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Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino could make a swoop for a new striker in January and has three options in mind at Stamford Bridge, according to latest reports.

What's the latest news involving Chelsea?

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, writing in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Manchester City asked about the possibility of signing out-of-favour Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella in the January transfer window. Giving some insight into the permutations of Manchester City's advances, Romano stated in his column:

"It is true, however, that Manchester City approached Chelsea at the beginning of January with a loan proposal for Marc Cucurella. It also included a buy option clause, not mandatory. Chelsea rejected as they wanted to keep Cucurella at the club, and since that moment, nothing else happened with Cucurella and Man City."

Recently, 90min reported that Cucurella's Chelsea teammate Ian Maatsen is being lined up as a surprise target by Manchester City, in light of uncertainty surrounding his contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Netherlands Under-21 international has less than a year left on his current contract in west London; nevertheless, Chelsea manager Pochettino will endeavour to try and keep hold of the left-back by holding talks over fresh terms.

As per Football Insider, the Blues are lining up a swoop for midfielder Habib Diarra, who is currently plying his trade at Chelsea's satellite club Strasbourg.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were also keen on bringing the French youth international to Molineux in the summer. Despite this, Chelsea intervened in the process and blocked the Old Gold from snapping the 19-year-old up and he could now move to Stamford Bridge "sooner rather than later."

Which strikers are Chelsea now looking at?

According to Give Me Sport, Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins are on Pochettino's radar as he looks to bolster his depth in the striking department in the January transfer window.

The report also mentions that RB Leipzig youngster Benjamin Sesko is someone who has caught the eye of Chelsea and he was also targeted by Manchester United before they eventually brought in Denmark international Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta, with Toney the primary target.

Of course, Toney is banned from playing competitively until January due to breaching FA guidelines and has been banned from training with his Brentford teammates; however, the England forward will be permitted to join in training officially again on September 17th, as cited by talkSPORT.

Watkins, on the other hand, has started the new campaign in typical potent fashion and has registered three goals and two assists in his opening six appearances for Aston Villa, as per Transfermarkt.

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Arsenal were also quoted with an interest in Watkins earlier this year, though it remains to be seen whether the 27-year-old will leave Villa Park any time soon.

RB Leipzig striker Sesko has looked the part for his new employers, netting two goals in his opening three outings since joining from RB Salzburg officially earlier this year.

Chelsea would like to add to their forward options to help support the likes of Nicolas Jackson and it is clear that they have begun to ramp up their search for a new high-profile striker, making these players to watch heading into 2024.

Celtic have officially confirmed that they have completed a deal to bring Brendan Rodgers back to Parkhead for a second spell in Scotland.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond has been in the market to find a replacement for Ange Postecoglou, and has now settled on the Australian's successor.

Rodgers will be thrust straight into the hustle and bustle of the summer transfer window and could secure the first masterclass of his second stint with the Glasgow giants by striking a deal with his former club Liverpool.

Who is Caoimhin Kelleher?

Celtic have been linked with an interest in Jurgen Klopp's back-up goalkeeper and Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher this summer.

He is a talented young shot-stopper who could be an excellent addition to the squad and the 50-year-old manager must use any remaining contacts on Merseyside to land the 24-year-old, who has valued at £30m by the Premier League outfit, whether that is on loan or on a permanent basis.

The 6 foot 2 titan's international manager, Stephen Kenny, recently backed the talented ace, who he once dubbed "exceptional", to move on from Anfield in search of regular game time:

"I think it will happen this summer. It is not right normally to talk about a player moving, but at Liverpool, he is behind one of the best goalkeepers in the world. It is not going to get any easier and you can't improve when you aren't playing."

Celtic must take advantage of his potential availability as the promising stopper has the potential to be an upgrade on current number one Joe Hart.

The former England international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across 37 Scottish Premiership outings in 22/23 and made four errors directly leading to shots from the opposition.

Kelleher, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.53 and did not make any direct errors across his three outings in the Premier League and League Cup combined for Liverpool, as he spent the majority of the campaign behind Alisson, one of the top goalkeepers in the world.

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The Irish colossus also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.72 and made zero blunders over six outings in those two competitions in the previous season, which shows that the Reds academy graduate has been exceptional whenever Klopp has called on him and is not as error-prone as Celtic's first-choice.

These statistics indicate that Kelleher would be a major upgrade on Hart if the 24-year-old can translate his form for Liverpool in recent years to consistent performances over the course of an entire season's worth of matches, due to his superior ratings and absence of mistakes.

Therefore, Rodgers could seal a masterclass by using his relationship with the Premier League side to iron out a move for the talented monster, who could improve the team tenfold next term.

Aston Villa are thought to be plotting a move for Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Dubravka profiled

The 34-year-old has made 128 appearances in the Premier League. The Slovakian was out on loan to Manchester United earlier this season and played in a 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Unai Emery’s Villa side in November.

He has since been recalled by the Magpies and made his first Premier League appearance of the season after Nick Pope was sent off against Liverpool last weekend.

The Latest: Villa linked with Dubravka

Football Insider shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Dubravka, claiming that Villa and Brentford are laying the groundwork ahead of potential moves for the veteran.

Those two clubs are thought to be plotting a transfer, with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez linked with an exit from the Midlands this summer.

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The Verdict: Squad player?

Dubbed a leader by The Chronicle’s Mick Quinn, Dubravka could prove to be a shrewd second-choice shot-stopper due to his experience, although making him first-choice to replace Martinez would be a gamble by NSWE and Villa.

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He has played just over 300 minutes of football during the current campaign and recently turned 34, appearing to enter the stage of becoming second fiddle at St James’ Park.

Villa have Martinez, Robin Olsen and Jed Steer on their books, but if two of those three were to leave this summer, then perhaps Dubravka could arrive alongside a younger ‘keeper, providing plenty of experience and knowledge of the English top flight.

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.

Allan has left Everton and signed for Abu Dhabi-based Al Wahda on a permanent deal, with Fabrizio Romano taking to Twitter to relay the news late on Sunday night.

The Lowdown: Allan’s Toffees career

With former Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti wanting to reunite with the defensive midfielder, with whom he worked at Napoli, the Brazilian joined the Merseyside club in 2020 in a deal worth £21.7m.

During his two-year tenure at Goodison Park, the 31-year-old made 57 appearances for the Toffees, 52 of which came in the Premier League.

However, under Frank Lampard’s reign, Allan featured just 13 times for the club, failing to make a single appearance in the 2022/23 season as he was continually snubbed by the manager.

The Latest: Allan’s move

Romano has shared news of Allan’s departure from Merseyside.

Taking to Twitter on Sunday night, the reliable journalist stated: “Brazilian midfielder Allan has signed with Al Wahda on permanent deal from Everton. #transfers

“Medical completed and contracts signed in the last few hours, Allan leaves the Premier League. #EFC”

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The Verdict: Replaced by younger talent

After a decent first season with Everton as a regular under Ancelotti’s guidance, Allan seemed to be a strong signing for the Blues, who came in as one of the club’s highest-paid players on £120,000 per week.

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However, his propensity for injuries and decreasing levels of athleticism meant that he fell further down Lampard’s pecking order at the club, leading to some journalists issuing unforgiving labels such as ‘imposter’ towards the Brazilian.

With the likes of Amadou Onana and James Garner, accompanied by the highly experienced Idrissa Gueye, joining the club this summer, the Toffees clearly turned their attention to the long-term future of the squad.

Therefore, Allan’s departure will not come as a big surprise for Everton fans, as the club now seem to be on a different trajectory this season.

Tottenham Hotspur could sign a new attacking midfielder before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who believes the north London outfit are open to finding a no.10 but are not desperate to do so this summer.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think the 10 is an interesting one for Tottenham. It’s a position they are open to, but I don’t think they’re especially desperate for one right now.”

Spurs have been linked to several names in this profile of target and perhaps the most intriguing is Jesse Lingard, who the Telegraph claim is a key target due to his homegrown status.

The 29-year-old dynamo left his boyhood club, Manchester United, after over two decades and now finds himself as a free-agent, meaning he would not cost chairman Daniel Levy a penny in terms of a transfer fee.

Lingard’s versatility is another key factor behind the Lilywhites’ interest as he can play in a multitude of roles, ranging from no.10 to out wide and even upfront.

But it’s in attacking midfield that he could thrive as statistical website FBref liken his playing style to that of Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard, so sporting director Fabio Paratici could secure his very own carbon copy of the arch-rival star.

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The England international ranks very favourably compared to his positional peers across Europe – he sits amongst the top 1% for pressures (26.35 per 90), the top 3% for passes completion (85.8% per 90) and the top 4% for tackles (2.41 per 90), also via FBref.

These returns would suggest that Lingard could be a perfect fit for Conte’s system as he can evidently press from the front, even often winning the ball back and clearly possesses playmaking capabilities.

We saw glimpses of that during a loan spell at West Ham United, where he delivered nine goals and five assists from 16 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

“He’s a special lad and was very good around the players, the players really like him. His ability shone out last year and gave us a great option in our squad,” claimed former Irons assistant Stuart Pearce to talkSPORT.

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Meanwhile, talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham lauded him as “absolutely phenomenal” for his form at the London Stadium.

Given that Spurs could pick up a player that’s valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt for nothing, it seems a low-risk and no-brainer move from Paratici and co at Hotspur Way.

In Lingard, they could find their very own Odegaard, a player capable of filling that no.10 void at Tottenham, without paying a penny. It makes the world of sense.

AND in other news, £16.6m wasted: Conte must axe £50k-p/w Spurs passenger who Pochettino dubbed “perfect”…

Sunderland are facing a huge game in their bid to land a place in the League One play-offs this weekend as a win against Morecambe will secure their top-six spot.

The Black Cats are vying for promotion up to the Championship under Alex Neil, after sacking Lee Johnson earlier this year, and it will be intriguing to see what happens in the summer if they do go up.

Kristjaan Speakman will have his first chance to sign players for the ex-Norwich and Preston coach and one player the Scot must look to secure a deal for is a gem who is already at the club – youngster Jack Clarke.

Football.London recently reported that Spurs will be looking to either sell the attacker on a permanent deal or loan him out again for another season and the Black Cats must look to snap him up for a second time.

Whether or not a permanent move is viable, given that Tottenham paid £9m to sign him, remains to be seen but another campaign on loan would surely get the Stadium of Light rocking.

He is an exciting young player who would be an asset to the club in the Championship or League One next term, having built up a strong reputation in his short career to date.

Former Premier League forward Noel Whelan previously heaped praise on the youngster, saying:

“He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

Lee Johnson, before his exit, also praised Clarke as he claimed that the attacker has the potential to be an “influential” player for the club.

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That is exactly what he has been since arriving on loan from Spurs in January. He has averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.02 across 16 appearances in League One as he has created 1.6 chances per game and four ‘big chances’ in total – showing that he has the quality to deliver openings to his teammates on a regular basis.

At the age of 21, he has the scope to develop further and Neil may enjoy working with him on the training pitch to help him to fulfil his potential. He is already showing off his exciting skills out wide with his chance creation numbers and fans would surely love to see him signed on another deal for next season because of his potential and current ability.

AND in other news, Big boost: Neil “hopeful” of huge Sunderland lift that’ll have supporters buzzing…

Rangers have been dealt a major blow this week as Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Ianis Hagi will miss the rest of the season at Ibrox through injury.

The Romania international went off with a knock against Stirling Albion and the Dutch head coach has now revealed that he will not play again this season.

He said: “Ianis needed an operation.

“He went for this yesterday and we will sadly be missing Ianis for the season. I spoke to Ianis yesterday and he is positive and focused on his recovery.”

Forget Hagi

As sad as this news is for the Gers, it is now time to forget about Hagi for now and focus on solving the nightmare his injury has caused.

He has been a consistent performer for the club this season, with an average SofaScore rating of 7.10 across 15 starts in the Premiership, and has left a huge hole in the XI, with van Bronckhorst now needing to find a way to fill it.

One player who has been linked with a switch to Ibrox is Galatasaray midfielder Olimpiu Morutan and he could be an ideal replacement for Hagi. The club must look to snap him up before the transfer window slams shut next week as he could fill the gap left in the starting XI.

He has three goals and three assists in 12 league starts for Galatasaray, which means that he is averaging a goal contribution every other match so far this term. Morutan has also won 51% of his individual duels, showing that he can hold his own in physical battles, albeit not by dominating them, and would not be a lightweight for the Gers.

The attacker’s agent, Florin Vulturar, lauded his client back in 2021, saying: “He is an innate talent, probably the most technical Romanian player since Gheorghe Hagi.

“He is a pure number 10, capable of creating opportunities for his teammates, but who can also do well in the defensive phase of every match if necessary.

“He is fast, has a great vision and is good at passing. He easily surpasses his opponents in one-on-one situations.

“Paulo Dybala and Lionel Messi are the models to follow in his role, we can probably assimilate his style of play with the play of these players.”

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These comments highlight how similar he is to the injured Gers star in terms of his position and his style of play, with both players wanting to get on the ball and create chances with their vision and creativity in the number 10 role, or out wide. This is why the £4.5m-rated gem could be an ideal replacement for his compatriot this month.

Ross Wilson and van Bronckhorst must now look to strike a deal with Galatasaray to bring him in to solve the nightmare they are currently in following Hagi’s knee injury. He has shown that he can score and create goals and has potential to improve further at the age of 22, which suggests that he could be a fine addition to the squad.

AND in other news, “Not expecting”: Transfer insider drops big Rangers claim, fans surely frustrated…

Frank McAvennie believes that Tottenham could be in trouble if Callum Wilson is available for Newcastle ahead of the meeting between the two sides next weekend.

The Lowdown: Wilson could be fit

The 29-year-old started the season in top form for the Magpies, scoring twice in the first three Premier League games (Transfermarkt).

However, since the 2-2 draw at Southampton in late August, he has not played a minute in any competition due to a hamstring injury, but it is being reported that the striker could be available to face Spurs once domestic football returns following the end of the current international break.

The Latest: McAvennie fires Spurs warning

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker McAvennie has urged Spurs to be vigilant if Wilson is available for Newcastle. He said:

“If he’s back, that’s massive, that’s the game Wilson wants to play in.

“He is going to be up against a pretty poor Tottenham defence and he is a striker who will punish you if you slip up.

“Me, as a striker, I would play against that defence all day long and twice on Sunday.

“It doesn’t matter, if you come up against a striker who knows how to pull you about and create space, you’re in trouble.

“If Newcastle are on it, which they should be, any ball over the top will have Eric Dier scrambling.

“Wilson will fancy that I’m sure. He loves scoring and he has a great chance to get a couple in my opinion.”

The Verdict: Difficult task

Spurs have not been in the best form this season, losing three of their first seven Premier League matches (Sky Sports). However, they are doing considerably better than the Magpies, who are without a win in any competition this term. The Tynesiders may have been taken over by a Saudi Arabian consortium in recent days, but they will not be able to spend any of the money now at their disposal until January (BBC).

Newcastle’s leading scorer last season with 12 goals, £19.8m-valued Wilson (Transfermarkt) is the best striker at Steve Bruce’s disposal right now, and having the England international available would provide his team with a massive boost. Spurs have conceded 10 goals in the Premier League already, so Nuno Espirito Santo and his team could indeed be in for a challenging Sunday afternoon if the 29-year-old is fit to feature for the visit of the north Londoners to St James’ Park.

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In other news, Jose Mourinho’s stance on this Tottenham midfielder has been praised.

Sunderland are interested in a deal to bring George Edmundson to the Stadium of Light this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Glasgow Evening Times, who claim that Sunderland have joined the race for the Glasgow Rangers centre-back, with Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town also believed to be keeping a close eye on the defender ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

However, the report goes on to state that, out of the interested parties, only Ipswich are keen on a permanent deal for the 23-year-old, with Steven Gerrard thought to much prefer the idea of selling Edmundson, rather than sending the centre-back on another loan deal ahead of next season.

Imagine him & O’Nien

While Edmundson may not have quite made the grade at Rangers, should Sunderland manage to get a deal over the line for the defender this summer, it would undoubtedly be quite a big coup for the club.

Indeed, while a hernia injury limited the number of appearances the 23-year-old made while on loan at Derby County last season, he nevertheless impressed over his 10 Championship fixtures, helping his side keep one clean sheet, as well as making an average of 0.5 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 3.5 clearances and winning 6.1 duels per game.

These returns saw the £450k-rated man earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.78, ranking him as Wayne Rooney’s 12th-best player in the second tier of English football.

As such, it would appear to be a fair statement to make that the £4k-per-week centre-back’s level of performance would only improve if he were to drop down a division, with it very much seeming as if, should Kyril Louis-Dreyfus go on to secure the defender’s services this summer, Edmundson could play a huge role in Sunderland’s push for promotion next season.

Indeed, the thought of the man Gerrard dubbed a “faultless” player partnering up with Luke O’Nien – who thrived in the position last season, despite naturally being a midfielder – in the heart of the Black Cats’ defence should be a mouthwatering prospect for fans of the club and Lee Johnson alike.

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And, with centre-back having been something of a problem position for the 40-year-old Mackems boss last time out, the signing of Edmundson could well be the solution, leading us to believe Louis-Dreyfus should do all he can to get a deal over the line for the Rangers man in the coming weeks.

In other news: Johnson drops Sunderland transfer update that will be music to the ears of fans