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Liverpool appears to be undergoing somewhat of a transitional season this term as Jurgen Klopp’s men are struggling in the Premier League, although they are still riding high in the Champions League.

Injuries haven’t helped their cause, with the midfield area seemingly bearing the brunt of the number of players out, with Klopp having to constantly rejig his team and this lack of consistency has led to poor results domestically.

The failure to add anyone other than Arthur Melo – who was a desperate deadline day signing – to the midfield is coming back to haunt Klopp, especially when he should have splashed out on a Spanish youngster who is destined for greatness…

Gavi is the perfect Jordan Henderson heir

Liverpool were willing to pay the Barcelona youngsters £42.5m release clause in June with his contract scenario up in arms, however, he has since signed a new deal until 2026 with the Catalan club.

This shouldn’t deter Klopp however, as the 18-year-old could be a perfect long-term Henderson replacement. The Liverpool captain – who will be 33 next June – may have just a few years left at the top and with the Englishman missing 23 matches since the start of 2021, these niggles might become more commonplace.

Barcelona manager Xavi once described Gavi as an “erupting volcano” and his meteoritic rise from La Masia to shining in the first team has been incredible.

The Spaniard had his breakthrough season last year, playing 34 La Liga matches and chipping in with seven-goal contributions (two goals and five assists) displaying his talents at the highest level.

The £113k-per-week star is a much more attack-minded midfielder than Henderson.

Compared to positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues, Gavi ranks in the top 3% for dribbles completed per match (1.88), the top 5% for both touches in the opposition penalty area (3.17), and for progressive passes received (4.39).

Meanwhile, Henderson ranks outside the top 22% for the same performance indicators and that proves exactly why the 18-year-old should be top of Klopp’s list of signings.

The youngster has also been selected for Spain’s World Cup squad and if he shines at the tournament, this might push his value up significantly, with CIES Football Observatory already estimating his worth to be at a whopping €160m (£140m).

January might come too soon for any potential move, however the Liverpool faithful will surely be looking forward to next summer, where there could well be one or two exciting additions to the squad.

West Ham United could be set to reignite their interest in a long-standing forward target…

What’s the latest?

According to reports in Spain (via Sport Witness), David Moyes made several unsuccessful attempts to acquire the services of Youssef En-Nesyri back in 2021.

Despite knocking them all back, Sevilla are now willing to sell, with the Morocco international reportedly willing to accept a move in January.

Should he excel in the coming World Cup, he would extend his number of suitors that currently sits at just a ‘good lineup’ at the moment. The Irons will surely be included given their emergence throughout the report.

Scamacca alternative

Although En-Nesyri has endured a poor start to the season, the 25-year-old still boasts two goals in just four Champions League games this term.

He has shown his goalscoring prowess in the past, however, and despite having yet to recapture it, his 24-goal campaign during the 2020/21 season still clearly remains fresh in the memory.

It must be the driving factor towards Moyes’ continued pursuit, with his thinking likely being that with the presence of Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio, there would be far less pressure on the Sevilla striker who has faltered for form ever since.

Also, with the six-foot-three marksman poised to spearhead his country at Qatar, there is hope that he can build upon his 14 international goals in 49 caps.

Former Arsenal hitman Kevin Campbell has been vocal in his praise for En-Nesyri in the past, as he lauded him with the following praise: “Good player, really good. For me, he would definitely come in and carry a threat.

“I will tell you that much. He will carry a threat top end of the pitch. He has good size, speed, knows where the goal is, he is skilful.”

Boasting the varied skillset mentioned by Campbell, the left-footed wizard ranks in the top 8% for interceptions and the top 14% for total shots of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues over the last 365 days.

He clearly boasts the tactical proficiency and physical assets to lead an effective press too, and could likely help enhance West Ham’s underperforming Italian alongside Antonio.

With vast Champions League experience too and soon to have even more World Cup appearances under his belt, he would move to east London full of experience and with a devilish potential just waiting to be unleashed.

Everton are making the most of the World Cup break by flying out to Australia to take part in the Sydney Super Cup and Frank Lampard will surely be thankful for the pause in Premier League football after a horrible run of results.

The Toffees are now just one point outside the relegation zone in 17th after losing three of their last five top-flight fixtures so a break in the season could be exactly what the manager needs to get his squad into shape ahead of their return to action after Christmas.

Indeed, Everton have several players who have travelled to the World Cup in Qatar as Jordan Pickford, Conor Coady, Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gana Gueye will all represent their respective countries in the prestigious international tournament, so Lampard will now get the opportunity to look a bit closer at some of the remaining talents over the next few weeks.

One player who will be hoping to capture the attention of the former Chelsea boss is Everton U23s midfielder Sebastian Quirk, with the player confirming his golden opportunity to travel with the squad on social media.

Despite having no senior appearances yet for the first team, the 20-year-old sensation has been showcasing his capabilities in the EFL Trophy this season, registering one assist and completing 50% of his dribbles over three appearances, as well as winning a seriously impressive four tackles and eight duels per game.

Not only that, Quirk has been a consistent performer in Everton’s Premier League 2 campaign, tallying up two assists in 11 appearances so far, proving that he is not only defensively gifted but also capable of being an attacking threat from the centre of the pitch.

The young midfielder – who is dubbed “versatile” in his bio on the Everton website – has displayed his defensive midfield talents whilst rising through the ranks in the academy since joining at just 11 years old. Judging by his impressive tackling ability, it’s evident that he is a clear contender to be a successor for Gueye who is in the latter stages of his career.

The Senegal international signed a two-year deal when he returned to Goodison Park this summer and it would be expected that the 33-year-old’s services will need to be replaced when his contract is up in 2024.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Quirk and if he continues to flourish in the Everton academy as well as taking full advantage of his opportunities to catch Lampard’s eye in Australia there is no doubt it won’t be long before we see him in the senior team.

Sheffield Wednesday have been linked with a move for Grimsby Town left-back Anthony Glennon ahead of the January transfer window and he could prove to be the ideal heir to Marvin Johnson in Darren Moore’s side.

It was suggested by Football Insider earlier this month that Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Hull were all keen on signing the former Burnley man after his impressive displays in League Two this season.

The 22-year-old has featured in 14 games in the fourth tier for the Mariners, in which he has contributed one goal and three assists, averaging a strong 6.98 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

For context, only four players in Sheffield Wednesday’s squad are rated higher for their displays in the league, which emphasises just how impressive Glennon has been, given that Grimsby are only mid-table in League Two.

The young defender was very highly rated during his time at Burnley, with academy manager Steven Stone full of praise for him in 2019.

He said: “He is exceptional wherever he plays. He is exceptional in terms of how he drives and leads this team because he is captain of this team now.

“He drives it from centre half, he is not a big centre half and he has been unbelievable alongside Bobby Thomas and I keep saying to people how brilliant he has been.

“It is the same name that comes out and I think everyone else says the same thing.

“Then to push him to left back and be as good as he was again after not playing there for months is a testament to what he is about.”

Glennon has certainly proved himself with Grimsby this season and at just 22, he could be the perfect man to replace Johnson at Hillsborough in the future, given that the former Middlesbrough man turns 32 next month.

The fact that the youngster has also featured as a left-midfielder in Paul Hurst’s side suggests that he could be ideal in Moore’s 3-4-1-2 set-up, which requires the full-backs to contribute in attack, so Moore should definitely look to bring Glennon in during the January window.

Crystal Palace are reportedly still interested in Watford winger Ismaila Sarr and the Senegal international could be the ideal man to replace Wilfried Zaha at Selhurst Park.

Patrick Vieira’s side were linked with the 24-year-old during the summer but he would remain with the Hornets in the Championship and has caught the eye with his performances, contributing six goals and four assists in the second tier.

It seems as if the Eagles could make another move for Sarr in next month’s transfer window, especially after some quality performances for the Lions of Teranga at the World Cup in Qatar.

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the Guardian’s Ed Aarons provided the latest on Premier League interest in Sarr.

He said: “We talked about Villa last time, and Palace are still interested in him.

“But his contract’s coming to an end, I think it ends in 2024. So, there could be a good deal for somebody coming up.”

If Vieira wasn’t already interested in Sarr, he certainly will be after watching him play for the African Cup of Nations holders in Qatar over the past few weeks.

While Senegal’s tournament came to an abrupt end on Sunday night as they lost 3-0 to England, Sarr was a bright spark throughout their time in Qatar, with his 7.02 average rating from WhoScored – ranking him as the best player in Aliou Cissé’s side of those to feature in every game.

Palace will be looking for a direct winger who can dribble and shoot to replace Zaha, who looks likely to leave when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, and Sarr’s statistics at the World Cup suggest he could be the ideal man.

As per Sofascore, only five players have taken more shots than the former Stade Rennais man, while only four players have completed more dribbles, with Sarr’s nine putting him on par with Lionel Messi – who is widely regarded as the best footballer of all time.

The Argentine has been fooling defenders with his extraordinary dribbling ability for nearly two decades so it certainly bodes well that the Palace target is keeping up with the Paris Saint-Germain star in that attribute.

Ben Foster labelled Sarr a “freak” talent during his time at Watford and it is easy to see why given his recent displays, so Palace should definitely be looking to bring him to Selhurst Park next month.

West Brom centre-back Kyle Bartley has triggered a one-year extension on his current deal to keep him at the club until 2024, Lewis Cox has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Bartley key for West Brom

The 31-year-old has become an influential performer for the Baggies since arriving from Swansea City back in 2018, making 154 appearances overall.

Bartley has scored twice in seven Championship outings this season, showing that he can be a threat in an attacking sense too, with Kevin Campbell even describing him as ‘incredible’.

The defender’s current deal was set to expire next summer but there was a 12-month extension on offer, should he decide to stay on at the Hawthorns.

The Latest: Contract extension triggered

That is precisely what has happened, with The Express & Star‘s Cox taking to Twitter to confirm the news on Friday:

“Kyle Bartley has triggered a 12-month option in his Albion contract and the deal – originally up next summer – will now run until 2024. Defender hit appearance-related clause.”

The Verdict: Great news for Baggies

This is brilliant news for West Brom, with Bartley someone who knows the club inside out and who can continue to be a key figure under Carlos Corberan.

At 31, age is admittedly starting to catch up with him but retaining his services until 2024 makes complete sense, given his quality and experience at the heart of the defence, and it even gives them the choice of cashing in next summer if Semi Ajayi and Kean Bryan nail down the starting spots.

The hope is that West Brom’s season is slowly beginning to turn around for the better and having a fit and available Bartley in the squad most weeks will increase the chances of that happening.

Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho has not enjoyed the most fruitful of starts to life in the Premier League, following his dazzling exploits with Borussia Dortmund.  

What’s the word?

The England international arrived with a weight of expectation on his shoulders after joining the Red Devils in a £73m deal in the summer of 2021 and has indeed failed to demonstrate an elite level of performance so far at Old Trafford. 

As such, rumours have come to the fore regarding the club’s stance on their player, and despite reports that the player may leave on a permanent deal, TEAMtalk have confirmed that the England ace is very much a part of the club’s long-term plans.

Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer specialist Graeme Bailey said: “As it stands Erik Ten Hag thinks he can get Jadon Sancho back to his best.

“He and his team, including Steve McClaren, have done great work with Marcus Rashford. The jury remains out whether they can do the same though here. United want Sancho to get back to his best, though he’s some way down the pecking order right now.”

Loan move may be beneficial 

While a prospective loan exit might be met with concern among some of the United fanbase, allowing Sancho to find his feet and consequently flourish once more might be a prudent move.

Having scored just three goals and provided one assist from 14 appearances this season, following a return of just eight goal contributions from 38 appearances during his debut campaign for the Red Devils, the “ineffective” Sancho’s progress has somewhat stalled and certainly needs rectifying swiftly. 

The stark drop-off in performance is magnified by the statistics from his time with Dortmund, with Sancho netting 16 goals and 20 assists across 38 appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, including five goal contributions from four starts in the Champions League. 

With the likes of Chelsea interested in a deal for the winger, a loan move could benefit all parties involved, with the Blues getting a presence with demonstrable prowess in front of goal and United offering the player a platform to rekindle his flagging fortunes while still retaining his contract. 

Rashford’s rejuvenation in the United team, coupled with the £85m signing of Antony from AFC Ajax, has indeed resulted in fewer opportunities for the 22-year-old Englishman under Ten Hag.

Also, with the likes of Cody Gakpo a transfer topic of increasing discussion around the Red Devil camp, Sancho might have to grit his teeth and rediscover the form which earned him his move to Old Trafford last year. 

If the chance to ply his trade temporarily elsewhere does indeed surface in the coming weeks, the England winger must clasp the opportunity with firm hands and unleash the abundant potential which brims within.

Wolves are reportedly still keen on signing Goncalo Ramos in January, and the Portugal international could be the man to finally replace Diogo Jota at Molineux.

According to Portuguese news outlet Jornal de Noticias (via Sport Witness), after the centre-forward’s impressive campaign with his nation at the World Cup, a number of clubs are now keen on the 21-year-old in January, with Wolves set to reignite their interest from the summer.

However, the report suggests that Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain are also tracking the Benfica striker ahead of next month’s transfer window, with the Lisbon club unlikely to accept an offer below the forward’s significant €120m (£103m) release clause.

Ramos’ stock has undoubtedly risen over the past month after the young forward enjoyed a “remarkable” first-ever World Cup start, in the words of Gary Lineker, notching a hat-trick in Portugal’s 6-1 win over Switzerland as he repaid Fernando Santos’ faith in him to start ahead of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.

He has also enjoyed a superb start to the 2022/23 campaign with Benfica, contributing nine goals and one assist in just 11 appearances in Portugal’s top flight, which has helped him to average a superb 7.33 rating from WhoScored.

Not only is this comfortably a better average than anyone in the Wolves squad, he has also scored more goals on his own than the Old Gold have managed as a whole in the Premier League, so it is easy to see why Lopetegui would want to bring him in.

Should Ramos arrive at Molineux next month, he could prove to be the man to finally replace Jota in Wolves’ squad, as the Midlands club have arguably failed to replace the 26-year-old since his move to Liverpool in 2020.

The former Porto man was the top scorer for Wolves when they won the Championship in 2017/18, hitting 17 goals in shooting them into the top flight, while he regularly challenged Raul Jimenez at the top of the charts in the first two seasons in the Premier League, also finishing with six goals in their 2019/20 Europa League campaign.

Since his exit two years, not one player in Wolves’ squad has reached double figures in the league in a single campaign, and their goalscoring woes this term could be a massive factor in them possibly going down.

If Lopetegui wants to keep his new employers in the top flight, he may need to spend big on a goalscorer next month, and Ramos could be the ideal man.

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.

West Ham United and David Moyes are readying a move for Nigeria international Ola Aina, according to reports in the player’s homeland.

The Lowdown: Long-term target

Aina, a versatile full-back who can play six different positions across defence and midfield, has long been linked with a move to the Premier League.

Leeds United made contact over a deal for the Torino star during the summer transfer window and reports suggest the Hammers themselves even failed with a bid around that time.

Now, with the January window looming and the Irons desperately in need of reinforcements to save their stumbling season, it appears GSBK are ready to make another attempt to land the player for Moyes.

The Latest: Three-way race

According to Nigerian newspaper PUNCH Sports (via Sport Witness), Moyes is ‘set to revive’ West Ham’s interest in Aina after the failed move in the summer.

They are not alone in readying a move however, as Leeds and Crystal Palace are also name-checked in the report.

Aina’s contract at Torino runs out this summer, meaning this is the Serie A club’s last chance to cash in on the player before he leaves for free.

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The Verdict: Get it done

If Aina, dubbed ‘Mr Versatile’ during a spell at Fulham, is a player Moyes clearly wants, then GSBK simply have no excuse for not getting this one over the line. They arguably hold the biggest lure of the three clubs vying for his signature, while his contract situation makes it an extremely affordable deal.

In terms of the 26 year-old’s form on the pitch, he has impressed yet again in Turin this season, recording sung his praises, telling the press he prefers Aina to Tottenham full-back target Wilfried Singo.

The 29-cap Super Eagles star has some incredible underlying statistics too, ranking in the 93rd percentile for dribbles completed by full-backs in Europe’s top leagues (FBRef), also ranking highly in shot-creating actions, progressive passes tackles and aerial duels, showing both sides to his game.