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Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici views former Barcelona boss as a ‘strong candidate’ to succeed Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Conte succession plan…

The 53-year-old has been repeatedly linked with an exit from Spurs in the last few weeks with Paratici already drawing a list of candidates to replace him long term.

While some noises suggest Ryan Mason will take interim charge for the remainder of this Premier League season if Conte is sacked, there could be many names to watch out for afterwards.

Sky claim some Spurs players have contacted former boss Mauricio Pochettino to return and other candidates in the frame include Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva, Thomas Frank and Enrique.

Conte’s seemingly inevitable exit from the north London club was accelerated by an astonishing rant after Spurs’ 3-3 draw with Southampton last weekend.

The Italian launched a scathing attack on the squad, chairman Daniel Levy and the club’s very culture – stating:

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in).

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why?”

The Latest: Luis Enrique a ‘strong candidate’ for Spurs hot seat…

According to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, speaking to CaughtOffside, ex-Spain boss Enrique is viewed as a strong candidate by Paratici.

The transfer chief will apparently lead Tottenham’s chase for a new manager, even if Levy’s opinion carries huge weight, with Jacobs adding Enrique could be a ‘popular’ choice for Spurs supporters.

The reporter said:

“Pochettino is extremely open to a Spurs return and retains a strong professional and personal relationship with Levy. But Levy isn’t the only decision maker, even though his opinion carries huge weight. Fabio Paratici will lead on any appointment and he views Enrique as a strong candidate. Both options would be popular choices amongst the fanbase.”

The Verdict: Big pedigree…

Enrique shares a lot of similarities with Pochettino in the sense they both encourage open, attacking football and currently stand out as attainable free agents.

The 52-year-old has also worked with some of football’s most mega superstars, like Lionel Messi, potentially meaning he could handle a few egos in the Spurs dressing room.

Enrique has even been called ‘underrated’ by members of the media with the European coach coming as a really good potential choice.

However, we believe Pochettino still stands out given his Premier League experience.

Tottenham Hotspur's new right wing-back Pedro Porro is quickly becoming one of the most popular members of the squad inside Hotspur Way.

What has Pedro Porro done so far at Spurs?

Since landing in north London, the Spanish wing-back has had to be patient for his opportunity in the starting XI with Emerson Royal impressing in recent months.

But the 23-year-old has begun to show signs of what he could bring Tottenham having provided his first assist for the club on the weekend.

And it seems as if the defender has not been sulking behind the scenes with Alasdair Gold suggesting he has quickly become a popular member of the side at Hotspur Way.

Not only has he earned the friendship of his teammates, but it also seems he has earned their trust on the pitch – none more so than with Harry Kane:

"He's very popular within the squad already. He's a bit like Sonny [Son Heung-min] – he's kind of always got a smile on his face and that immediately kind of brings him into the squad atmosphere and everyone seems to like him.

"I guess it's been about trying to adapt, blend in, get to know the other players, become this kind of member of the squad that they can trust with the ball, and you can see that; Harry Kane especially keeps looking for him with his passes."

What can Pedro Porro bring to this Spurs side?

Throughout the campaign, Spurs have struggled on the whole with a lack of attacking intent from their options at right wing-back which saw them make changes during the winter window.

Emerson has impressed lately, however, on the whole, the Brazilian does not provide much of an attacking threat in Antonio Conte's set-up.

Over the course of the Brazilian's 31 appearances in all competitions this season, he has only been able to provide a return of just two goals and one assist.

To put that into context, Porro has only made four appearances in the Premier League and he has already matched Emerson's assists return for the campaign.

In comparison, this season, Porro has provided significantly more crosses into the penalty area as well as returning almost double the amount of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (via FBref).

It has to be recognised Emerson could still provide Spurs with a useful option given he has proven to be sound defensively.

The Brazilian has offered just over double the number of tackles per 90 minutes in comparison to Porro this season, potentially offering Spurs an option for games they expect to be put under serious pressure.

But to have a player who is finally able to offer a real attacking threat has to be exciting for all at Spurs but most of all Kane who will be hoping for more crosses like the one for his opening goal on the weekend.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, with the Red Devils a ‘concrete threat’ to the Serie A side.

The Lowdown: Bastoni superb for Inter

The 23-year-old is arguably one of Europe’s most exciting young defenders currently, producing a string of influential performances for Inter in recent years.

Bastoni has made 19 appearances in Serie A so far this season, averaging 1.7 tackles per game in the competition, as well as 2.5 clearances in the Champions League, as per WhoScored.

The Italian is out of contract at Inter at the end of next season, however, meaning there could be potential suitors eyeing up his signature this summer.

The Latest: United linked with move

According to Inter Live [via Sport Witness], United are a ‘concrete threat’ to Inter with regards to Bastoni, as the Serie A giants desperately try to keep hold of one of their star men.

The Red Devils could reportedly ‘go as high as’ offering the young centre-back €8million (£7m) a year at Old Trafford, which is ‘triggering a new alarm’ at the Nerazzurri.

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The Verdict: Could be an outstanding signing

Bastoni could be a magnificent signing by United, considering what a formidable defender he already is, despite having most of his career ahead of him still.

The 17-cap Italy international could be viewed as a long-term successor to Raphael Varane at the heart of United’s defence, with the Frenchman turning 30 next month and never too far away from an injury layoff.

Bastoni and Lisandro Martinez could forge a wonderful long-term centre-back partnership at Old Trafford – one that may have the potential to match great pairings of the past, from Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, to Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister.

Whether or not Inter allow one of their most prized assets to move on remains to be seen – he won the league title in 2020/21 – but the player himself may jump at the chance to join the Erik ten Hag revolution.

Leeds United have reportedly contacted manager Gerardo Martino over a potential move to Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Martino profiled

Martino is an experienced coach who is currently out of work after leaving Mexico following last year’s World Cup in Qatar. The 60-year-old managed Barcelona back in 2013 and has even worked in the MLS with Atlanta.

He has a win over Leeds legend Marcelo Bielsa on his CV and has connections to the Argentine in regards to also managing the national side and Newell’s Old Boys.

In total, Martino, who plays a 4-3-3 system, has managed 413 games during his career, winning 223 of those.

The Latest: Leeds links

Argentine outlet TNT Sports shared a story on Monday evening regarding Leeds and Martino.

They claimed that contact has been made over a potential move to Yorkshire. Martino is yet to rule out an offer but would prefer to take over a side in the summer, when he has time to properly build a squad in his image.

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The Verdict: Big struggle

Leeds have found it a major struggle when it comes to replacing Jesse Marsch, with Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises suffering a number of setbacks. Therefore, it could be a wise move to look at an interim appointment until the summer, when it seems most managers want to get back into work, including Martino.

Who that could be remains to be seen, although the likes of Steven Gerrard and Nuno Espirito Santo have been linked and already have Premier League experience under their belt, so are perhaps ideal short-term solutions despite questions over their long-term suitability.

Manchester United booked their place at Wembley later this month with a convincing, second-leg victory over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, with Erik ten Hag’s side setting up an intriguing showdown with Newcastle United following that 5-0 aggregate triumph.

The Red Devils had arguably all but secured progression heading into the clash at Old Trafford as a result of the 3-0 win in the first leg a week ago, although the United boss was taking few chances as he once again named a strong starting lineup in order to ward off complacency.

It was, however, the visitors who had the better of the openings in the first half, with Brennan Johnson inexplicably firing straight at stand-in stopper, Tom Heaton, while Emmanuel Dennis – who had been a late call-up to the side for the injured Jesse Lingard – saw his goal-bound effort deflect off teammate Sam Surridge.

With tempers beginning to flare amid what was a frantic and feisty start to the second period, Ten Hag then called in the cavalry to help take the tie away from the Midlands side, with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho all entering the fray on the hour mark, the latter man receiving a huge ovation following his lengthy spell away from the action.

Those changes almost instantly paid dividends as the returning Martial slotted home after a brilliant breakaway, before fellow substitute Rashford then teed up Fred at the back post just minutes later, following an initial exquisite, outside of the boot pass from Bruno Fernandes.

It was the latter man who was perhaps unsurprisingly the recipient of the Man of the Match award on the night as a result of his typically creative and industrious display – both in a central role and on the flanks – having laid on four key passes in total, while also winning three of his four ground duels.

The Portuguese playmaker was not alone in having shone, however, with summer signing Casemiro once again rubberstamping his growing importance to Ten Hag’s side, having showcased why he is simply on a “different level”, in the words of journalist Liam Canning.

While it may have been somewhat of a surprise to see the 30-year-old named from the start – just days after his brilliant brace in the FA Cup win over Reading – the former Real Madrid man illustrated why he may well be undroppable at present.

The experienced Brazilian was simply “brilliant to watch” – as per journalist Samuel Luckhurst – having notably played his part in the home side’s opener after feeding Martial with a clever sliding pass, once again illustrating that he is more than just a “steady Eddie” at the base of midfield, as pundit Graeme Souness previously summated.

That quality on the ball was also evident in the first half as the 69-cap machine teed up January arrival Wout Weghorst with a delightful, sweeping cross, albeit with the towering Dutchman seeing his headed effort agonisingly strike the woodwork.

The one-time Porto man’s all-round game was also typically impressive as he lost possession just seven times from his 66 touches and won five of his 11 ground duels, with his match rating of 7.7, as per Sofascore, only bettered by Luke Shaw among his starting teammates.

Although there may be “concern” at just how reliant the Red Devils are on the Sao Paolo native, according to journalist Casey Evans, Casemiro himself cannot be blamed for continually setting the benchmark with his top-drawer displays.

Despite already possessing an enviable trophy cabinet that includes five Champions League triumphs, it does appear that the 6 foot 1 titan is hungry to add to his tally at the Theatre of Dreams.

Newcastle United are back in action away to Southampton in the Carabao Cup semi-final this evening, with the Magpies hoping to move one step closer towards ending their lengthy barren run without silverware.

For all the importance of potentially finishing in the top four come the end of the season, manager Eddie Howe has previously insisted that it would be a “dream” to secure a major honour for the club, with such a triumph set to be just reward for what has been a remarkable turnaround in fortunes over the last 12 months or so.

The Tynesiders head into this first-leg encounter at St Mary’s following what was another frustrating stalemate away to Crystal Palace at the weekend, having now recorded a goalless draw in three of their last four Premier League games.

The solitary win in that run of games came at home to Fulham courtesy of a late winner from club-record signing, Alexander Isak, with the Sweden international having been gradually eased back into the action following his frustrating injury woes prior to the World Cup break.

While Howe will likely be fearful of risking losing the 23-year-old once again, it may well be time for the former Real Sociedad starlet to be handed the chance to impress from the start, with goals clearly having been in short supply of late.

Despite his limited involvement so far this term, the one-time Borussia Dortmund “monster” – as described by journalist Chuck Booth – has illustrated just why the northeast side were so keen to secure his signature this summer, having scored three goals in his five top-flight outings to date.

While the 6 foot 4 powerhouse was not able to add to his tally off the bench at Selhurst Park, the £120k-per-week gem did certainly make an impact in the closing stages, having guided a header straight into the arms of opposition goalkeeper, Vicente Guaita.

That brief cameo also saw Isak lay on one key pass from his nine touches, with journalist Thomas Hammond subsequently stating that the Swede simply “has to start” against the Saints.

With the departure of Chris Wood to Nottingham Forest having limited Howe’s attacking options, it may well be wise to thrust Isak into the fray from the start in order to allow fellow forward Callum Wilson the chance of rest.

Alternatively, there could also be a benefit in playing the pair together in attack against Nathan Jones’ men, with Wilson having notably teed up his strike partner to help clinch victory against the Cottagers just over a week ago.

Whatever forward line the Newcastle boss does decide to deploy, it would seemingly be an astute move to have Isak at the forefront, with unleashing the rarely-seen asset potentially able to help terrorise the south coast side.

Manchester United have reportedly cast their eyes in the direction of Patrick Schick, with focus on bolstering the centre-forward position as the club look to rise up the ranks in the Premier League.

This is according to reports stemming from Spain, which chalk Schick’s name onto the list of candidates to take Cristiano Ronald0’s role in the side, after the legendary Portuguese forward came to a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract in acrimonious circumstances in November.

Offensive “genius”

United’s issues in attack have been laid on the table for all to see this season, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford the only two established players capable of adopting the role.

Rashford has been in blistering form under Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, scoring 12 goals and serving four assists from 23 outings across all competitions, but his most bounteous rewards are found when out on the left flank, while Martial has only scored eight Premier League goals since the beginning of the 20/21 campaign.

Last season was when the £94k-per-week Schick was thriving with form to rival any forward across Europe, with the 35-cap star recording an average rating of 7.26, as per Sofascore, exhibiting physicality and a clinical nature with aplomb, captivating with the sheer regularity of his net-breaking strikes.

Indeed, plying his trade for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga, the £26m-rated striker scored 24 goals from 27 league appearances – outscoring Erling Haaland’s 22 strikes – but he has fallen wide of the mark this term, netting only three times amid Leverkusen’s struggles; the club languish in 12th place after 15 matches, albeit with three wins on the trot.

United will be hoping he can emulate his feats of last season if technical director John Murtough can indeed instigate a transfer, combining the cogs to unleash a formidable machine against Premier League defences.

Despite the Czech forward’s current woes, a change of scenery might well spark the fire back in his belly, with his feats over the past several years evidence that he can prosper among any division, and bypass any defence.

Nearly signing for Juventus in a £26m deal in 2017 before failing his medical, the 26-year-old “genius” – as dubbed by Jaroslav Šilhavý – has indeed since gone on to successfully test his mettle against some of football’s finest backlines, and he would certainly flourish in a United team on an upward trajectory and holding a rekindled flame to alight their offensive drive.

Liverpool have been boosted by journalist Jan Aage’s Fjortoft’s claim that Jude Bellingham could potentially leave Borussia Dortmund in January.

The Lowdown: Bellingham tipped for Summer move

The Englishman is one of the top young players in the world at the moment, already become a key man for both Dortmund and England, making five appearances at the 2022 World Cup.

Bellingham is considered Liverpool’s main transfer target in the summer transfer window, with the Bundesliga giants willing to sell once it comes around as the Reds, Manchester City and Real Madrid queue up for a bidding war come June (Sky Sports).

However, a potential change in the saga has now emerged – one that could excite supporters who are desperate for immediate midfield reinforcements.

The Latest: January exit possible?

Writing on Twitter, Fjortoft revealed some new information – Dortmund could become ‘weak’ to the idea of selling this month, should a €150million (£132.5m) bid arrive.

“No signs suggesting that Dortmund will let him go this winter. An insider telling me though… For 150 million Euro they could get weak.”

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The Verdict: Too good to be true

In truth, the likelihood is that Bellingham will stay put at Dortmund for the remainder of this season, with such a huge offer unlikely to arrive so soon, especially from Liverpool.

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Should the chance arise to snap him up early, the Reds simply must try to get a move over the line, however, considering he is one of the most exciting footballers of his generation.

FSG are often criticised for their refusal to spend big, though, and it feels more likely that a cheaper midfielder may come in in January, if at all, before a big-money summer move for Bellingham.

Everton have been linked with a move for Matheus Cunha and now a new update has emerged on the club’s chances of the signing the player in January.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Simon Phillips, Everton have a better chance to sign the Atletico Madrid striker over Premier League competitors Wolverhampton Wanderers.

When asked by GIVEMESPORT if a move to the Merseyside club would be more appealing than a move to Wolves, Phillips responded:

“Oh, for sure. Everton have got a good history as a club anyway, and I think what’s more important is Frank Lampard’s pulling power.

“If a player is picking between Everton and Wolves, I think Lampard is going to be the standout decision-maker for any player really. We saw it at Chelsea, he single-handedly got players to sign for the club like Thiago Silva and Kai Havertz just with his influence.

“So, I think he can use that again at Everton, especially for a player like Cunha. I think they’ve got a better chance of signing him than Wolves.”

Lampard must avoid Cunha

There is no doubt that Everton are in desperate need of improvements in their attacking threat and Frank Lampard will be given the golden opportunity to turn the Toffees’ season around with the acquirement of players who can make a genuine positive impact on the team over the second half of the campaign.

However, due to Everton’s current league position in 17th – just one point shy of the relegation zone – the manager is afforded no room for error in terms of making sure he brings in the right profile of forward to help the team secure safety in the top flight for another season.

As a result, the signing of Cunha may not be the best approach for Everton if their intention is to increase and improve their goal-scoring opportunities over the remainder of their fixtures this season.

The £49k-per-week forward has only managed to score seven goals and register eight assists over 54 appearances for Atletico Madrid and has averaged just 33 minutes per game, proving that he is not a trusted or consistent goal-scorer for the La Liga giants.

Over 11 league appearances this season, Cunha has scored no goals, registered two assists and missed four big chances, as well as averaging 13.3 touches, 5.6 accurate passes and 0.7 shots on target per game, further confirming that the player does not command a big presence on the pitch and isn’t the natural finisher Everton are crying out for.

In fact, the 23-year-old was once dubbed “out of order” by his former coach at Hertha BSC, Pal Dardai, for a poor performance when the player was caught strolling in a defeat to Koln last year.

“In Germany, you can’t just stop working when you’re not in possession. Then everything falls apart,” he fumed.

“There were scenes that were absolutely out of order. As a striker, just staying up front, walking back. I don’t understand the world anymore. How does a footballer get into walk mode in 90 minutes? I don’t know.”

With that being said, Lampard must focus on his other potential targets to fill the striker role needed at Goodison Park as Cunha is clearly neither in form nor clinical enough in front of goal to provide Everton with the goal contributions needed to save their season.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter has the ‘full support’ of the club’s board despite a poor run of form, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Early pressure building

The Premier League giants appointed the 47-year-old in September following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel, but just two months into the job, early pressure is already mounting on the former Brighton boss.

The Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle last weekend, with the west Londoners having now lost four of their last five games in all competitions, and they are already eight points adrift from the top four.

The Latest: Potter has Chelsea board’s backing

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that, whilst Chelsea are currently in a slump, Potter isn’t in any way under threat of losing his job and has the backing of Todd Boehly.

The Italian wrote: “Chelsea have no doubts on Graham Potter. Full support as long-term project has just started – feeling internally is that he needs time and he [is] the right man for the job.

“Board additions will continue with Paul Winstanley.”

The Verdict: Rightly so

The Stamford Bridge outfit have been struggling to get results of late, but there’s absolutely no denying that backing Potter is most definitely the right decision moving forward.

Brighton’s former manager has so far won seven, drawn three and lost four of his opening 14 games in the Chelsea dugout, averaging 1.71 points per match (Transfermarkt).

Also, he hasn’t had any opportunity to bring in his own players yet, so January will provide the perfect chance for him to start creating his new-look squad once the transfer market reopens.