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Manchester United’s business in the January transfer window may not be completely finished, as they could sign a new right-back if Aaron Wan-Bissaka leaves, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

What’s the word?

Wan-Bissaka looked certain to leave as he failed to make a single start before the World Cup, but has impressed in recent weeks as he covered in the absence of Diogo Dalot.

This improvement meant that United were no longer prioritising a right-back in January, but they could still move for one if the Englishman leaves the club.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano claimed that United could still be active in the market, as Wan-Bissaka will only leave if they can find a replacement.

“I would keep an eye on a new right-back, only in one case,” Romano stated.

“The case is that Wan-Bissaka leaves the club, because if Man United receive a good proposal for Wan-Bissaka, and keep an eye on two clubs: Wolves and Crystal Palace.

“Now Wan-Bissaka is performing well, it is not an urgent situation for Manchester United, but in case they receive a good proposal, there is still a chance for him to leave the club in January.

“In that case, it’s on Manchester United to bring in a new backup option for Diogo Dalot.”

A deal can wait

Given that Wan-Bissaka is starting to find some form under Erik ten Hag – he received a season-high league match rating of 7.5/10 against Wolves recently (via Sofascore) – it may be wise to see if he can fulfil the potential which made United spend £50m on him in 2019.

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If he can prove himself as a useful option over the next few months, he will save United from having to find a replacement, and if he does not perform well, they can let him go in the summer.

Selling him now runs the risk of a replacement not settling well mid-season, and letting him go whilst he is in good form could come back to bite them later if he becomes successful elsewhere.

Newcastle United have been warned they will have to pay more than the previously touted £40m price tag for Moises Caicedo.

The Lowdown: Caicedo situation

Caicedo has been a revelation since arriving on the south coast, with his signing epitomising Brighton & Hove Albion’s clever transfer activity over the last couple of seasons.

Despite only playing Premier League and was previously linked with a move away in the summer, but former boss Graham Potter claimed a £40m fee would “probably get his boots”.

He’s continued to excel and has the majority of England’s powerhouses closely watching his next steps, with Newcastle reported by The Athletic as an interested party.

The Latest: Barber’s comments

Speaking on House of Champions, Albion CEO Paul Barber claimed that his value has now far exceeded the previous £40m tag and revealed his side’s determination to hold onto him.

He said: “I’m not sure that it would include the boots now, maybe just the laces!

“Joking aside, every player, ultimately, their value is determined by the market, and Graham’s comments were part in jest, but part serious, because he has been an exceptional player for us since he came into the Premier League.

“Developing all the time, a young man, great attitude, fantastic work ethic; very, very, nice human being off the pitch.

“So all of those things contribute to the value of a footballer when it comes to that moment.”

The Verdict: Huge offer

Brighton have made themselves a hub for talent production and shrewd recruitment over recent years with Ben White, Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma all leaving to different ‘big six’ sides over the past two years.

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Unsurprisingly, you would imagine any push for the 21-year-old is likely to be met by staunch resistance due to his importance to the side, and following Yves Bissouma’s exit in the summer, Albion would be forced to replace yet another midfielder.

Although the Ecuadorian offers incredible talent and potential, The Sun has reported a fee of £70m is needed to prize him away, so you would think the Magpies could find two players for that price considering Bruno Guimaraes cost them just £40m alone.

Newcastle United are interested in a deal to bring Ivan Fresneda to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Guillermo Rai, with the Spanish journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter (via Sport Witness) that Dan Ashworth is ‘seriously contemplating’ launching a bid for the Real Valladolid right-back this month, with the Magpies’ chief scout, Steve Nickson, said to have met the 18-year-old’s representatives in the last few days.

Rai goes on to suggest that a number of Premier League clubs are tracking the Spain U19 international, however, Newcastle appear to be leading the race for the youngster’s signature, with Eddie Howe’s side said to be set to make an offer in the region of €15m (£13m) in the next few days – despite Fresneda possessing a €30m (£27m) release clause.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “About Ivan Fresneda. The Real Valladolid right-back expects an offer in the next few days (or even hours) from Newcastle between €10m and €15m euros, although his clause is €30m.

“Real Madrid is an option that he does not consider in the short term. Fresneda wants to grow (he is only 18 years old) and has received interest from five more Premier teams aside from Newcastle.

“In addition, his agent was meeting a few days ago with the chief scout for the Magpies, Steve Nickson, who is seriously contemplating the signing.”

“Beastly”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Fresneda quite clearly is, it is not difficult to understand why Howe, Nickson and Ashworth would be interested in a deal to bring the right-back to St. James’ Park this month.

Indeed, over his seven LaLiga appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated talent has been something of a revelation on the right of Valladolid’s back line, helping his side keep one clean sheet, in addition to making an average of 3.3 tackles – the second-most in the entire league – 1.4 interceptions, 2.9 clearances and winning 4.7 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

The 18-year-old has also chipped in for his side going forwards, creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.4 key passes, playing 1.9 long balls and finding his man with 0.6 crosses per match.

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These returns have seen the £2.7k-per-week starlet average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.04, currently ranking him as Pacheta’s second-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football.

Rather unsurprisingly, these displays have seen the teenager come in for a significant amount of praise, with Spanish journalist Juan Arriota dubbing Fresneda a “beastly” talent, while Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig stated his belief that the youngster is a “superb” prospect who is “one of the most talented teenage right-backs in Europe.”

As such, considering the undoubted ability Fresneda already possesses, coupled with the defender’s exponential scope for future development, it is indeed easy to see why Newcastle would be interested in a deal to bring the wonderkid to the Premier League this winter, as the Spaniard would not only be a beastly addition to Howe’s ranks, but he could very much be the next big thing in European football at right-back.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic not lighting up the World Cup could work in Arsenal’s ‘favour’ in terms of a potential move.

The Lowdown: Arsenal in pole

It has recently been reported that Arsenal are in pole position to sign Milinkovic-Savic, either in January or in the summer.

The Lazio central midfielder seems to be convinced by Mikel Arteta’s project, and so a move to the Emirates Stadium is now possible.

The Latest: Advantage Gunners?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that Milinkovic-Savic not having the best World Cup with Serbia could work in the Gunners’ ‘favour’, adding that they would have a ‘reasonably clear run’ should they decide to sign him in this window:

“The one thing in Arsenal’s favour here is that Milinkovic-Savic didn’t quite light up the World Cup in a way that he could have done.

“If Arsenal do want him, this would probably be the time to make their move, because they’d have a reasonably clear run at him.”

The Verdict: Sign him and Mudryk?

The North London club are already strongly linked with a big-money move for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, and with the injury to Gabriel Jesus, they should be prioritising attacking reinforcements in this window.

Milinkovic-Savic would also be a real statement of a signing though, given that he is one of the best in the world in his position.

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The midfielder ranked in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022 for non-penalty goals, non-penalty xG, shots, assists, xAG, npxG + xAG, touches, progressive passes received and aerial duels won per match at club level (FBRef), but was unfortunately knocked out with Serbia in the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar.

Hailed as ‘magic’ and on the ‘same level of Kevin De Bruyne’ by his Lazio team-mate Ciro Immobile, Milinkovic-Savic is still rated very highly in Italy, and Arsenal would do very well to sign him on top of Mudryk in January.

2022 represents the first full year that Newcastle United have been under their new ownership, but how well do you remember an exciting 12 months?

After making some stellar acquisitions in the January transfer window, signing the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, the St. James’ Park outfit managed to finish the 2021/22 Premier League season in a respectable 11th place, and with more big-name signings arriving in the summer like club-record addition Alexander Isak, they have perhaps exceeded expectations by finishing the break for the World Cup in third spot.

The new owners have ambitions of bringing Champions League football back to the North East, and that could well happen if the Tynesiders continue their impressive form until the end of the season.

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Nonetheless, now presents a chance for Magpies supporters to reflect on 2022, in our quiz about the Toon’s calendar year. Ten questions in all below, so go test your Newcastle-mad friends and family and prove you know best!

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Adrien Rabiot, according to reports in Italy…

What’s the word?

Corriere dello Sport claim that the France midfielder is expected to leave Juventus during the January transfer window as he enters the final six months of his current £148k-per-week contract.

However, despite appearing at the front of the queue to sign the World Cup finalist, the north London outfit are facing stiff competition from the likes of Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona and his former club, Paris Saint-Germain.

It’s also thought that the Old Lady are only demanding around €15m (£13m).

Paratici masterclass

This sort of move has all the hallmarks of being another transfer masterclass from Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici, following the same sort of process as signing Rodrigo Bentancur nearly a year ago.

Something of a divisive figure in Turin, the Uruguayan has become an instant favourite with his eye-catching displays in the Premier League for Spurs and whilst Rabiot has recently caught the eye on the world’s biggest stage by reaching the final as a Les Bleus regular, it hasn’t always been easy in the black and white stripes of Juve.

Back in 2013, the Frenchman was described as an “absolute monster” by journalist Robin Bairner and he’s gone full circle because in Qatar, ex-West Ham United star Frederic Piquionne lauded him as the “best player” at the tournament, also comparing him to the great Emmanuel Petit.

Across five starts, Rabiot averaged a 7.13 rating on Sofascore as he was the hard-working metronome of Didier Deschamps’ engine room. Indeed, he ran 12.1km, 11.6km and 11km in games against Australia, Denmark and Poland, whilst he also averaged two tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, too.

It was only at the end of last season that the Juve midfielder was named in Sportmediaset’s ‘Flop XI’ (via Get Football News Italy), so it shows just how far he’s come in such a short space of time and he ought to continue that upward trend in the Premier League, where Spurs have proven success in aiding that development – as seen by Bentancur’s impressive rise under Antonio Conte.

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As such, if Paratici does manage to get a deal for the World Cup sensation done for just £13m, then it could well be another masterclass on the cards and one that would hugely benefit the Italian’s depth options heading into a hectic schedule in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news, Paratici can make big statement by signing £78m “monster” who’s “what Tottenham need”…

Newcastle United are believed to be in the mix to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko, with the teenager facing an uncertain future with the Bundesliga outfit.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports in Germany, the Magpies are said to be one of a handful of Premier League clubs who are keen on signing the 18-year-old in the near future, with the Germany international having just six months remaining on his existing deal at Westfalenstadion.

Transfer expert Mark Behrenbeck stated: “It is clear that a lot of top clubs are asking about Moukoko and are keen on him as he is available on a free transfer in the summer and is a bargain. We hear that Chelsea are the closest. There have already been negotiations and talks. More clubs Manchester United, Liverpool, Barcelona and Newcastle are on the list, but Chelsea is the hottest, the others aren’t ready yet”.

This comes amid reports from journalist Florian Plettenberg who suggested that the promising youngster “won’t accept” the current offer of an extension from Dortmund, with an exit either in January or at the end of the season now a very real possibility.

Haaland-esque

The highly-coveted sensation has warranted such interest due to his sparkling form in his homeland in recent times, having scored six goals and laid on four assists in just 14 top-flight games this term, while his total tally this season stands at six goals and six assists in 22 games in the early months of the campaign.

The Cameroon-born gem – who was part of Hansi Flick’s World Cup squad for Qatar – only recently became the youngest player to ever hit ten goals in the Bundesliga, having also broken the record for the youngest player to make his league debut in the German top-flight back in November 2020.

Such a meteoric rise – which followed a string of prolific form at youth team level in which he scored 90 goals in 56 games for the U17s – has seen the exciting asset lauded as a “wonder” by his brother, Borel, while he is also said to be valued at around £22m, as per CIES Football Observatory.

Moukouko’s emergence onto the scene at Dortmund no doubt has similarities to that of former teammate Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian hotshot having also previously made his name for Die Borussen.

The 22-year-old – who previously scored 86 goals in just 89 games in the yellow jersey – has even lauded his former colleague for his sparkling talents, with the Manchester City talisman stating previously:

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“Moukoko’s much better than I was at his age. I’ve never seen such a good 15-year-old in my life. The advantage for him is that he’s already playing for Dortmund at the age of 15. At his age, I was still playing for my home town of Bryne.”

Should Moukoko be able to follow in his fellow left-footer’s footsteps and make his mark in the Premier League it would certainly prove a real coup for Eddie Howe’s side, with the Etihad machine having already shown his ruthless nature in English football with 18 goals in just 13 league games this season.

The Tynesiders will likely face a real fight to land the £4k-per-week starlet in 2023, although being able to secure a Haaland-esque talent could well be a real masterstroke.

Leeds United are set to hold an open training session to raise money for Mission Christmas, according to an update in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Preparing for action

The Premier League side return to domestic action when they face Manchester City on December 28, but are first preparing for their final two mid-season friendlies against Real Sociedad (December 16) and Monaco (December 21).

The Whites last put on a public event like this for supporters over a decade ago, but faithfuls are now being given another chance to watch their team in action like they’ve never seen them before.

The Latest: Leeds to host training session

According to The Daily Mail, Leeds have ‘invited fans’ to an ‘open training session’ taking place at Elland Road on Tuesday evening (December 20) to raise money for charity.

Crowds are expected to turn up in their ‘thousands’, with ‘donations’ made on the night to be given to children’s fund Mission Christmas.

Activities are set to include a 360-degree photo booth, face painters, a popular balloon modeller, club legends playing dizzy penalties and meeting fans, as well the club’s mascot Kop Cat making an appearance.

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The Verdict: Relationship builder

Leeds have had a difficult opening to the season, with just four wins from 14 leaving them two points above the relegation zone so they need to start picking up results to distance themselves from the bottom three.

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The atmosphere created at the stadium on matchdays is already magnificent though, and this session will give supporters the chance to build an even stronger relationship with the players moving forward.

Jesse Marsch’s side will need everyone behind them should they want to push on in the second half of the campaign, and this event is the perfect place to begin.

Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra has dropped an injury update regarding Liverpool winger Luis Diaz. 

The Lowdown: Diaz’s injury

After making 12 appearances for the Reds across all competitions this season, scoring four goals and delivering three assists, the 25-year-old suffered a knee injury during the 3-2 defeat against Arsenal two months ago.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the £55k-per-week winger had been sent home from Liverpool’s training camp in Dubai after suffering an injury setback.

Further details have now emerged regarding Diaz’s injury issue and when he’s likely to be back in action for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Latest: Diaz due back in March

Taking to Twitter on Friday night, Sierra shared the latest about Diaz and the latest step in his recovery.

He said: “Luis Diaz will undergo surgery tomorrow [Saturday] to recover from the lateral collateral ligament injury in the knee. Liverpool expects the Colombian to play again in March.”

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed at Liverpool

While the setback will have undoubtedly been a blow for Diaz and everyone at Liverpool, at least they have a potential return date for him and aren’t likely to be without him for the rest of the season.

Hailed as a “magnificent” player by journalist Philip O’Connor, the 25-year-old has shown how useful an attacking figure he is for Liverpool in the league this season.

With only three Reds players having more shots on target than the Colombian (seven), he has the second-highest rate of goals per shot (0.19) at the club. In addition, only Mohamed Salah (16) has completed more dribbles than Diaz (14), further highlighting his attacking presence and how tricky an opponent he is for defenders.

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His overall performances in the league have earned Diaz a strong season rating of 7.28/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in Klopp’s squad.

While it’s undeniable that the 25-year-old’s injury issues have been a blow, everyone at the club will have their fingers crossed that his recovery will get back on track and he can be back on the pitch as quickly as possible.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been credited with an interest in Sevilla full-back Marcos Acuna recently and the Argentine could be Julen Lopetegui’s own version of Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko.

According to Spanish news outlet Vamos mi Sevilla, Wolves are one of four clubs keen on signing the versatile defender in next month’s transfer window.

They claim that the La Liga side want around €12m (£10m) from his sale, after informing the 31-year-old that he is now surplus to requirements at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

The former Sporting Lisbon man is well-known to Lopetegui, having made 84 appearances under the Spanish manager during his time with Sevilla, so it is perhaps no surprise that he is keen to reunite with the Argentina international at Molineux.

Should he swap Sevilla for the Midlands in January, he could perform a similar role to Zinchenko’s at Arsenal and Manchester City in recent seasons.

The Ukraine international has struggled with injuries since signing for Mikel Arteta’s side in January but has impressed in his seven appearances in the Premier League, averaging a strong 6.90 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

According to FBref, the versatile 25-year-old is the seventh-most similar player to Acuna when compared to other full-backs across Europe’s top leagues.

This season has seen the two defenders register similar statistics with regard to goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (both 0.16), progressive passes received (10 vs 11) and aerials won (both 10).

According to WhoScored, both Zinchenko and Acuna excel at passing, holding onto the ball and playing key passes, which is perhaps exactly what you would expect from two full-backs who have featured in midfield on a regular basis in their careers.

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Considering how good Zinchenko has been for Arsenal and City since his move to England, Lopetegui would surely be foolish to turn down a player so statistically similar, especially one who he has worked with before and clearly trusts.

Therefore, owner Jeff Shi should definitely look at bringing Argentina’s World Cup star Acuna to Molineux in January as he looks to provide Lopetegui with the signings he needs to turn the Old Gold’s fortunes around and stave off relegation.