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Journalist Ben Jacobs has said that ‘there are legs’ in speculation linking Leeds United with a move for Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Lowdown: Nuno rumours

Nuno appears to be on the Elland Road managerial radar despite the club confirming this week that Michael Skubala will remain in temporary charge.

Reports have suggested that an interview has been held between the Whites and the Al-Ittihad manager, who is a surprise contender to take over in Yorkshire. There has even been speculation claiming that Leeds plan to pay Nuno’s €5m release clause.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs appeared to confirm that Leeds are eyeing the former Wolves and Tottenham manager. However, the journalist then said that moves for either Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard could be a worry.

“There are legs in the Nuno Espirito Santo links and he’s a manager that comes with Premier League experience.

“I think that there’s more of a worry around Lampard or Gerrard. Gerrard is probably, of those two, the one that has been more closely linked because Leeds need a manager with a proven capability of firefighting. It’s not easy to walk into that Leeds United dressing room mid-season.”

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The Verdict: Needed

As Jacobs mentions, Nuno has the Premier League experience that appears to be required at Leeds right now. Without a top flight victory since November, the Whites find themselves in another battle to avoid the drop, with Nuno impressing in Saudi Arabia, winning his last seven games.

Even if the worst was to happen and Leeds were to be relegated back to the Championship, the 49-year-old has experience of guiding a club back to the Premier Legaue, winning the second-tier title at Molineux.

Overall, Nuno has 211 wins as a manager from 428 games, so he could be the ideal candidate at this moment in time after moves for Raul, Carlos Corberan, Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot and Marcelo Gallardo failed to go through.

Transfer expert Christian Falk has backed up reported interest from Everton in signing Hoffenheim central midfielder Dennis Geiger in the summer.

The Lowdown: Everton interest

It was reported earlier this week that Everton are interested in signing Geiger once his contract expires in the summer.

The Hoffenheim academy graduate, who ranks highly on FBRef’s assist and shot-creating metrics, is currently set to leave as a free agent, although a contract extension has not yet been ruled out.

The Latest: Interest ‘serious’

Writing in his latest column for CaughtOffside, Falk has backed up Everton’s interest in Geiger, saying that it is ‘serious’, but they face competition from both Frankfurt and Benfica for his signature:

“Dennis Geiger could become Sean Dyche’s first signing for Everton. There is serious interest there, he’s 24 and is set to become a free agent in the summer.

“Also, Frankfurt and Benfica are interested, so I think there will be competition between Frankfurt and Everton.

“Frankfurt has to act on the position and they need someone but Everton has a bit more money. I think Geiger’s future could be up to these two clubs.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Everton need to make sure that they get this deal done ahead of the competition, as signing Geiger could be a really smart piece of business on a free transfer.

No player in the in the Toffees squad currently averages more key passes per game in the Premier League than he does in the Bundesliga (1.7), while only Idrissa Gueye can match his 86.2% pass accuracy in terms of Blues midfielders.

Lauded as a ‘real live-wire‘ by his former team-mate Sandro Wagner, Geiger would bring a lot of energy into the midfield as well as guile, and at 24 years of age, the Merseyside club simply cannot go wrong with this deal.

Sky Sports News reporter Ben Ransom has revealed Brandon Williams could leave Manchester United on loan before the January window comes to an end.

What’s the word?

With transfer deadline day now upon us, many Red Devils fans will be keeping a close eye on who could potentially be added to Erik ten Hag’s squad in the final hours.

For instance, United are now in talks with Bayern Munich over a loan deal for Austria midfielder Marcel Sabitzer as he could help fill the void left by Christian Eriksen’s long-term injury.

However, the club may also be looking to shift a few players on loan. While speaking about it on Sky Sports News, Ransom explained that he was the only first-team option likely to head out at this stage.

He said (1:08:10): “Brandon Williams though is the one player in the first-team squad – in and around the first-team squad, probably a better way of describing him – who could still leave on loan today.

“It’s whether the United get an option that they deem suitable for him to go and get some first-team football.”

Time to head out

United winger Anthony Elanga has been linked with a move to Barcelona but with Ransom suggesting Williams is likely to be the only loan exit, it looks as though the 20-year-old will be staying put.

The young left-back has played just five minutes of football all season – coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup – and so it’s no shock to hear that the club might be willing to let him go.

At 22 years of age, he really needs to be playing more regular football and he did at least get that on loan at Norwich City last term as he played 26 times in the Premier League.

It remains to be seen as to who might be keen on making a move for Williams and if they can make a good enough offer to United but it sounds as though this could develop in the coming hours.

Sunderland may have to wait until the summer transfer window to sign young Genk forward Andras Nemeth, according to a fresh transfer report.

The Lowdown: Sunderland linked with Nemeth signing

The 20-year-old is struggling to be a key man for the Belgian giants currently, only managing one goal and assist apiece in 15 Jupiler Pro League appearances this season.

Nemeth has been linked with a move to Sunderland in recent times, as Tony Mowbray looks to improve his attacking options at the Stadium of Light.

A new update suggests that the Black Cats may have to bide their time, though.

The Latest: Summer move more likely

According to Het Nieuwsblad [via Sport Witness], Genk ‘do not want to talk about an immediate transfer’ when it comes to Nemeth and teammate Mika Godts, putting paid to a January move happening.

His current team feel he ‘could also be of great value’ to their reserve team in the second half of the season.

The Verdict: Go for him at the end of the season

This is a disappointing update for Sunderland, who may have to been hoping for a January deal, so they may now have to turn their attention elsewhere.

A summer move for Nemeth should still be attempted, however, with the youngster scoring eight goals in 11 appearances for Hungary’s Under-21s, as well as netting in his only senior cap to date.

At 20, he could be a long-term addition, too, maturing as a player and learning from an in-form Ross Stewart at Sunderland, before potentially partnering him in attack.

West Ham United have failed to replicate last season’s Premier League form in this campaign, with David Moyes’ side being dragged into a relegation battle that no supporter would have foreseen during the summer.

They have conceded 24 goals in 18 matches and Moyes will be keen on improving his defensive options during the January transfer window.

One player that could potentially be a great fit at the London Stadium is Manchester United defender Harry Maguire and former England defender Stuart Pearce has endorsed a move for the centre-back while speaking to talkSPORT, saying:

“If I was West Ham, if I was Newcastle, if I was Aston Villa, I’d be all over trying to get Harry Maguire out of there. I’d be asking the question whether he’s available. He’d be a brilliant addition to a football club.

“He’s the right age, the right stature, right experience. He might just need another challenge now as he’s not getting regular football.”

Maguire would be the perfect Ogbonna heir

Ogbonna has played 213 matches for West Ham since joining in 2015, however with his contract expiring at the end of the season and a lack of game times this term, it is likely that he will depart the club.

Maguire would be an excellent addition to Moyes’ defence and with the Englishman making just 12 appearances across all competitions this term, it could be time for him to depart United.

His ability shouldn’t be questioned, especially considering the 29-year-old was superb at the World Cup for England, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.34 across five matches.

He played in a team that kept three clean sheets, while Maguire made 1.4 tackles, 3.6 clearances, and 0.8 interceptions while also winning an impressive 68% of his total duels, proving just how effective he can be when on form.

Former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann once described the 53-cap England colossus as a “mustang”, current United boss Erik ten Hag doesn’t seem convinced by his abilities and this could lead Moyes to lure the player to London in search of regular game time.

He still has plenty of years left in the tank and could become a cornerstone at West Ham, with slightly less pressure and more minutes of action, Maguire could finally replicate his national team form at club level.

Tottenham Hotspur have been backed to win the race to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol by pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Gvardiol interest

After a very impressive World Cup with national side Croatia, Gvardiol has emerged as one of the most sought-after young defenders in the world, with Tuttosport detailing that Tottenham are one of the clubs who are currently interested.

However, there are thought to be many suitors across the continent, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Manchester City all said to have the centre-back on their radar.

The latter have taken it one step further by submitting a bid worth £87m, and they are willing to increase that offer to £110m, as per the Daily Mirror (via Sky Sports), but McAvennie still believes that Tottenham could be a more attractive proposition…

The Latest: Spurs > City?

In an interview with Football Insider, McAvennie points towards a potential lack of game time at City as a reason why the Croatian could instead opt for a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:

“I can tell you right now that is what Tottenham need.

“They should spend that money on a centre-half. I think they have been lacking in those positions.

“I do not know if I would want to go to Man City. He will be in and out.

“They have got some good players at City and there are already three or four top players fighting for two positions there. Why would another want to go into the mix?

“If he thinks he can go there and nail down a place then fair enough. But I would want to leave after a year if I could not get a place.“

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The Verdict: Amazing if possible

Given that Man City are not averse to spending big money on talented players, as highlighted by them breaking the British transfer record to bring Jack Grealish to the club in a £100m deal, it would be very hard for Spurs to compete for Gvardiol.

McAvennie makes the point that the 6 foot enforcer may not receive enough game time at City, however that is not likely to be the case, given his ‘superb’ form (Henry Winter – The Times).

The 20-year-old featured in all seven matches for his country in Qatar, and was a key factor in his side achieving a third-placed finish, scoring a goal and recording a 91% pass accuracy in a 2-1 victory against Morocco.

If Antonio Conte was provided with the funds to sign the colossus, he would prove to be an amazing signing, however it is unlikely that Spurs will be able to compete with Manchester City.

Tottenham could make a move for France forward Marcus Thuram and a ‘surprise’ January transfer cannot be ruled out, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Paratici planning for January?

Despite the signings of Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie over the summer, Spurs have been tipped to be active again in the winter transfer window.

Antonio Conte’s side currently sit fourth in the Premier League table but have endured a mix run of form as of late, losing three of their last five top-flight games and conceding 11 goals in that time.

As such, it’s clear that the north Londoners could need to strengthen their options mid-season, with an update now emerging on their links with Thuram.

The Latest: Spurs could move for Thuram…

The Borussia Monchengladbach star, who is currently representing Les Bleus at the World Cup in Qatar and featured twice for his nation so far at the tournament, is apparently attracting interest from Spurs.

According to journalist Ignazio Genuardi, the Lilywhites could spring a ‘surprise’ January transfer as they line up a move for Thuram.

He explained (via Twitter): “Courted by a slew of European formations, M. Thuram could wait until next summer to pack his bags, but a surprise cannot be ruled out this winter. According to some indiscretions, Tottenham could give it a try in January.”

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The Verdict: Make it happen?

Dubbed a ‘crazy’ talent by former Gladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, the 25-year-old has really come into his own at club level this season.

As per WhoScored, he is currently the Bundesliga side’s best-performing player by average match rating and has scored a brilliant tally of 10 goals, with three assists on top of that.

He has also averaged a highly potent 3.7 shots per game in the league, more than any of his team-mates, with it being crystal clear that Thuram could add a much greater attacking threat for Conte in the final third.

It’s now over to Tottenham’s sporting director Fabio Paratici, who will surely be busy behind the scenes in the lead-up to January.

Tottenham Hotspur’s sights are set on finding a successor to the long-serving Hugo Lloris and a surprising name has emerged as a potential target…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb, Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte is very interested in Juventus’ £10m goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and would like to bring him back to north London, some five years after leaving arch-rivals Arsenal.

The Poland international – who is in line to start at the World Cup this week – is out of contract in the summer of 2024 and it’s thought that the Old Lady aren’t willing to offer him an extension at this moment in time, meaning he could even be sold.

That’s because the Serie A giants have already lined up Empoli’s Guglielmo Vicario as his replacement. However, it remains to be seen exactly how much the 32-year-old would command, with his current value in the region of €20m (£18m), per CIES Football Observatory.

Lloris successor

Szczesny was a divisive figure for the Gunners throughout his 11-year association with the club – some considered him a fan-favourite but others thought he was something of a “liability”.

He eventually lost his place to David Ospina because of his erratic nature between the sticks.

Indeed, former Juve great Stefano Tacconi slammed the Pole for his performances whilst on loan to AS Roma. He said to Gazzetta TV (via the Independent): “He’s a good goalkeeper, there’s no doubt about that,” before adding: “But he’s an uncontrollable lunatic – he’s completely mad. And for this reason, he’s a risk.”

The 6 foot 5 veteran has certainly turned things around as he has now been the no.1 at the Allianz Stadium for a little over four years, replacing the legendary Gigi Buffon, and is set to feature at his second World Cup and fifth major international tournament.

That evolution is probably best surmised by Spurs’ current sporting director Fabio Paratici, who was the man to bring Szczesny to Juventus. He once described the shot-stopper as ” one of the best goalkeepers in the world” to reporters in 2020.

As per FBref, the former Arsenal graduate has the second-best save percentage (85.7%) of any keeper in the Serie A this season, and has conceded the fewest goals per 90 (0.35) of any glovesman too.

Whilst Lloris will always be remembered as a “legend” for his devotion to Spurs, there’s no denying that some of his own displays have been questionable the older he has gotten and at 35, it certainly would be wise to plan for life after the £100k-per-week stalwart.

Szczesny may be a controversial signing but Paratici has got it right with several questionable signings from the Italian top-flight, where both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur were heavily out-of-sorts.

The former foe could therefore be a surprise successor to Lloris, if Conte’s interest is genuine.

AND in other news, Spurs still keen on £40m “exciting talent”, he could be a surprise World Cup sensation…

Journalist Lionel Piguet has claimed that Celtic’s move for Yuki Kobayashi is already a ‘done deal’ heading into the New Year.

The Lowdown: Kobayashi links

Reports towards the end of October suggested that the Hoops were in talks with Vissel Kobe over a move for Kobayashi. The club are hoping to sign the 22-year-old during the January transfer window, with the player’s current contract set to expire over the coming months.

It looks as if Celtic have made good progress in discussions with the J1 League side, with Kobayashi potentially becoming the latest Japanese player to move to Glasgow.

The Latest: Journalist’s claim

Piguet, who covers Japanese football, has taken to Twitter over the last 48 hours to provide an update on Celtic and Kobayashi.

He claimed that ‘Kobayashi to Celtic is a done deal’ and congratulated the Hoops for signing ‘an excellent player’.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Kobayashi appears to be a clever player for his age, with A-League writer Sacha Pisani hailing the defender, saying that he is ‘good in the air’ and ‘reads/anticipates game well’.

An out-and-out centre-back, he’ll be able to provide competition to the club’s four current senior options under Ange Postecoglou, one of which is loanee Moritz Jenz.

It could turn out to be another shrewd move by the Hoops, and if Kobayashi can have a similar sort of impact to Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate at Parkhead, then you’d expect that a transfer will be looked back on as a good one by everyone involved at the club.

Aston Villa’s underwhelming start to the Premier League season continued following their draw against Leeds United last Sunday.

Steven Gerrard has led his side to just two league wins all season and the pressure appears to be building ever so steadily, and unless Villa can find a rich vein of form before the season halts due to the 2022 World Cup in six weeks, he might be out of a job.

A trip to Nottingham Forest on Monday now awaits the side and it represents an ideal chance for Gerrard to secure a much-needed three points.

The manager has also been handed a double injury boost ahead of the tie too, with Matty Cash and Calum Chambers nearing a return to action.

Aston Villa handed an injury boost

The 42-year-old was speaking to the press ahead of Monday night’s match, saying:

“We’ve got Matty Cash back in full training, he’s been fine all week so he will be available for selection.

“Calum Chambers has done half the session today and we expect him to continue training up until Monday so he’ll be a welcome boost back alongside Cashy.”

This news will surely give Gerrard a significant boost, especially considering his issues in defence. An injury to Diego Carlos against Everton in August was a big blow.

Ashley Young has been deputising for Cash and with an average SofaScore rating of 7.3/10, might feel hard done by if the Polish international comes straight back into the team.

Having Chambers back will also please the manager and give him more options ahead of the Forest tie.

The 27-year-old has only played twice in the league this season but proved that he could be a useful asset to the team. Chambers made 1.5 interceptions, won one tackle, and made just one foul per match while winning 100% of his aerial duels.

Winger Leon Bailey might miss the match, while Luda Augustinsson is ruled out for three weeks so Gerrard isn’t out of the woods yet when it comes to injuries, but having Cash and Chambers back should hopefully soften the blow.