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Manchester United and Arsenal are the front-runners to seal a loan move for Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix, according to reports from Spain.

The Lowdown: Felix on United’s radar

The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to Old Trafford a number of times in recent months, especially since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in November.

Felix appears to be unsettled at Atletico currently, struggling to earn consistent starts (just five in La Liga this term) and potentially looking for a new challenge in January.

A fresh report suggests that United could be well-placed to secure a move for the 2019 European Golden Boy winner and grant him an escape route from the Spanish capital.

The Latest: Man United well-placed for Felix

According to Spanish outlet AS on Monday [via Sport Witness], United and Arsenal are the ‘two best-placed clubs’ to snap up Felix in the January transfer window.

Atletico are demanding a fee of approximately €100m (£88.1m) to sell him outright and are unwilling to budge on that figure. However, the La Liga club are amenable to a loan exit until the end of the season if a fee of €9m (£7.9m) is forthcoming, albeit without an option to sign permanently.

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The Verdict: Would bring star quality

There is an argument to say that, following Ronaldo’s exit, United could do with an out-and-out striker more than a number 10 of Felix’s ilk, but he could still be a superb signing for the short-term if Erik ten Hag brings him in.

Hailed as “special” by team-mate Alvaro Morata, he possesses genuine star power, as highlighted by his aforementioned Golden Boy win in 2019 and transfer fee of €126m (£113m) that year; and he could thrive in a more technical, attack-minded team than the often conservative Atletico of Diego Simeone.

At 23, Felix still isn’t in his prime, so Ten Hag may see him as someone who could blossom into a consistent world-class talent over time; and perhaps if the Portuguese gem is a hit on loan at Old Trafford, a permanent transfer could subsequently be sought.

Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson has been backed to impress for the United States during the World Cup in Qatar. 

The Lowdown: Aaronson’s season so far

The Whites signed the midfielder in May and have since seen him become a pivotal figure in Jesse Marsch’s side.

Having started all 14 of Leeds’ Premier League games this term, the 22-year-old has netted one goal and provided two assists in the process.

With the American now in Qatar to represent his country in the World Cup, he has been backed to be a big player for them in the tournament.

The Latest: Aaronson backed for strong World Cup

Speaking to the official MLS website, Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni was full of praise for the Leeds star heading into the World Cup.

He said of Aaronson: “He really drives a group forward and is also crafty enough to create and to score goals. I don’t think he’s a sleeper by any stretch. He’s a top player for this team, but if he has a good start to the World Cup, he can be super influential and dictate things.”

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The Verdict: Aaronson could be a key player for USA

Taking a look at what Aaronson has done for Leeds so far this season, this could be a clue as to what he’ll be able to do for his country, who will be taking on England, Wales and Iran in the group stage of the World Cup.

Across his 14 league games this season, the 22-year-old has racked up the highest number of shot-creating actions (51) at Leeds, along with the joint-highest number of blocks (21). This shows how creative a player he is and also how hard-working he can be when not in possession.

Taking all that into account, the Whites dynamo is definitely a player that the USA’s opponents will need to watch closely in Qatar and try to stop him from being as influential in those games as Mastroeni believes he can be.

Leeds United have been dealt a potential setback in their bid to bring Noah Okafor to Elland Road in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Florian Plettenberg, with the Sky Sports Germany journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that Manchester City, Liverpool and AC Milan have now joined Leeds in the race for the Red Bull Salzburg centre-forward this winter – who is said to be available for a figure in the region of €40m (£35m).

In his tweet, Plettenberg said: “News Okafor: Transfer in winter is possible! No negotiations now but there’s is interest from clubs like MCFC, LFC & AC Milan. Been told that Manchester United is not in. World Cup [is] very important now. Price tag could be around €35-40m. Top season with Salzburg so far.”

In a further tweet, the Sky reporter went on to relay the comments of Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund, who claimed that, should the 22-year-old go on to enjoy a fine World Cup campaign with Switzerland this winter, demand for the striker could skyrocket by the time January rolls around.

In this post, the journalist said: “News Okafor: Sporting director Freund confirmed our exclusive news. About a transfer in winter he said to Sky Austria: ‘Okafor really took off last year. I hope he plays a good World Cup, then the stock Okafor can become very interesting. I don’t rule it out!'”

One to watch

While Okafor’s returns in Austria have been incredibly impressive so far this season, should the Swiss sensation go on to prove himself on the international stage at the Qatar World Cup this winter, the argument that Orta simply must launch a bid for the centre-forward in January is an incredibly easy one to make.

Indeed, early indications of the 22-year-old’s potential are extremely promising, with the £22m-rated talent having already bagged seven goals, registered one assist and created two big chances over his 14 Austrian Bundesliga appearances this season.

The striker has also taken an average of 1.9 shots – 0.9 of which have hit the target, made 1.3 key passes and completed 1.1 dribbles per game, in addition to scoring four of his goals with his left foot and three with his right.

These returns have seen the player who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “incredibly prolific” average an incredibly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.03, currently ranking him as Salzburg’s joint 12th-best performer in the league.

The £13k-per-week forward has also caught the eye over his six appearances in the Champions League this term, scoring three goals – against AC Milan, Chelsea and GNK Dinamo Zagreb – as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots – one of which has hit the target – making one key pass and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

As such, while the numbers posted by the eight-cap starlet this season are impressive, should Okafor go on to shine against the likes of Brazil, Cameroon and Serbia in Group G of the World Cup this winter, it would likely convince Orta – as well as a number of other interested clubs – that the centre-forward is well and truly ready for Premier League football.

So, the 22-year-old is very much one to watch in Qatar for all involved with the Whites, as, should the striker prove himself on the biggest stage of international football, it would appear extremely advisable for Orta to launch a bid for the Salzburg sensation in the January transfer window.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has shown a willingness to dip into the academy set-up at St. James’ Park as he has promoted Elliot Anderson to the first team this season.

The Scottish youth international has made six Premier League appearances so far this term and he will be hoping to establish himself as a regular in the side in the years to come.

At the age of 19, he has plenty of years left to fulfil his potential and it is down to him to put the performances in on the pitch, in training and in competitive games to warrant a place in the team.

Newcastle have had a number of promising young players come through their academy over the years and some made good on their promise, like Tim Krul and Andy Carroll, and others did not have as much success.

One young gem who flopped after initially showing potential at St. James’ Park was winger Rolando Aarons. He burst into the first team in the 2014/15 campaign at the age of 20, scoring two goals and assisting one in six matches in all competitions.

Back in 2014, the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope compared him to Wilfried Zaha and Raheem Sterling, whilst noting that Alan Pardew had likened the gem to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Former Toon boss Pardew previously hailed the young talent, saying: “He typifies what the Newcastle crowd want to see, taking people on and making things happen. Probably he was behind (Adam) Armstrong at that stage, though he’s just edged above him this pre-season. We’ve got two offensive players coming through the Academy, and if they can crack it in the first team that would be very lucky for us.”

Peter Beardsley, who was the club’s development manager, also tipped the attacker for big things. He said: “He’s like a flying left winger with good ability – really good ability. He’s one that we’ve got high hopes for in the first team. He’s probably the main one. We expect him to do good things.”

The young gem then played 10 Premier League games in the 2015/16 campaign, scoring once and assisting one, but was never able to establish himself as a regular fixture in the team, with six separate injuries and a lack of consistent end product across his first three years in the first-team causing him to fall out of favour.

After five separate loan spells away from Tyneside between 2018 and 2020, Newcastle decided to release him on a free transfer in January of 2021 and he signed for Championship side Huddersfield.

He failed to produce a goal or assist in 11 league matches for the Terriers between his move to the club and the end of the 2021/22 campaign and this led to him being sent out on loan to Motherwell in Scotland at the start of this season.

This means that he is currently playing in the Premiership at the age of 26 after being compared to the likes of Zaha and Sterling at the start of his Newcastle career. He should be at the peak of his powers at his age but he has not lived up to the potential that many believed he had when he first burst onto the scene.

Liverpool are considering making an approach to sign Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Arthur out

The Reds were on the lookout for a new central player over the summer to provide cover for the ongoing injury crisis, and ended up landing Juventus’ Arthur Melo on a season-long loan.

However, the Brazilian has now been ruled out of action and is facing up to four months on the sidelines after sustaining a serious thigh injury, leaving FSG to identify the man they want to bring to the Premier League as his replacement.

The Latest: Liverpool monitoring Rodriguez

According to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are ‘keeping an eye on’ Rodriguez, though it remains to be seen whether the Merseyside outfit will be ‘taking the step forward’ to sign him in January.

It’s stated that the 28-year-old is the ‘main value’ of Manuel Pellegrini’s squad, meaning they ‘could offer him’ out in the New Year to balance the books, though it’s believed they are keen to get him to put pen to paper on a new deal before the World Cup.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Rodriguez is a hugely talented player and if Liverpool have the opportunity to land him in January for a reasonable fee, then it’s a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

The Argentinian, praised for his ‘creative spark’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, currently averages 3.1 tackles per La Liga game and has a pass success rate of 88.7% (WhoScored), showing quality on both sides of the ball.

With seven career trophies to his name, Rodriguez would bring a wealth of success and experience to the midfield in what would be a welcome addition at Anfield.

Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne has reportedly suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with France, adding another defensive concern for Steven Gerrard.

The Lowdown: Injury problems mounting

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Villa, with Gerrard’s men sitting 15th in the Premier League table with seven matches played to date.

Injuries certainly haven’t helped the situation at Villa Park, with new signings Diego Carlos and Boubacar Kamara both currently sidelined while Matty Cash also missed the clash against Southampton.

And almost immediately after the players jetted off on international duty this week, a new setback has emerged.

The Latest: Digne suffers injury

According to the French Football association [via Sport Witness], Digne has picked up an ankle injury with France, ruling him out of the upcoming UEFA Nations League clashes with Austria and Denmark.

There is no timescale in terms of a return date however, meaning his status for the next league game away to Leeds United remains a mystery.

The Verdict: Big blow for Gerrard

This is another big injury headache for Gerrard to contend with, considering what a consistent performer Digne has been since joining from Everton back in January.

The 29-year-old has won an average of 2.1 aerial duels per game in the league this season – only Tyrone Mings (2.4) has a higher tally – not to mention 2.3 tackles and clearances apiece.

The hope is that Digne’s injury isn’t too serious and that he will available for the Leeds game – if not, Ludwig Augustinsson or Ashley Young will have to fill in, acting as weaker options at left-back, with all due respect.

Liverpool are still ‘looking’ to sign a new midfielder this summer but Frenkie de Jong is staying put at Barcelona, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Midfielder desperately needed

The Reds may have won 9-0 at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, getting their Premier League season up and running, but they still badly need an extra midfielder.

Injuries to Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have left Jurgen Klopp short on options, while Jordan Henderson and James Milner have both come under fire for recent performances.

De Jong is one player that Liverpool have been loosely linked with signing, but a fresh update has now emerged which appears to have poured cold water on any prospects of the Reds landing the Dutchman.

The Latest: Midfield update emerges

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Jacobs claimed that De Jong would now remain at Barcelona, with the Reds working hard on an alternative.

The reporter tweeted:

“Frenkie de Jong is expected to get his wish and stay at Barcelona. As previously reported, Manchester United have all but given up. No significant new offensive to sign him has taken place. Chelsea haven’t made any further progress either. Liverpool looking elsewhere.”

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The Verdict: Business simply must be done

There is no excuse for Liverpool not to sign a midfielder between now and deadline day on Thursday – failure to do so would arguably be negligence on the part of Klopp, the transfer committee and owners FSG.

While the Reds’ selective style has often worked wonders in the transfer market in recent years, occasionally it is vital to bring in a player who may not be the absolute perfect target in order to solve a squad depth crisis.

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That’s what Liverpool are experiencing in midfield right now, and in defence two seasons ago, so it is imperative that a new face arrives in the middle of the park, giving that area of the squad a much-needed injection of depth.

According to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, Harry Kane is expected to sign a new deal at Tottenham Hotspur after Fabio Paratici’s ‘phenomenal’ behind-the-scenes impact.

The Lowdown: Change of heart

Last summer, the 29-year-old hinted that he wanted to leave north London in an appearance on Sky Sports’ The Overlap with Gary Neville, with fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City consistently credited with a serious interest.

However, a move failed to come to fruition before the Blues moved on to Erling Haaland, and since the arrival of Antonio Conte, reports have suggested that the striker is happy with life under the Italian.

The Latest: Kane expected to sign

In a report for The Telegraph, Law claims that the ‘smart money’ is now on Kane ‘eventually signing a new Tottenham contract’ as a result of Haaland having joined the Manchester outfit.

The source states that Paratici had a ‘phenomenal’ impact on keeping his forward at the club last year, having ‘told’ the England captain that City’s initial offer of £85m plus £15m in add-ons ‘was not one that demonstrated a realistic desire to sign him’.

It’s believed that the director of football ‘explained’ that Pep Guardiola’s side must have been ‘less certain’ to buy him due to the Haaland interest occurring straight after.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Any Tottenham fan will know just how much of an influence Kane has on Conte’s starting XI, and it would be massively positive news if he commits himself for the long-term.

The 73-cap international, described as an ‘animal’ by Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness, has made a remarkable 306 goal contributions in 386 senior appearances, as per Transfermarkt, and constantly proves to be an absolute beast in the final third.

Kane has played such a significant role in Spurs’ success over the years, and if he puts pen to paper on fresh terms, will no doubt continue doing so for the foreseeable future.

Tottenham Hotspur chief Fabio Paratici could be lining up another masterclass in the transfer market this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero (via Sport Witness), LaLiga giants Barcelona are planning to make an offer for left-back Sergio Reguilon, who is free to leave Spurs before deadline day.

However, they are unable to pay much due to their complex financial situation, so they are keen on a swap deal, in which Memphis Depay could be sent in the other direction.

It’s thought that Paratici has been offering the Spanish defender around to clubs and the Catalan outfit view him as a viable alternative to the ageing Jordi Alba.

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The north Londoners have been linked with interest in Depay for much of the summer.

A swap in Spurs’ favour

Spurs really ought to consider this proposal as Depay would add a lot to manager Antonio Conte’s attack, especially given his versatility.

Paratici has already delivered big this off-season, signing as many as six new players, including a £60m swoop for Richarlison and a £25m move for Yves Bissouma.

Reguilon clearly has no part to play under the Italian head coach, seeing as he was left behind for their pre-season trip to South Korea and has effectively been replaced by summer signing Ivan Perisic. who is tried and trusted by Conte.

There is little point in keeping him around if he’s not going to play, so swapping him for Depay could be a very smart decision. Some reports suggest that Spurs are in the market for a creative influence and to an extent, the Netherlands international would bring that and more.

Despite losing his place at the Nou Camp, the former Lyon gem ended the 2021/22 campaign as their top league goalscorer on 12 goals.

Meanwhile, as per FBref, Depay ranks inside the top 1% for passes (48.11 per 90), the top 3% for progressive carries (7.37 per 90) and the top 6% for progressive passes (3.26 per 90) when compared to other forwards across Europe.

The versatile frontman, once lauded as a “special talent” by Dutch legend Marco van Basten, can evidently provide the sort of creativity that Harry Kane and Heung-min Son need, on top of his finishing threat.

Valued at £33m by CIES Football Observatory, Spurs would be getting decent value in a swap for Reguilon, who cost the north Londoners around £32m. If Paratici can pull this one off, then it would be yet another masterclass from the Italian supremo.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals big Harry Kane update…

Spanish journalist Oriol Domenech has claimed that Manchester United and Barcelona have reached an agreement for Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Saga of the summer

De Jong, who Xavi Hernandez described as a ‘genius’, has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford for over two months now after rumours first emerged following Erik ten Hag’s appointment as United boss at the end of April.

Since then, there has been plenty of talk but not much action, however, United chiefs John Murtough and Richard Arnold have recently been spotted in Barcelona to seemingly continue talks regarding a move for De Jong, and it looks as if progress is finally being made.

The Latest: Breakthrough

Domenech was speaking to Onde TV3, with Football Talk translating the update regarding Man Utd and De Jong.

He claimed that a deal has now been closed for the midfielder worth a total €85m (£71.8m). The report adds that the Red Devils now need to convince De Jong over a reunion with Ten Hag, which could be straightforward if his salary issues with the Catalan giants can be resolved.

The Verdict: Finally

It has been a long time coming, but it looks as if the club have finally made a breakthrough when it comes to signing De Jong.

There could still be obstacles to overcome before we see the Dutchman in red, though, as he is still owed £17m in deferred salary payments by Barcelona.

It has been an extremely complicated process but one that United officials have never given up on, and it looks as if Murtough and Arnold are close to getting their main man in ahead of Ten Hag’s first competitive game in charge.