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Aston Villa could make a move for Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico during the January transfer window, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

Interested clubs may have the ‘opportunity’ to land the 29-year-old this month as ‘he could leave Ajax’. Villa have approached the player’s camp but have yet to open talks with the Amsterdam club, and Steven Gerrard’s side could face competition for the Argentine’s signature.

His name has been ‘discussed internally’ at Chelsea after Ben Chilwell suffered a potentially season-ending injury. Newcastle United could also be in the frame, with the Magpies set to make a call on their left-back situation ‘soon’.

Nicolas Tagliafico to Villa?

Tagliafico, who is valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt and has 18 months left on his contract, would compete with Matt Targett for the left-back berth at Villa Park.

He has been capped 36 times by his country and was part of the Ajax team which reached the semi-finals of the 2018/19 Champions League, only to fall dramatically to Tottenham Hotspur at that stage. He has also drawn comparisons with legendary compatriot Javier Zanetti, an indicator of his vast quality.

Fan feed Villa Report relayed Romano’s claim, and here’s how some fans reacted.

These Villa fans buzzing over Tagliafico link

“Yesss please”

Credit: @stefan__19

“omg”

Credit: @catrinavfc

“Agent @emimartinez strikes again”

Credit: @GW_94

“OMG, IMAGINE IF WE GET HIM”

Credit: @avfck8

“Yum”

Credit: @billazor

“Game changer”

Credit: @elrondgoesup

In other news, lots of Villa fans have reacted to this news on a potential departure

Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis OBrien would ‘jump at’ the chance to join Leeds United in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: O’Brien constantly linked with Leeds

The 23-year-old spent the summer continually being linked with a move to Elland Road – Terriers chairman Phil Hodgkinson even confirmed the interest – and stories have now begun to emerge ahead of next month’s window.

O’Brien has continued to be a key player for Huddersfield this season, starting 22 Championship matches and being handed WhoScored‘s Man of the Match award four times, in all competitions.

While the midfielder only recently signed a new deal at his current club, it appears as though a move could happen in the coming weeks.

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The Latest: Journalist talks up transfer

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed it wouldn’t take much for O’Brien’s head to be turned, as he hinted at the move happening in January:

“He signed a new contract at Huddersfield but I’m sure if the opportunity came to go to Leeds, it would be something that he would jump at.

“Let’s see if Huddersfield are able to turn down any offers for the midfielder.”

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The Verdict: One of two midfielders?

Such has been the regularity of the O’Brien links that it seems as though Leeds’ interest is genuine and he could be a strong addition to Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.

Admittedly, he isn’t at the level of Kalvin Phillips, but he is a young player who is maturing all the time, averaging 2.9 tackles and 1.6 dribbles per match in the league this season. No Whites player has averaged more tackles, with Stuart Dallas topping the pile with 2.6.

If he was one of two midfielders to come in, with a more experienced head also making the switch to Leeds, it should leave them well-stocked in Phillips’ absence.

In other news, one Leeds player has been linked with a move to a fellow Premier League club. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a move for Dejan Kulusevski during this month’s transfer window, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio told Sky Sports News that both Spurs manager Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici, who signed the Sweden international at Juventus, are huge admirers of the 21-year-old.

“I know that Antonio and Fabio Paratici they like Kulusevski,” he said live on ‘The Transfer Show’. “He’s a Juventus player that Fabio got at Juventus, bought him from Atalanta, it’s not easy, but he is one of the names.”

Meanwhile, journalist Pete O’Rourke believes the Serie A giants would be open to letting the 21-year-old leave this month.

“They would be open to possibly selling him or maybe consider a loan with an option to buy in the summer,” he told GIVEMESPORT. “And he can play anywhere across the front three. A talented player, Swedish International.”

Conte’s new Eden Hazard?

Indeed, that versatility to play pretty much anywhere up front is certainly an attractive prospect and is perhaps why Conte is said to be keen on signing him this month.

Kulusevski has struggled for minutes in Turin since the re-appointment of Massimiliano Allegri, featuring for only 733 minutes across 22 appearances in both Serie A and the Champions League this season.

However, it was only last season that he delivered seven goals and seven assists for the Old Lady, and he did so featuring in seven different roles.

Such form led to praise from former Villa and Sweden striker Marcus Allback, who told The Sun: “Kulusevski is an explosive player who likes to challenge his direct opponent. He likes to dribble with the ball, play the short passes and he is very good on the through balls. He’s quick and would cause a lot of trouble for most of the teams he plays.”

Meanwhile, his playing style has been likened to that of Liverpool superstar Mo Salah. Italian coach Pierpaolo Bisoli once claimed: “He has incredible physical strength. He reminds me of a young Salah for the way he shakes off opponents in the first ten metres.”

As such, he could earn some further comparisons to that of Eden Hazard, a player whom Conte has managed to great success before. The Belgian, now at Real Madrid, provided 34 goals and 21 assists in 94 appearances under the Italian.

“Even after a week I think I had progressed with him,” the winger once said of Conte.

Given Kulusevski’s ability, he could well emerge as a Hazard-like figure in this Spurs side, so Paratici and co must do all in their power to seal a move for the £27m-rated dynamo before the January 31st deadline.

AND in other news, Paratici pushing to sign £31.5m-rated “animal” at Spurs, he’s way better than Sanchez…

Leeds United and Newcastle United are both monitoring Lens midfielder Seko Fofana, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Fofana profiled

Fofana, labelled as a ‘phenom’ by journalist Zach Lowy, is 26 years of age and can play as a defensive, central or attacking midfielder.

The Ivory Coast international wasn’t selected for the Africa Cup of Nations despite scoring seven goals for his club already this season.

A former Manchester City youngster, Fofana is under contract until 2024 but picks up just £20,000-a-week, less than the likes of Leeds youngsters Pascal Struijk and Tyler Roberts.

The Latest: Leeds join race

The Daily Mail shared a story after midnight on Wednesday evening, revealing that Burnley have held talks over a move for Fofana.

The report then added that both Leeds and Newcastle are monitoring the Ivorian, with the French side possibly willing to sell this month.

The Verdict: Sign

Leeds are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements, and landing Fofana ahead of their relegation rivals could be a shrewd move.

He is at the absolute top of his game with a career-high £16.2m Transfermarkt valuation and seems to be impressing in Ligue 1, with Lowy gushing over the ‘domination’ of the PSG midfield when Fofana scored in a 1-1 draw last month.

The rising star would also be able to play in three different midfield roles at Elland Road, which could be crucial between now and the end of the season with the Whites short on numbers.

Andrea Radrizzani may find it tough to pip big-money Newcastle, should the Magpies firm up their interest, but if they don’t, then they may look to secure the Ivorian ahead of Burnley in what could be a wise deal.

In other news: ‘I know’ – Journalist drops transfer claim on Leeds and midfielder who shares agent with Forshaw. 

Some behind the scenes at Elland Road believe key Leeds United duo Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips could return from injury earlier than expected…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Daily Mirror’s David Anderson, who delivered the encouraging claim to GIVEMESPORT this week.

“[Marcelo] Bielsa keeps talking about March at the earliest for those two, although some people at the club seem to think that’s maybe unnaturally gloomy,” he said.

“They think there may be a chance they could be back maybe a little bit before that.”

Both players picked up hamstring problems during their 2-2 draw with Brentford at the start of December, with the 30-year-old skipper lasting just 15 minutes and the defensive midfield powerhouse managing 55 minutes that day.

Reports have suggested that they will be out for the next two months at least, though there is confidence behind closed doors that they will be back sooner than then.

Huge boost

And that would hand Bielsa one massive boost heading into the second half of the season.

A string of injuries have curtailed the Yorkshiremen’s progress in the Premier League under the Argentinian head coach this campaign.

Even though Sunday’s impressive 3-2 victory over fourth-placed West Ham moved them nine points clear of the drop zone, they have still flirted with the possibility of being dragged into a relegation dogfight.

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Bielsa struggled to name any sort of strong bench for that clash, with Rodrigo being the only senior figure among nine substitutes. The rest were promising academy hopefuls, including 15-year-old midfieldeer Archie Gray.

You’d imaginre that any further setbacks would seriously hinder their chances of kicking on, so it’s easy to see why things are still precarious at Elland Road right now.

However, the prospect of welcoming back two integral figures earlier than expected is surely going to leave Bielsa hugely relieved, if not buzzing.

Phillips is crucial to the way they play as he’s the lynchpin that offers physical stability in front of the backline (2.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game) and is capable of spraying diagonal balls all over the pitch to start many of their attacks (3.5 accurate long balls per game).

Meanwhile, Cooper is the club captain and a reliable option in the heart of defence. In his absence, Leeds are yet to keep a clean sheet and have witnessed emphatic defeats to Man City (7-0) and Arsenal (4-1).

Therefore, it’s hugely encouraging to learn that some at the club think they will return much sooner than first feared.

AND in other news, Leeds gifted significant boost as Phil Hay relays “good news” this week…

West Ham United are not interested in a deal to bring Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by ExWHUemployee, who revealed in a recent post on The West Ham Way that, despite recent a report suggesting that David Moyes and his Hammers transfer team are lining up an offer for the Everton centre-forward this month, the 24-year-old England international is not a target of the Irons.

In his post, the club insider said: “We can confirm that there is no truth in the story linking us with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The manager has not identified him as a target and it isn’t believed that Everton want/need to sell him, despite reports. I have been reassured that there is money available for Moyes to buy players but as yet he hasn’t managed to narrow down a target he wants that is available. Work will continue this week.”

Fans will be fuming

With it very much appearing as if Moyes must sign a new forward this month if he is to have any hope of securing a top-four finish in the league this season, the news that Calvert-Lewin is not being targeted by the club, as well as Ex’s claim that the 58-year-old Hammers boss has so far failed to identify a target in the position, is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful fuming.

Indeed, at present, West Ham only have the option of the injury-prone Michail Antonio as an out and out centre-forward.

And, while the Premier League is currently on a winter break, Antonio looks unlikely to be afforded much rest over the next two weeks, as the 31-year-old has been called up for three international fixtures with Jamacia – against Mexico on January 28, Panama on January 30 and Costa Rica on February 3.

As such, should the striker pick up an injury in these matches, or simply just return fatigued from international duty, Moyes faces the very real possibility of having no senior strikers available for the start of February – unless he manages to bring a fresh face into the position in the coming week.

However, with Ex suggesting that the Scot does not currently have a primary target for the role, in addition to the fact that deadline day is edging closer with each passing day, whether or not the club will be successful in their bid to bring a new forward to East London appears very much up in the air at present – something that will undoubtedly have fans sweating.

In other news: Moyes can land the new Cole as WHU ready £20m bid for 18-goal gem who “looks the part”

Young Leeds United centre-forward Bobby Kamwa could leave the club over the coming days, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth.

The Lowdown: Lack of January activity

The Whites haven’t exactly been busy when it comes to winter signings, with Victor Orta yet to finalise a senior January incoming.

RB Salzburg’s Brenden Aaronson is the main target ahead of Monday’s deadline, with the Whites mulling over a third bid for the attacking midfielder.

Cody Drameh has joined Cardiff City on loan, whereas Crysencio Summerville has been linked with a move to Hamburg. It now seems as if Kamwa, described by Joe Donnohue as a player with ‘fast feet’, could also be on the move before Monday’s transfer deadline.

The Latest: Smyth’s claim

Smyth shared a transfer state of play for The Yorkshire Evening Post on Wednesday, providing updates on the club’s pursuit of Aaronson and the chances of Summerville leaving Elland Road.

When it came to exits, the journalist revealed that Kamwa isn’t in Leeds’ plans and could leave before the end of the month with his contract set to expire in the summer.

The Verdict: Correct call

Kamwa made 11 Premier League 2 appearances last season but hasn’t featured during the current campaign, so looking to move him on is the best for all involved.

The Whites have brought in Mateo Joseph Fernandez to bolster their attacking under-23 ranks this month and also have the likes of Sam Greenwood and Max Dean in that position.

Therefore, Kamwa finding a new club lower down the leagues over the coming days could be beneficial instead of waiting until the summer, although Leeds fans may be more worried over any prospective incomings than a possible exit for the 21-year-old.

In other news: Journalist drops Leeds transfer news; Orta busy on more than just Aaronson

Tottenham are preparing a £32m offer for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.

That’s according to The Daily Mail, and, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Luiz has just 18 months remaining on his Villa Park contract and has recently been linked with a move to Arsenal. However, it seems as if their rivals, Spurs, are now looking at the Brazilian with the deadline fast approaching.

According to The Daily Mail, there is a sense of panic around Tottenham after missing out on numerous targets, with the club now preparing a £32m bid for Luiz.

They add that Spurs look set to fail with their pursuit of the central midfielder too though, who Steven Gerrard is keen to keep.

Reports prior to this update suggested that Villa were set to open talks over a new contract for Luiz, and Tottenham’s interest may well speed up that process.

Villa fans react

@villareport relayed The Daily Mail’s claim regarding Luiz on Twitter. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with reaction mixed over a possible exit.

“Jesus Christ I’d be happy if we got £15 million for him let alone £32 million. Take the money and buy someone better for half the price”

Credit: @NooneAVFC

“Please no. £45 million at least!”

Credit: @AstonVilla_info

“SELL HIM OH MY DAYS £32M”

Credit: @JPackers12

“Are you joking?”

Credit: @LeoAVFC82

“Laughable”

Credit: @DL1992_

“This would really liven things up.”

Credit: @avfcdiggy

In other news: Villa now keen on ‘special’ centre-back after Calum Chambers; he can also play in midfield. 

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly plotting a summer transfer move for Leeds United winger Jack Harrison, according to The Telegraph. 

The lowdown: Impressive top-flight exploits

The 25-year-old enjoyed a sensational breakthrough campaign in the Premier League at Elland Road having signed permanently from Manchester City for £11million in 2021 (BBC).

Harrison scored eight times and provided another eight assists in 2020/21 and a hat-trick earlier this season against West Ham put the former England youth international in the spotlight once again, despite this campaign seeing a slight drop-off in form overall.

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Having made an enquiry during the January transfer window, Spurs could be about to renew their interest.

The latest: Summer swoop pending

As per the report, Tottenham are believed to be ‘planning’ a summer offer for the highly-rated left-winger.

Moreover, it’s claimed that sporting director Fabio Paratici has received a recommendation from Italian icon Andrea Pirlo – who was impressed by the two-cap England Under 21 ace at New York City FC.

The report also states that Harrison could be viewed as an alternative option to Adama Traore after Spurs missed out on the powerful Spaniard in January when moving from Wolves to Barcelona on loan until the end of the season.

The latest: A ‘brilliant’ signing?

Capable of operating in advanced wide positions as well as in wing-back roles (WhoScored), Harrison would appear purpose-built to flourish in Antonio Conte’s system.

Despite the struggles at Leeds this season, the man recently described as ‘brilliant’ by Kevin Phillips has enjoyed a decent campaign in the top-flight, scoring seven times and providing two assists in 30 appearances across all competitions.

Valued at £13.5million and under contract in Yorkshire until 2024 (Transfermarkt), signing the versatile star would be a wholly affordable option and could see Conte cast aside an injury prone Ryan Sessegnon.

In other news: Journalist drops huge claim in Spurs’ pursuit of Serie A hitman. Read more here.

Aston Villa and Steven Gerrard have not had a particularly successful past few weeks in terms of their results in the Premier League.

Their latest outing saw the Villans succumb to a disappointing 4-0 drubbing against Tottenham Hotspur in front of their home fans.

This defeat took the Midlands club to their fourth league loss in a row, having lost against West Ham United, Arsenal and Wolves.

Another blow that the Villa Park outfit took during that clash was through left-back Lucas Digne, who sustained a collarbone injury and could now be facing the remainder of the campaign on the sidelines as a result.

While this will undoubtedly be a blow for the Frenchman, it could give Gerrard the chance to finally give one of Villa’s barely seen youth players an opportunity to step up to the senior level.

Opportunity knocks

Having featured in five Premier League matchday squads this season, 18-year-old Ben Chrisene has yet to feature in the top flight for the Villans.

However, the fact that he has been in and around the senior squad shows the sort of faith the Villa boss has in the £2.5k-per-week prodigy.

Labelled as a “mini Gareth Barry” by journalist Ashley Preece, the teenager has made 35 appearances for the Midlands club across their U18, U23 and senior sides.

In those appearances, the full-back has scored two goals and provided four assists along the way.

Taking into account how Ashley Young is listed as one of the lowest-rated players currently in Gerrard’s squad based on his league performances according to WhoScored, this could sway the Villa boss to give Chrisene the chance to shine rather than the veteran.

Also, having lost 15 of the 27 aerial duels he’s been involved in, perhaps Young isn’t the right player to fill in for Digne from a defensive point of view.

Moving forward, with the eagerness the youngster will presumably have at the thought of playing in the first team, now could be the right time for him to come in and get his first real taste of Premier League action.

While the Villans aren’t at risk of being dragged into a relegation battle at the moment, getting through these remaining games would be an ideal time for Gerrard to see which players he thinks are capable of continuing at the club, such as Chrisene.

In other news: Lange can seal Gerrard’s own Sergio Ramos as Villa plot bid for £21.6m-rated “leader”