre-back.”

His ever-growing maturity and the fact he has already played 135 matches for the Ligue 1 outfit before he turns 22 suggests he could be an ideal option for Potter going forward, and with Thiago Silva coming toward the end of his career, he could very well replace the Brazilian in the Chelsea squad.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could consider eventually taking the Newcastle United job one day, according to a claim from transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Klopp working wonders at Liverpool

The German has become a legendary figure at Anfield since taking charge in October 2015, inspiring them to both Champions League and Premier League glory, among numerous other trophies.

Klopp has twice been named the world’s best coach, and while Liverpool have dipped below their usual standards so far this season, his standing remains powerful.

An intriguing claim has emerged regarding the 55-year-old’s future, which is where Newcastle come into play amid recent reports that the German is “obsessed” about the Magpies.

The Latest: Jones drops Newcastle claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Klopp could potentially eye up the St James’ Park job one day, even though it is still unlikely.

He said:

“Yeah, possibly. I mean, it might be a good moment in Klopp’s career for that change to come around. I’m not totally convinced that Klopp is obsessed by Newcastle in this moment.

“But of course, as a manager of a top flight team, you’re going to be intrigued by what’s going on because they’re threatening your own side’s position in the league and you probably feel a little bit vulnerable.

“But we should also consider Jurgen Klopp is probably going to fancy the Germany job at some point. I know it kind of gets played down sometimes but I’m sure that will be the next job that is also posted in his direction.”

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The Verdict: Feels unlikely

The job that Eddie Howe is doing at Newcastle means that there certainly shouldn’t be any talk of a new manager at the moment, with the Englishman working wonders at St James’ Park.

That being said, even a mention of Klopp becoming their manager one day is undoubtedly exciting, considering his brilliance at Liverpool and the aura that he possesses.

Nonetheless, it feels likely that he will remain at Anfield for some time yet and then possibly take a break – as Jones says, the Germany job shouldn’t be ruled out – so it would be a surprise if he headed to Newcastle any time soon.

Newcastle United have been closely linked with Stuttgart defender, Borna Sosa, in recent times, with the highly-rated gem potentially set to strengthen the Magpies’ full-back options.

What’s the word?

The Croatia international – who is currently representing his country at the World Cup in Qatar – has seemingly been a long-term target for the Tynesiders, with reports in the summer having suggested that he was on Eddie Howe’s radar.

This has been followed by a recent report from German outlet Bild which has claimed that the northeast side – as well as Serie A duo Inter Milan and Atalanta – are interested in signing the 24-year-old, with the player set to command a fee of around £17m.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke – in an interview with Football FanCast – has now provided his thoughts on that potential move to bring the nine-cap starlet to St James’ Park, suggesting that he could well prove to be an improvement on the Premier League side’s current options.

Asked whether the Zagreb-born ace would be an ‘upgrade’ on both Matt Targett and Dan Burn, the transfer insider stated: “Yeah, I think you would have to say he would be an upgrade.

“He’s an out-and-out left-back. Dan Burn’s done a brilliant job that has to be said for Newcastle at left-back this season,  he’s been part of that really mean Newcastle defence. So it’d be harsh on him if they were to bring in a new left-back”

Big ‘upgrade’

As O’Rourke alluded to, it may well be somewhat ‘harsh’ to dislodge the aforementioned Burn – who has helped form the meanest defence in the league this season after shipping only 11 goals – although Sosa’s quality end product should well make a move a no brainer.

The “outstanding” talent – as described by Stuttgart coach Pellegrino Matarazzo – has proven a truly lethal asset from his wide berth, having produced 31 assists in just 96 games during his time in Germany thus far, including a stunning haul of eight assists in just 11 games this season.

A player who is simply a “weapon” due to his David Beckham-esque delivery, in the words of Sven Mislintat, the 6 foot 2 ace also offers real attacking intent from his full-back or wing-back, as he ranks in the top 10% for progressive passes and in the top 12% for dribbles completed among those in his position in Europe.

Burn, by contrast, has chipped in with just one goal involvement since his arrival from Brighton and Hove Albion back in January, with the towering defender also ranking in just the bottom 23% for progressive passes and only the bottom 6% for dribbles completed, having provided a less glamorous, more robust option at left-back.

While the 30-year-old could well still have a role to play in the side in a central defensive berth, if the ambitious outfit are to kick on and push towards Champions League qualification and major honours moving forward, it could well need a quality ‘upgrade’ such as Sosa to come through the door.

Southampton have been hit with a potential injury blow to young winger Sam Edozie. 

The Lowdown: Busy weekend for Edozie

The 19-year-old had a hectic weekend, featuring for 16 minutes as a substitute in the first team’s 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.

The following day, he was in action for the Saints’ B team as they thumped Middlesbrough 8-1, but he lasted just 34 minutes before his enforced withdrawal through injury.

The Latest: ‘Fingers crossed’ for Edozie

In a tweet on Sunday, Daily Echo journalist Alfie House said: “Understandably, concern at Samuel Edozie’s substitution after 34 minutes for the B team today. Waiting on conclusive update but encouraging to be told he walked off okay to the eye and looked precautionary. Fingers crossed… #SaintsFC.”

Following the aforementioned win over Middlesbrough’s under-21s, Southampton B team manager David Horseman said that the Saints’ coaches didn’t think the injury was a serious one at first, which could be a big relief for first-team manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The Verdict: Hope it’s not serious

After joining Southampton from Manchester City during the summer, Edozie – who Pep Guardiola described as an “incredible” player – has made six substitute appearances for Hasenhuttl’s side in the Premier League.

Across those games, the winger has averaged 1.82 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, which is higher than the likes of Mohamed Elyounoussi (1.79) and Adam Armstrong (1.61). This highlights how much he tried to make an impact in the final third and why this injury worry would be a concern for Southampton.

Despite not yet being able to fully break into the first team and get his first league start of the season, potentially not having the teenager as an option from the bench would still be frustrating for Hasenhuttl

As House mentioned, everyone at St Mary’s will have their fingers crossed that whatever issue the 19-year-old picked up over the weekend is not a serious one and that, unlike fellow youngster Romeo Lavia, he won’t be sidelined for an extended period of time.