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Newcastle United have made an approach for a Premier League player with a "huge future" in the game, according to an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

Newcastle planning around FFP concerns

The Magpies are still looking to complete some important business in the coming days, ensuring their squad looks as strong as possible for the second half of the season despite a quiet window so far. Newcastle certainly haven't looked short of options to bring in during the January transfer mania, given the amount of rumours doing the rounds, and one report has claimed that they could hijack Crystal Palace's move for highly-rated Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton.

Chelsea middle man Conor Gallagher has also been backed to a make a move to St James' Park, with the England international possibly able to leave the Blues in the near future due to their own issues with Financial Fair Play. Manchester United youngster Omari Forson is reportedly wanted by the Magpies, too, but rivals Sunderland are also believed to be interested.

The club of course have to be careful to navigate around Profit and Sustainability restrictions, but they have now turned their attention to an interesting target from a Premier League rival.

Jacob Ramsey transfer update

According to The Athletic's Ornstein on X, Newcastle have made an approach for Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, but aren't the only big club showing an interest in signing him.

Tottenham and Bayern Munich are also name-checked as potential suitors for the Englishman, who has emerged as a top talent at Villa Park in recent years. Ramsey could be a great signing by Newcastle if they manage to get a deal over the line, but that is unlikely to be easy, with Villa no doubt seeing him as a prized asset who will only be allowed to leave for huge money.

Injuries have disrupted the 22-year-old's season overall, but he has still made his park for Unai Emery's high-flying side, making ten appearances in the league and scoring once along the way.

Jacob Ramsey key career stats

Appearances

Goals

Aston Villa

115

13

Aston Villa Under-23s

27

8

Aston Villa Under-18s

38

16

England Under-21s

16

4

At 22, he is at a really good age to come in and be a special signing for the Magpies, with years very much on his side but enough experience under his belt to be a key squad player from the moment he arrives. Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher once lauded him earlier in his Villa career under Steven Gerrard, saying:

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"There is no better teacher than Steven Gerrard and he (Ramsey) looks like another off the conveyor belt. If he could get anywhere close to Gerrard’s level, then he’s got a huge future."

Related Club worried Newcastle could hijack transfer to sign highly-rated player

He possesses one “super strength” in his game.

Posts ByHenry Jackson

Signing Ramsey will not be easy – he has the same agent as Anthony Gordon, which may help smooth connections between the parties, but his current Villa deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2027, so it would feel like a major coup if Newcastle struck a deal for him, whether that be in the January or summer transfer window.

Celtic officially completed their first piece of incoming business during the January transfer window on Tuesday as they announced the signing of Nicolas Kuhn.

The 24-year-old forward has been signed from Austrian side Rapid Wien on a five-and-a-half-year deal for a reported to be within the region of £3m.

23/24 Bundesliga

Nicolas Kuhn (via Sofascore)

Appearances

16

Goals

Two

Assists

Five

Big chances created

11

Sofascore rating

7.22

There are still around two weeks left to go before the window slams shut and the Hoops are reportedly in the market to make further additions to their squad.

Football Insider recently reported that Brendan Rodgers would like to bring in three signings on top of the deal to snap Kuhn up from Austria.

The former Leicester City boss has identified three other positions that need to be addressed; goalkeeper, left-back, and centre-forward ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Celtic's search for a left-back

According to FootballScotland, the Hoops are interested in a swoop to sign impressive young full-back Owen Beck from Premier League side Liverpool.

The report claims that the talented youngster, who spent the first half of the season on loan with Dundee, has been on the club's radar since October.

It states that the Bhoys remain keen on a deal for the Reds academy graduate but look set to be made to wait as Jurgen Klopp weighs up the best way to go about dealing with his left-back situation.

Kostas Tsimikas and Andrew Robertson are currently out injured and this has left the German head coach with a dearth of options in that position, which has forced Joe Gomez to be deployed there in recent weeks.

Liverpool recalled Beck from his loan spell from Dundee to provide much-needed cover for their first-team. However, FootballScotland add that the Europa League side could send him back out on loan if Robertson or Tsimikas return before the end of the month.

This suggests that Celtic could have an opportunity to snap up the Welsh dynamo to bolster their left-hand side before the transfer window slams shut, if they remain patient.

A potential issue with that is that the Hoops could wait until near deadline day and then be left scrambling around to sign an alternative if Liverpool ultimately decide that they would rather keep Beck at Anfield until the end of the season.

The report also claims that fellow Scottish side Glasgow Rangers are also eyeing up the 21-year-old prospect, which means that there could be competition to land his signature if he does become available for a loan or permanent transfer.

If Rodgers and Celtic are able to snap up Beck to add to their left-back options before the window slams shut, the Liverpool whiz could supercharge current Hoops forward Luis Palma.

Luis Palma's outstanding start to life in Scotland

The Honduras international has made 21 of his 22 Celtic appearances on the left flank and this means that he would line up ahead of the Reds youngster in the team.

Palma joined from Aris ahead of the 2023/24 campaign after an impressive season with the Greek side as a scorer of goals from the flank.

He produced 11 goals and four assists in 20 league appearances for the club and that convinced the Hoops to swoop to secure his services last summer.

Since his move to Parkhead, the 24-year-old whiz has been electric on the wing for the Scottish giants with his ability to score and create goals at an excellent rate.

Only three players – David Turnbull (seven), Kyogo Furuhashi (eight), and Matt O'Riley (ten) – have scored more Scottish Premiership goals than Palma (five) for Celtic this season.

Meanwhile, no Hoops player has provided more assists than the impressive forward (nine) as he has been Rodgers' biggest creative threat at the top end of the pitch.

The former Aris star has racked up nine assists, 11 'big chances' created, and 3.4 key passes per game across 17 appearances and 14 starts in the top-flight so far.

Palma is capable of the spectacular and has been a consistent contributor in the final third. However, Rodgers could supercharge his star forward by signing Beck to bolster the attacking quality down the left flank.

Why Beck could help to supercharge Palma

The 21-year-old whiz is already a proven Premiership performer, thanks to his loan spell with Dundee, and could hit the ground running at Parkhead as he already knows the division and has performed to a high level in it.

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Beck caught the eye with his marauding displays down the left wing for the Scottish outfit as he showcased his quality in and out of possession.

Defensively, the £2.8k-per-week talent produced consistently solid performances with 2.9 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per match. No current Celtic full-back has averaged more than 2.1 tackles or 0.4 interceptions per game in the Premiership this season.

This suggests that the Liverpool prodigy could cut out more opposition attacks to win possession back for his side in comparison to the likes of Alistair Johnston and Greg Taylor, which could create more counter-attacking opportunities for Palma to stretch his legs and cause havoc in transition with his creative brilliance.

Beck, who was once hailed as "spectacular" by scout Jacek Kulig, could also provide quality in possession and help the winger by offering a threat at the top end of the pitch that could attract more attention from opposition defenders and open up more space for the right-footed left forward to cut inside.

23/24 Premiership

Owen Beck

Greg Taylor

Touches per game

55.5

99.5

Key passes per game

2.0

1.9

Crossing accuracy

31%

15%

Dribbles completed per game

1.4

0.6

As you can see in the table above, the former Dundee star created more chances, completed more dribbles, and was far more effective as a crosser despite almost having half as many touches of the ball per match as Taylor.

Imagine what Beck could do if he had 44 more touches per game for Celtic than he had during the first half of the season in the Premiership.

His attacking output could be staggering and that is another reason why the Hoops target could supercharge Palma as the left-back could create a high volume of chances for the winger to add to his goal tally and climb the ranks within the squad, ahead of the likes of Turnbull, Kyogo, and O'Riley.

Tottenham have set their sights on signing an alternative to the heavily-linked Conor Gallagher after they seal a deal for Genoa star Radu Dragusin.

Spurs aiming to seal Dragusin deal

Spurs are still hoping to seal a deal for Dragusin in January after reliable media source Fabrizio Romano shared news of them already agreeing personal terms this week.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini

The centre-back appears to be chairman Daniel Levy and co's top centre-back target as manager Ange Postecoglou makes strengthening that area of the squad a real priority this month. The Lilywhites have been hamstrung by injuries to both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, two of Postecoglou's first choice centre-backs, with Spurs regularly forced to use Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as makeshift options.

As a result, Tottenham are in advancing talks to sign Dragusin after having a loan bid rejected (Football Insider), but Serie A side Napoli are apparently lingering in the background with their own interest.

Conor Gallagher interest as Spurs eye new midfielder

Amid reports Chelsea could be forced to sell star midfielder Gallagher, Spurs have been credited with an interest in the Englishman who has really impressed under Mauricio Pochettino.

Gallagher, according to WhoScored, stands out as Chelsea's best-performing player by average match rating so far this season – starting 19 league games and registering four assists in that time.

Tottenham reportedly believe Gallagher is "perfect" for Postecoglou's system, but his apparent £50 million price tag could be a real sticking point where Levy is concerned. Therefore, alternatives may well be looked out for, and Royal Antwerp sensation Arthur Vermeeren is apparently one of them.

Tottenham set sights on signing Vermeeren

The midfielder has been in excellent form this season, earning call-ups to Belgium's star-studded national team squad. This has attracted Postecoglou's attention, with a report by Tottenham News claiming Spurs have set their sights on signing Vermeeren.

Sources have told the outlet that scouts believe he has the potential to be another Christian Eriksen with the way he plays, and the 18-year-old is wanted by a host of clubs in England.

Tottenham boss Postecoglou would also likely welcome the signing in January, especially considering their shortage of numbers in midfield, with both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr off to AFCON. There is little else added beyond that, but other reports have claimed Antwerp value him at around £20 million.

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Vermeeren is garnering a stellar reputation across Europe following his displays in the Jupiler Pro League this term, with journalist Graeme Bailey telling the Talking Transfers Podcast that Antwerp have a "little superstar" on their hands.

"This guy is special," said Bailey.

"Antwerp have a little superstar on their hands here in Arthur Vermeeren. He really is, from what I’m being told speaking to scouts, they think he’s special. Our understanding is that Man City, Arsenal and Tottenham have all enquired about him, so have Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Juventus, Barcelona as well who looked in the summer at him."

Leeds United have the opportunity to improve their playing squad this month as the January transfer window officially opened for business on Monday.

The Whites could look to add more quality to their group of players in the hope that it propels them into the automatic promotion places over the next five months.

They were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season and are vying to secure an instant return to the top-flight this year.

However, Daniel Farke's side are currently fourth in the division and seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place, which shows that they have plenty to do to finish inside the top two.

This suggests that they are in need of an addition or two to boost their efforts and one player who could be an excellent signing for Leeds is Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos.

Latest Leeds transfer news

Speaking on CaughtOffside's YouTube channel earlier this week, reporter Ben Jacobs named the Whites as one of the clubs who could be in the market to land the Blues prospect.

The journalist claimed that Premier League side Crystal Palace are interested in the Brazilian youngster but there is also interest from teams in the Championship.

Santos was recently recalled by Chelsea after a failed loan spell with Nottingham Forest in the top-flight during the first half of the campaign and this has opened the door for another club to swoop in for his services.

Jacobs named Ipswich Town as a team to watch out for in the race to sign the 19-year-old battler but also claimed that Leeds could be part of the race.

Archie Gray started the season as a defensive midfield option for Farke but has since established himself as the first-choice right-back option for the German head coach.

The 17-year-old talent has been a consistent performer, in spite of his young age and inexperience, at full-back for Leeds and this has meant that he has not been available to the manager in the middle of the park.

This has left Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, and Ilia Gruev as his only natural central midfield players to call upon, which is why the Whites could be in the market to add another number eight to the group before the end of the window.

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Posts ByLuke Randall

Farke must now push the club to strike a deal with Chelsea to bring Santos to Elland Road on loan for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

The former Norwich City head coach enjoyed great success in the loan market in his last promotion success in the Championship with the signing of Ollie Skipp on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

He could now repeat that masterclass with another impressive loanee from a top-flight club in the middle of the park, as Santos could be his next version of the Spurs prodigy this year.

Skipp's Norwich career in numbers

The now-23-year-old spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Norwich in the second tier to gain valuable first-team football in Norfolk under Farke.

He went on to play an integral role in their title success as the Canaries were promoted up to the Premier League, partly thanks to Skipp's fantastic performances in midfield week-in-week-out.

The Spurs youngster played 45 of their 46 league matches throughout the season and caught the eye with his defensive solidity in front of the back four and his progressive passing in possession.

Skipp averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions per match for the Yellows and came out on top in 56% of his duels in the middle of the park, which shows that he held his own in physical contests.

He ranked within the top 19% of Championship midfielders that season for tackles (2.33) and the top 22% for blocks (1.33) per 90, which illustrates how impressive he was at cutting out opposition attacks and putting his body on the line for the team.

The Norwich star also showcased his ability on the ball with a pass accuracy of 87.6%, which placed him within the top 1% of midfielders. Skipp was also within the top 28% of his positional peers for progressive passes (4.86) per 90.

These statistics show that the England U21 international made an impact in and out of possession for the Canaries with his defensive interventions and his progressive, and reliable, passing.

The statistics that show why Santos could be Skipp 2.0

Farke could now unearth his next Skipp in Santos as the teenage dynamo has the potential to offer similar qualities in midfield for the Leeds boss.

The 5 foot 11 starlet has not had an opportunity to showcase his ability in English football as of yet but his previous form for Brazil U20s and Vasco da Gama in his home country suggests that the talent is there.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a "pressing machine" and that is backed up by his impressive defensive statistics for club and country.

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At the U20 World Cup in 2023, Santos started five matches for Brazil and caught the eye with an outstanding 5.2 tackles and interceptions per game.

2023 U20 World Cup

Andrey Santos (via Sofascore)

Appearances

Five

Sofascore rating

7.40

Goals

Two

Duels won per game

7.4

Key passes per game

1.8

No Leeds player, in any position, has managed more than 3.5 tackles and interceptions per match in the Championship this season, which illustrates how impressive the Brazilian gem's performances were at that tournament.

Santos also averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 38 Serie B appearances for Vasco da Gama as an 18-year-old in 2022.

These statistics show that the Chelsea prospect has the defensive quality to come in as a Skipp-esque figure for Farke as a central midfielder who can provide an outstanding shield in front of the back four.

The 19-year-old whiz also has the potential to make an impact in possession. During the 2022 Serie B campaign, Santos plundered eight goals and created four 'big chances' in his 38 matches.

This suggests that he is a dynamic midfielder who can push forward to join in with the attack to be a difference-maker in the final third, to go along with his impressive defending.

Therefore, Farke could unearth his next Skipp by signing another fantastic defensive midfielder on loan from a Premier League club to bolster a Championship promotion push.

West Bromwich Albion are experiencing an up-and-down run of form in the Championship at present, unable to find consistency with a win, a loss and a draw in their last three matches.

Carlos Corberan's Baggies do still find themselves in a strong position in the league regardless of their patchy recent form, occupying fifth position in the division with promotion aspirations still at the forefront of their minds.

The West Midlands outfit will hope that potentially picking a victory away at Middlesbrough tomorrow can kickstart a sequence of results that sees them consolidate their playoff spot further, putting recent poor displays firmly to one side.

Corberan could change his lineup slightly for the trip to the Riverside Stadium, with Grady Diangana one of two players who could drop out, following the recent draw with Stoke City.

1 GK – Alex Palmer

Corberan will stick by his number one goalkeeper Alex Palmer for the game away at Boro, despite the Baggies keeper making an uncharacteristic error against Stoke.

Palmer was caught out by a Lynden Gooch cross somehow looping over his head against the Potters into the back of the net, but won't be dropped despite this lapse in concentration owing to the Baggies number 24 picking up ten clean sheets this season in the league.

2 RB – Darnell Furlong

Darnell Furlong will also remain in Corberan's lineup for the game versus Michael Carrick's side this Saturday, the dependable right-back excellent versus the Potters with six of his seven ground duels won.

3 CB – Kyle Bartley

Kyle Bartley will also be retained for the tricky away match at the Riverside, dominant in the air against Stoke with seven of his nine aerial duels won.

When Bartley has played this season, the 32-year-old has helped his team pick up eight clean sheets. Can he add a ninth to his season tally tomorrow?

4 CB – Cedric Kipre

Cedric Kipre is the next component of an unchanged defence, the 27-year-old coming into his own this season after finding himself on the periphery at the Hawthorns in the not-so-distant past.

The imposing defender was rock solid versus Stoke once more, making a combined five interceptions and tackles whilst rarely wasting a pass out from the back by losing possession just six times.

5 LB – Conor Townsend

Conor Townsend is the last part of the settled Baggies back four, the 30-year-old important in shutting out Stoke after their fortuitous opener.

Townsend was 100% successful with all of his duels in the draw, a tough nut to crack alongside similarly resolute defenders at the Hawthorns.

6 CM – Jayson Molumby

The first change Corberan could make to his lineup for the trip to Boro is swapping out Okay Yokuslu for Jayson Molumby, giving the Irishman another opportunity at the expense of his usually reliable number 35.

Yokuslu wasn't at his best against Stoke, winning just two duels in the contest in a weak display from the midfielder.

Bringing Molumby into the side could give the Baggies an injection of energy to steer the Championship club to three points, the West Brom number eight needing to impress to reinvigorate his stuttering career at the Hawthorns before it fizzles out further down the line.

7 CM – Alex Mowatt

Alex Mowatt will more than likely start even if his midfield partner Yokuslu does face the chop by Corberan, the former Leeds United midfielder quiet but involved in many passages of play from a holding role versus Stoke.

Mowatt would only misplace four of his passes all game against the Potters, amassing one key pass for his efforts.

8 RM – Tom Fellows

With Grady Diangana continuing to blow hot and cold for the Baggies in recent matches, Corberan could look to start exciting youngster Tom Fellows in his place in a bid to shake up West Brom going forward.

Diangana was notably below-par in the draw against Stoke last match, hauled off by his manager on the 71st-minute mark after losing possession 16 times in the contest to the potential detriment of his side.

Fellows could benefit from the Baggies number 11 continuing to put in uninspiring shifts, highly rated at the West Midlands club with Darren Byfield – who had a part to play in Fellows' development at Crawley Town when the 20-year-old was loaned out to the League Two outfit – also describing Fellows' ability as "unbelievable."

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Further described as a "get-off-your-seat" style figure by Byfield in more glowing praise, the young winger will hope he can fill in adequately for an out-of-sorts Diangana if picked and be an explosive presence.

9 CAM – Jed Wallace

Played down the flanks and up top this season, Jed Wallace has also been used just behind the lone striker in a central attacking position too.

The experienced EFL figure enjoyed playing in this role last game, accumulating three key passes in the contest to try and help his team pick up a second goal to go on and claim a win.

The 29-year-old has notched up three assists as the main creative spark for Corberan's men this season, hopeful of adding a fourth to his tally against Michael Carrick's side at the weekend.

10 LM – Jeremy Sarmiento

Jeremy Sarmiento is loving life with West Brom at the moment, getting plenty of game time in the West Midlands owing to first-team regular Matt Phillips being out with a serious hamstring injury.

The Brighton loanee's wonder strike away at Cardiff City in November is still the standout moment from his Baggies stint to date, but the tricky South American winger was lively against Stoke last time out too.

Firing five efforts at Jack Bonham's goal in total – Sarmiento unafraid to test the Stoke keeper as a gung-ho attacker – the 21-year-old will hope he can find the back of the net away at the Riverside to add another strike to his Baggies account in the second tier.

Despite some initial hope following an impressive pre-season and opening-day draw with Liverpool, Chelsea are stumbling through a miserable Premier League campaign for the second year on the bounce.

The Blues finished in 12th place last season, and after 16 games this year, they find themselves in precisely the same position, only this time they have Mauricio Pochettino in charge.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has struggled to turn his crop of promising youngsters into a clinical team capable of winning the league, but the latest player linked to Stamford Bridge, Ivan Toney, could help him change that.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington

The Brentford man could add some much-needed bite to the attack and form a lethal partnership with Cole Palmer, one of the few bright sparks in Chelsea's season.

Chelsea transfer news – Ivan Toney

According to The Guardian, Chelsea are once again set to dip into the transfer market in 2024 as Pochettino eyes a 'top striker' to help give his squad some end product, with Toney being one of the main men on his wishlist.

The Bees forward is still serving his eight-month betting ban but would be available to play again in mid-January, lining up perfectly for him to kick on at a new club.

While there is an element of risk in signing a player who hasn't played football for over half a year, Toney's 20 goals in 33 league appearances last season should go some way in quelling those concerns.

However, the most significant obstacle to this deal's completion is likely to be the price. Sky Sports has reported that Brentford will only sell their star striker should someone match their £100m valuation, which is a huge commitment, even for Todd Boehly and co.

With that said, the prospect of seeing one of the country's most clinical strikers linking up with Palmer should be enough to convince the board.

Ivan Toney could be the dream partner for Cole Palmer

There is no getting away from just how poorly the first third of the season has gone for Chelsea this year. The club are currently closer to the relegation zone than the top four, and were it not for Everton's ten-point deduction, they would be down in 13th place.

However, Palmer's arrival from Manchester City towards the end of the summer window has been the only thing fans can cling onto as the Manchester-born dynamo has already made himself arguably the team's most important player in a matter of months and at just 21 years old.

In his nine Premier League starts for the club, he has scored five goals and provided two assists for his teammates, and it would likely have been more were the players around him as clinical as Chelsea forwards are supposed to be.

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When looking at the pair's underlying numbers, it becomes crystal clear that with Toney, dubbed a "monster" by Brentford boss Thomas Frank, leading the line and the "magnificent" Palmer, as described by Alan Shearer, either on the wing or behind, the Blues would be a dramatically more dangerous proposition for opposing teams.

Ivan Toney & Cole Palmer

Stats

Toney

Palmer

Goals

20

5

Assists

4

2

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists per 90

0.56

0.54

Progressive Passes per 90

2.41

7.04

Progressive Carries per 90

0.61

3.78

Shot-Creating Actions per 90

2.01

4.47

All Stats via FBref for the 2022/23 & 2023/24 Premier League Seasons

Both players produce spectacular non-penalty expected goals and assist numbers, while Palmer's progressive passing could practically gift Toney the Golden Boot alone.

Ultimately, it would require another massive investment from the Chelsea board, but with how they have spent in previous transfer windows, they simply must go again and finally secure the striker that can fire the Blues back up the table.

Chelsea are one of the clubs who are firmly in the running to sign an exciting teenage forward in the near future, according to a fresh report that has emerged this week.

Chelsea's summer arrivals

The Blues recruited 12 fresh faces in total during the previous transfer window, with some of the biggest names to walk through the doors being the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo, with all 12 of the new arrival joining permanently. And while Mauricio Pochettino will be assessing his options in the market as to who he could sign to immediately throw straight into his starting line-up, the manager is clearly keen to start securing some up-and-coming talents to build a squad for his long-term project.

The Stamford Bridge manager appears to have highlighted Palmeiras’ right-winger Estevao Willian as an ideal candidate, with the 16-year-old currently being a regular feature of his club’s academy side, having failed to make a single appearance yet at senior level (Transfermarkt – Willian statistics).

Brazil’s youth international still has another three years remaining on his deal because he only committed to fresh terms back in April, but regardless, that hasn’t stopped several high-profile clubs from wanting to secure his services, albeit he likely wouldn’t join until he reaches the age of 18.

Todd Boehly interested in Estevao Willian

According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are keen on Willian, but they are set to face stiff competition from plenty of other teams who are also keeping close tabs on his situation, some of them being in the Premier League.

“Manchester United have joined Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in the race for Brazilian sensation Estevao Willian, TEAMtalk can reveal. He has a £47m release clause in his current deal but it is unlikely clubs will have to meet the full clause to prise him away from his homeland.”

Chelsea could land "world-class" talent in Willian

Whilst Willian is still at a very young age, Chelsea will be aware of the bags of potential that he has to offer, so if they want to get a deal over the line for the forward in the near future, they will need to act fast should they want to beat their fellow competitors to his signature.

The Franca native has clocked up six involvements (three goals and the same number of assists), in just five appearances for Brazil’s U17s, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, not to mention how well he performs under pressure when representing his country.

Sponsored by Nike, the left-footed rising star is also capable of operating out wide on both the left and right flanks, so his versatility to provide cover in another position outside of his own would make him a useful option to have in the building should any injuries occur.

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According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Willian is a “world-class” talent, and if he lives up to expectations and performs at the equally high standard just like the club’s former favourite with the same name did, he could go on to become an integral member of the squad in years to come.

Glasgow Rangers are at the head of the pack in the race to bring a promising new teenager to the Scottish Premiership, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

Rangers' season so far

Philippe Clement’s side have made an overall impressive start to the new campaign having won nine and lost just three of their opening 12 games, meaning that they currently find themselves second in the league table during the international break.

However, the Light Blues are eight points behind Old Firm rivals Celtic as it stands, but with a game in hand over them, there’s still a chance that they could catch up and go on to achieve something at the end of the season in their first term under the new manager.

The Ibrox outfit has a strong squad as it is, but with the next transfer window fast approaching, there’s nothing stopping the board from assessing their options in the market – and it appears that they have set their sights on Bayer Leverkusen’s defensive midfielder Noah Mbamba, who joined from Club Brugge in January.

The Belgium youth international has made just four senior appearances during that period, which shows how much he’s struggling for game time (Transfermarkt – Mbamba statistics), though if the following update is to be believed, the 18-year-old may have been handed an ideal lifeline to increase his minutes.

Rangers leading race for Noah Mbamba

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are in pole position for Mbamba, but it's worth noting that the club could still find it difficult to get a deal over the line in January.

"Rangers are currently ahead of Manchester City in the race for Noah Mbamba as the Citizens are unlikely to go after him in January, when the Gers could strike.

"One player on the radar of the Scottish club according to TEAMtalk sources is 18-year-old talent Noah Mbamba, who is currently playing in the Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen.

"The rising talent is wanted by a host of top clubs, but German sources state a loan is likely in the winter window. However, any deal would be difficult to pull off as sources say there is now a race on for the teenage talent."

Mbamba is a "huge talent" for the future

Whilst Bayer Leverkusen haven’t given Mbamba a chance to prove what he’s capable of this season, he’s still managed to record a 94.4% pass success rate (WhoScored – Mbamba statistics), indicating a calmness and composure on the ball, with this being higher than any player has managed in Clement's side (WhoScored – Rangers statistics).

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Standing at 6 foot 1, Mbamba also helped to secure four trophies during his time at Club Brugge, so he will have already had a taste of success, therefore perhaps possessing the winning mentality required in order to succeed in Scotland.

Mbamba, who has the versatility to operate in four positions across the midfield and even as a centre-back, has been described as a “huge talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig, so it would be a real coup to have him in the building for the remainder of the season should he put pen to paper at Rangers.

Ipswich Town will be keeping tabs on the Saturday 3pm kick-offs with vested interest before their match at the Hawthorns gets underway, the Tractor Boys hoping that Leicester City trip up again and lose to Watford at home to then potentially leapfrog the Foxes to top spot in the Championship with a win.

West Bromwich Albion won't just roll over for Kieran McKenna's men to clinch a simple three points however, Carlos Corberan's Baggies have promotion hopes of their own with the playoffs in sight.

McKenna could well spring a surprise with his team selection for the match in the West Midlands to catch the home side off-guard, there's a case that Nathan Broadhead – although it's likely that he will start this one – could be dropped after a rare below-par display versus Swansea City.

Broadhead's numbers versus Swansea

Broadhead has been electric for the Tractor Boys this season – minus this Swans blip – as they aim for another promotion party come May to the Premier League, the former Everton youth prospect is a feared forward now for second-tier defenders to contain with six goals and one assist this season.

Yet, McKenna's usually reliable star man had an off-day versus the Swans with his other Ipswich teammates thankfully bailing him out in the 3-2 win.

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Broadhead struggled throughout the high-intensity contest at Portman Road, only having one shot all afternoon, as per Sofascore, before being substituted off around the hour mark – the effort trailing wide, with the ex-Toffees man unable to add another goal to his ever-growing second-tier tally.

His accuracy on the ball too wasn't up to its usual standards either, only completing 60% of his passes on the day which gave Swansea a momentary lift that they could mount a comeback whenever an interception was made.

Playing for Wales too in the round of International fixtures just finished, the 25-year-old could do with sitting out the game at the Hawthorns to just rest up.

In his place, McKenna could start Wes Burns who isn't a natural left winger – Broadhead's compatriot is often deployed down the opposite flank at right wing – but he should be able to do a job even in an unfamiliar role after recently coming back from injury.

Wes Burns as Broadhead's replacement

Burns spoke to the Ipswich press in the build-up to the West Brom game, stating that he feels "strong" again after contending with a shoulder problem over the last couple of months.

McKenna will hope that his number seven can be a difference-maker for the Tractor Boys if selected, the former Fleetwood Town winger's impressive eight goals and 14 assists were key in his side's automatic promotion exploits last season but he's yet to get up and running in the second tier this campaign.

The 29-year-old – who earns £5k-per-week, according to Capology – only has one goal and one assist to his name from 12 games played, but that nasty shoulder injury has gotten in the way.

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He shone off the bench when substituted late on versus the Swans, however, replacing Omari Hutchinson and notching up three key passes for his team despite only being on the pitch 26 minutes.

There is a case to be made that both Burns and Broadhead can start alongside each other, yet equally for this matchday, the 29-year-old could well displace the left winger for the trip to the Baggies.

Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign a "perfectionist" and a "magnificent player", according to a new report.

FC Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd

The Red Devils’ season went from bad to worse on Wednesday evening after a chaotic Champions League defeat to FC Copenhagen. Things started well for Erik ten Hag’s side after two early goals from Rasmus Hojlund, although Marcus Rashford’s red card seemed to change the game.

Copenhagen drew level before half-time, but when Bruno Fernandes put the visitors in front again from the penalty spot, it looked as if United could pull off a crucial victory. However, two late goals ensured a third defeat from four group games, leaving them bottom of the table.

It is not just in the Champions League where United have struggled, with five defeats from 11 in the Premier League, while also being knocked out of the EFL Cup last week. As a result of their poor start, it looks as if new signings are being looked into by those behind the scenes at Old Trafford. Sir Jim Ractliffe is expected to be in control of sporting decisions when he completes a 25% investment, and it looks as if a double deal is being eyed up.

Man Utd transfer updates

According to 90min, Man Utd are interested in AS Monaco pair Vanderson and Youssouf Fofana, with right-back and central midfield are areas that Ten Hag wants to improve. Former Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell is viewed as a target to take up an Old Trafford role, so it is interesting to see the Red Devils’ interest in both players.

Vanderson is regarded by some as the best young right-back plying his trade in Europe, with former Monaco manager Phillipe Clement labelling the player as a “perfectionist”.

“He had an exceptional adaptation here [last season]. We have already spoken about that. He is also a player who is and continues to interest lots of big clubs. That can possibly do something to the mindset, not that he didn’t have his feet on the ground, but Vanderson is very ambitious and a huge perfectionist.

“Every day he wants to be better than the last. That can give him a lot of pressure, lots of stress with all of the ambition that he has. We need to manage that more for him. If I left him to it, he would train for 18 hours a day. He is like that.”

Meanwhile, Fofana, a central midfielder who can play in a holding role or on the right, has recently caught the eye of a number of Premier League sides. The recent report suggests that Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United all have the Frenchman on their radar.

The 24-year-old has been hailed as a "magnificent player" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and he appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.

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Therefore, moves for both players could be shrewd ones with Ten Hag wanting to bolster his right-back and midfield ranks, and it looks as if the pair could be Ratcliffe’s first serious move in charge of sporting calls at Old Trafford.