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Everton are reportedly likely to terminate Dele Alli’s contract at the end of the season, as his loan move at Besiktas will not be made permanent.

The Lowdown: Struggling at Besiktas

Alli has been struggling so much at Besiktas to the extent that he has recently been banished from their first-team squad.

He has not played any part in their last two league games, and in 15 matches in total over all competitions so far this season, he has only managed to score three goals and make no assists (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Everton now have a big decision to make over whether to welcome him back into the squad for next term, or look to get rid of him again.

The Latest: Contract likely to be terminated

As per Football Insider, Alli’s loan move at Besiktas will not be made into a permanent one this summer, and could be set for what the report describes as a ‘double blow’, with the Goodison Park outfit also ‘likely’ to terminate his contract and pay him out, rather than keep him in the squad for another season.

Besiktas have the option to exercise the £6.9m buy-out clause in Alli’s loan agreement at the end of the campaign, but they do not plan to do so.

Besiktas coach Senol Gunes has already hinted that Alli will not be staying, and criticised a recent performance of his in their 0-0 draw with Antalyaspor:

“Alli did not add the efficiency we thought of as a game. We work physically and tactically.

“Alli played in two friendly matches. He did positive things. He runs a lot, but he has problems in assisting and scoring goals.

“He also ran today, but he did not contribute. He is a player with a high probability of leaving at the end of the year, whether he plays well or badly.”

The Verdict: Just get rid

Unfortunately for Alli, it is just not worked out on Merseyside, having made a mere Premier League, scoring no goals and making no assists.

The Toffees may find it difficult to shift him though, as he earns no less than £100,000-per-week, while talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent has recently claimed that no Premier League club would buy him.

It would certainly be a shame for the Englishman, but at 26 years of age now, he needs to try and find a new home away from the Blues.

Leeds United interim manager Michael Skubala could remain in charge of the Whites for the remainder of this season, according to a fresh claim.

The Lowdown: Skubala steps in for Marsch

The 40-year-old has stepped in and replaced Jesse Marsch in the Elland Road hot seat, following the American’s dismissal earlier this month.

Skubala has taken charge of two Premier League games to date, both of which came against Manchester United, with a draw and a defeat coming his way.

While Leeds continue to be linked with potential new managers, a key update has now emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Could be in charge all season

According to 90min, Andrea Radrizzani is planning on sticking with Skubala for the time being, possibly seeing him in the role until the end of the season.

It is stated that the situation will be assessed after Leeds’ crucial league clash with Southampton later this month, at which point he will have had more time to prove his worth.

The Verdict: Potential risk by Leeds?

There is a clear risk element in sticking with Skubala for the rest of the season, considering his complete lack of experience in management at the top level. This is his first senior role as manager, with 16 games as Leeds Under-21s boss the most experience he has had to date.

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With the Whites hovering ominously around the relegation zone, it could certainly be argued that a bigger name needs to come in and make the difference, such as Carlos Corberan, who has guided West Brom from bottom of the Championship to within two points of the playoffs

It is a show of faith from Radrizzani, however, and Skubala knows the club well having already worked there for some time and could feel that he can get the best out of this squad.

Assessing matters at the end of February does make the most sense – if Leeds have got themselves into deeper trouble by that point, they will still have time to make a change.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that an unnamed club tried to sign Hakim Ziyech on deadline day, and evidence suggests this could have been Newcastle United.

What’s the word?

Earlier on in January, The Telegraph reported that the Chelsea man was of genuine interest to Eddie Howe and his side but no deal ever panned out.

Indeed, it looked as though the Moroccan midfielder was desired for a loan switch to PSG instead. However, that transfer failed at the last moment due to some technical errors which didn’t see the correct paperwork completed in time.

Speaking on his YouTube channel about the situation, Romano has now revealed that the player had “some other possibilities” but turned them down.

And while he was unable to name the specific teams interested, recent evidence suggests it would have been Newcastle.

The journalist explained: “One thing about Ziyech is that he also had some other possibilities. Now I can’t mention the clubs, because otherwise they kill me, but today another club called for Ziyech.

“And he said: ‘I want to go to PSG’. He only wanted PSG.”

He concluded: “Hakim Ziyech was approached by another club they are telling me right now and he only wanted to join Paris Saint-Germain.”

Big mistake?

Seeing as Ziyech was in Paris to complete a medical and a move but Chelsea’s supposed mishandling of the paperwork scuppered the deal, he may now be regretting his decision to be so steadfast about joining PSG over any other option.

Of course, we can’t know for sure if Newcastle were one of the teams in for the attacking midfielder but seeing as they had a past interest in the player it’s a strong possibility.

What’s more, the Magpies failed with their own attempts to bring in James Maddison after getting Anthony Gordon across the line, so it seems as though they were in the market for one more signing to add to the club’s attacking depth.

Of course, Newcastle can still go back in for Ziyech in the summer when his contract will enter its final two years and so it will be interesting to keep an eye on this to see if any stronger rumours develop.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is expected to try and bed Jhon Duran gradually into the Premier League following Danny Ings’ departure.

What’s the latest?

It was a fairly quiet January window for Villa in terms of arrivals with only Duran and Alex Moreno coming through the doors at Villa Park.

However, there were a handful of departures and perhaps the most significant being the deal which saw Ings make the move to West Ham United.

On the back the striker’s departure, Emery brought in Duran to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch alongside Ollie Watkins.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested he expects to see Duran slowly integrated into the Villa side:

“He’s a very highly rated young player. They have spent big money on him to bring him from MLS but I’m sure Unai Emery will try and bed him into the Premier League here as best he can rather than throwing him straight in because it’s a lot to [comprehend] at such a young age as well.

“I’m sure we will see Duran have a role to play for Villa between now and the end of the season.”

Taking the pressure off

The 19-year-old has certainly landed at Villa Park with some big expectations with the likes of Chicago Fire’s sporting director,  Georg Heitz saying:

“When we originally scouted Jhon as a 16-year-old, we knew that he had the potential to become one of the top young strikers in the world.”

Duran impressed in the last MLS campaign for Chicago where he was able to provide a return of eight goals and five assists in his 27 appearances (via Transfermarkt).

However, playing in the Premier League can prove a completely new experience with the likes of Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron taking years to find his best form in England following his move from the US.

And he is stepping into fairly big boots left behind by Ings who had an impressive short spell under Emery before Villa sold him to the Hammers.

Despite making only two starts under the Spanish boss, Ings was able to provide a return of three goals and an assist in his 319 minutes of action.

But it will likely be a big step up for Duran and bedding him into the Villa side will potentially prove the best option for a player who will also be adapting to a new culture and environment.

And by dropping him straight into the XI, it could prove a huge amount of pressure on the shoulders of a player still so young.

Matheus Nunes has been heavily linked with a move away from Wolves in recent weeks, and the Old Gold could potentially return to Sporting Lisbon by bringing in Manuel Ugarte as his replacement.

According to Media Foot, the Midlands outfit and Atletico Madrid have both been in talks with Sporting over a potential move for the 21-year-old, with Wolves’ relationship with his agent Jorge Mendes likely to be crucial in any deal.

The young midfielder has established himself as a key player in Ruben Amorim’s side and has been one of their stars so far this season, although his current €60m (£53m) release clause means that it would be another expensive transfer for the Old Gold to complete.

Wolves already spent big when bringing in Nunes from the Estadio Jose Alvalade last summer, with the midfielder joining in a club-record deal worth £42.2m.

Despite some disappointing form so far in the current campaign, which has seen him register no goals and just one assist in the Premier League, the 24-year-old still has multiple suitors, with recent reports suggesting that Liverpool are especially keen on signing him in 2023.

If Julen Lopetegui does opt to cash in on the young midfielder, then Ugarte could be an ideal replacement, and he may even prove to be an upgrade when you compare their respective statistics from the season so far.

This graphic emphasises that the Uruguayan would be a significant upgrade from a defensive perspective in Lopetegui’s side compared to Nunes, and on current form, he could be a far better player to have in a relegation battle.

Ugarte’s ability to win back possession  has earned him praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who called him a “midfield machine” after topping the charts for tackles and duels won among all players in the Champions League so far this season.

While Nunes has hitherto struggled to adapt to the Premier League, Ugarte’s strength in winning physical battles suggests that he could be an ideal fit at Molineux.

Therefore, if Wolves splash the cash on another player from Sporting Lisbon this month, then it would not be a surprise to see Nunes offloaded amid Liverpool’s interest in him.

Everton selling Jordan Pickford would be a worrying sign that they are struggling financially, according to an update from journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Pickford linked with exit

The 28-year-old has been one of the Blues’ standout players throughout 2022, playing a big part in them avoiding relegation from the Premier League last season.

Pickford has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park recently however, with a summer exit reportedly on the cards once the 2022/23 campaign ends.

It would be the second summer in a row they lose a high profile player after Richarlison’s move to Tottenham, so the hope is that the England international stays put.

The Latest: Journalist worried about finances

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown said that Pickford moving on next summer would suggest that Everton have no choice but to generate funds through sales:

“I think the uncertainty is unhelpful to everyone. If Everton want Pickford to stay, they should get that done as quickly as possible. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t.

“If they were to sell Pickford, I think it would be a giant warning sign that they really are struggling for cash and that the ambitions might not be the same as they were.”

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The Verdict: Concerning time at Everton

There is no doubt that this is a concerning time for Everton, with results on the pitch hugely disappointing and the pressure building on Frank Lampard all the time.

Losing Pickford would further weaken the Blues, with the Englishman described as ‘outstanding’ by Leon Osman and winning three Man of the Match awards from WhoScored this season.

The hope is that the goalkeeper remains at Everton beyond the summer, and if he is sold for financial reasons, it will be a big worry for supporters, especially at a time when their new stadium is being built.

West Ham United have been handed a major fitness boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal on Monday.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by football.london, who revealed that both Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta rejoined first-team training on Wednesday, despite both players having only recently returned from World Cup action with England and Brazil respectively.

The report goes on to state that this will come as a ‘major boost’ to David Moyes ahead of the trip to The Emirates next week, with it being said that the duo should be fit enough to take part in the Premier League fixture against Mikel Arteta’s table-toppers.

Major boost

Considering just how important both Rice and Paqueta are in the heart of the West Ham side, the fact that both players look as if they will be fit to feature against Arsenal is undoubtedly a major boost for Moyes, especially considering the Hammers’ run of awful form in recent fixtures.

Indeed, over Rice’s 15 Premier League appearances so far this season, the £70m-rated talent has undoubtedly been the Irons’ star player, having scored one goal, registered two assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.3 key passes, 2.4 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and winning 4.2 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These returns have seen the £60k-per-week midfielder average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Moyes’ best performer in the league but also as the joint 16th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole.

Meanwhile, over Paqueta’s eight Premier League fixtures in the current campaign, the £61.5m-rated summer signing has also highly impressed, registering two assists and creating one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 2.4 shots – 0.9 of which have been on target – making 0.6 key passes, 2.3 tackles and winning 5.4 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per match.

These metrics have seen the £150k-per-week Brazilian average an exceptional Sofascore match rating of 7.04, currently ranking the 25-year-old as West Ham’s fourth-best performer in the league.

As such, it is clear to see that the availability of both players for the Arsenal match would be fantastic news for Moyes and his side, with the duo undoubtedly providing the club’s chances of leaving north London with a positive result with a substantial boost.

West Ham were heavily linked with signing Wout Weghorst in January of this year and will perhaps be regretting missing out on the giant striker after his phenomenal World Cup display against Argentina.

The Hammers were said to be keen on bringing the former Wolfsburg man to the Premier League last season but would eventually lose out to Burnley in the race to sign him.

While his time with the Clarets proved to be unsuccessful, as his two top-flight goals weren’t enough to keep the Lancashire side from dropping into the Championship, he showed exactly what he is capable of in Friday’s World Cup quarter-final.

With Louis van Gaal’s side trailing 2-0 against Argentina in Qatar, the 6 foot 6 forward was sent on as the Dutch reverted to a route one style of play, which proved extremely effective in them taking the game to extra time and penalties.

Weghorst first met Steven Berghuis’ sumptuous cross with a brilliant header to make the game 2-1, before he benefitted from an incredible free-kick routine in the final moments to equalise, beating Emiliano Martinez with a well-taken finish.

Although the Netherlands would eventually lose on penalties, despite the 30-year-old also tucking his own penalty away with aplomb, he was undoubtedly the “hero” – in the words of journalist Alex Brotherton – for Oranje as they narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-finals.

It is perhaps no surprise that he was to have such a big impact from the bench, given his impressive form in Turkey this season, where he is currently on loan with Besiktas.

The Burnley man has six goals and four assists in just 13 league appearances thus far, averaging a superb 7.35 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He has also enjoyed prolific spells with AZ Alkmaar and Wolfsburg in the past, so there is no reason why he couldn’t have been a success at the London Stadium had he joined the Hammers over Burnley.

Considering how desperate Moyes was for an alternative to Michail Antonio last season amid the run to the Europa League semi-final, the Scottish manager will perhaps regret not bringing the “crazy” Weghorst – as dubbed by Admir Mehmedi – to the east London side earlier this year.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will likely use this current halt to proceedings to plot his potential moves in the upcoming January transfer window, with the World Cup stage likely to allow the Englishman to keep tabs on possible targets.

One man who could play a leading role for his country in Qatar is silky Frenchman, Adrien Rabiot, with the 6 foot 2 sensation heading into the tournament off the back of a stunning run of form at club level, with the Juventus midfielder scoring five times and laying on two assists in just 16 outings for the Serie A outfit this season.

That standout form – which has seen the 27-year-old dubbed “breathtaking” by journalist Mina Rzouki – has come after the former Paris Saint-Germain man appeared destined for a departure from Turin over the summer, with Premier League giants Manchester United having been heavily linked with a high-profile swoop.

The Magpies, too, had also been tipped to make a move for the 29-cap gem in the recent window, with the playmaker facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Stadium with just over six months left on his existing deal.

With the £150k-per-week giant yet to agree to an extension despite his latest resurgence, it could well be time for the Tynesiders to pounce once again in January, particularly should Rabiot go on to impress again on the international stage in the coming weeks.

The one-time Manchester City youth asset will likely have the chance to shine in Didier Deschamps’ side amid injuries to the likes of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, having previously missed Les Bleus’ glorious triumph four years ago after being left out of the squad in Russia.

Now set to be chomping at the bit to show his worth this time around, the Saint-Maurice-born powerhouse could go on to be one of the leading assets for the much-fancied holders, potentially helping to see his stock rise even further.

As far as those back at St James’ Park are concerned, were the club to get the towering gem through the door he could potentially replicate the success of resurgent hero, Joelinton, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

The in-form Brazilian – who was dubbed “special” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher last term – offers a dynamic midfield presence to Howe’s side, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 13% in Europe’s top leagues for dribbles completed, with Rabiot only slightly behind as he ranks in the top 18% for the same metric.

The latter man also mirrors the Magpies gem as a result of his defensive work as he averages 2.68 tackles per game, while Joelinton averages 2.79 tackles per game, showcasing that the duo both offer a real ball-winning asset in the middle of the pitch.

A comparison to the former Hoffenheim man may not have been flattering just over a year ago, although Joelinton has emerged as a real leading asset in Howe’s side over the last 12 months, notably playing a key part in the club’s surge this season after making 12 top-flight starts.

To bring in a figure such as Rabiot to provide further competition and depth could well be an ideal addition as far as the Tynesiders are concerned, with the one-time Toulouse loanee having notably been praised by ex-teammate Gianluigi Buffon in the past, with the Italian icon stating:

“Rabiot is incredible, very strong. What I met is a champion, a fantastic mix: he has physical strength of [Paul] Pogba – he is a proper wardrobe. He has [Arturo] Vidal’s personality in the game and potentially [Claudio] Marchisio’s dynamism and ability to integrate “

Such a glowing assessment is a sign of the midfield maestro’s quality – something that could well be on show in Qatar – with Newcastle simply needing to get a deal completed in the New Year.

Tottenham Hotspur have been given a second chance to sign Yannick Carrasco with Atletico Madrid now having put him up for sale, according to reports from Spain.

The Lowdown: Summer interest

The Premier League giants had a close eye on the winger over the summer, and whilst he does have a €60m (£52m) release clause in his contract, a deal failed to materialise before the September 1st deadline.

Recent reports suggested that Diego Simeone’s side could look to sell the 29-year-old as a result of him underperforming, with the La Liga club also requiring funds to cover their elimination from the Champions League.

The Latest: Carrasco on the market

According to Spanish outlet Cadena SER (via Sport Witness), Carrasco is just one of four players to have been put ‘on the market’ by Atletico, alongside team-mates Joao Felix, Thomas Lemar and Rodrigo de Paul.

The Sport Witness report claims that Antonio Conte’s outfit have been ‘handed an opportunity’ to make another approach, with the Madrid club’s need for money being a factor of which Fabio Paratici ‘could take advantage’ at Tottenham.

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Carrasco has been labelled a ‘powerful’ player by journalist Josh Bunting, and with the opportunity to land him having now arisen, it seems a no-brainer of a deal for Spurs to once again pursue.

The Belgian has clocked up an outstanding tally of 41 assists and 39 goals during his time at the Wanda Metropolitano, while he also offers versatility having operated in midfield as well as on the flanks.

Sporting director Paratici should do everything that he can to try and beat any competitors for Carrasco’s signature, with the attacker making for an excellent prospective addition at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium given his far more attainable status.

Never mind the accusations of him underperforming – he is still averaging 1.5 shots per game this season, which only Harry Kane and Son Heung-min can better in N17.