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Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that both Ineos and the Qatari group are preparing new bids to buy Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Takeover talks rumble on

It seems as though the Man United takeover took a big step forward last week as the two prominent bidders – Ineos and the Qatari consortium – both made the journey over to Manchester and visited both Old Trafford and the Carrington training base.

Following those visits last week it was reported that the Qatari group were lining up an imminent second bid to try and at least get closer to the £6 billion valuation the Glazers have slapped on Man United.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been a long-time admirer of Man United as even in 2022 it was being mooted about him wanting to take the club off the Glazer’s hands, although he thought they were unwilling sellers at the time.

The Latest: Both groups set for second Man United bid

Romano has admitted on his YouTube channel that both Ineos and the Qatari consortium are now planning and getting set to lodge second bids respectively, which may well be a sign of yet another step in the right direction.

He said: (3:30) “We can say that both groups, Ineos with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari group with, of course, Sheikh Al Thani both of them are preparing new bids for Manchester United.

“The Glazers want around £6-7 billion to sell Man United and both the Qatari group and Ineos group are really interested after talks last week and last few days were very positive.

“Now, it is time to make a new proposal and enter into a crucial moment of the process. So, keep an eye on the Manchester United situation in the next days and weeks because now we enter into crucial moments of  the conversation.”

The Verdict: Crucial period for Man United and the Glazers

It will be huge for Erik ten Hag to know who will be owning the club ahead of the summer transfer window as it’ll help him to determine how much money he’ll have to spend and thus, decide which targets are plausible to go out and sign.

Last week it was reported that everything was looking positive in terms of getting a sale done and dusted prior to the summer transfer window opening, although if these next bids don’t get near the £6 billion valuation, things could being to be drawn out.

The Glazers have indeed slapped a monster valuation on the club, however, they are said to still be willing sellers, as long as they get a fair price for the club, although it remains to be seen here or not the Qatari group of Ineos are open to meeting that valuation.

Journalist Jacob Tanswell has revealed that he can’t find anyone behind the scenes who speaks poorly of Southampton interim manager Ruben Selles.What’s the latest on Ruben Selles and Southampton?With Nathan Jones sacked earlier in February, the Saints’ board are still on the lookout for a full-time option to come in and take charge of the teams.For the time being, however, Selles has been promoted to caretaker manager and things have got pretty well immediately as he guided Southampton to a 1-0 away win at Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend.Interestingly enough, the 39-year-old Spaniard seems intent on making the job his own in the long term. By the sounds of it, he’s already won over plenty of people behind the scenes at the club too.Indeed, while speaking on Total Saints, Tanswell explained: “Everything about him, the way he’s spoken to players. He didn’t speak to players saying, ‘Right, I’m only here to Chelsea’ or this is a short-term fix. It was with months in mind, really.”So yeah, Selles, the way he’s conducted himself in press conferences, shook hands with every journalist, the cameraman, the way he dressed. He didn’t look like a guy that wanted to be a caretaker, I think. He’s extremely impressive, the way he’s talked.”I’ve tried to find people that don’t like him or people who have got a few words to say about him – just for balance, really. Like, surely people don’t like him this much. But honestly, I can’t find anyone.”From coaches in the first team, in the academy, to players, to agents. They all speak really highly of him. And it’s fantastic. And I just can’t find anyone [who talks badly of Selles].”What does the latest on Selles mean for Southampton?It seems as though that win at Stamford Bridge has boosted Selles’ hopes of becoming permanent manager as certain bookies now have him as the favourite for the job.And after a move for preferred candidate Jesse Marsch broke down last week, it remains unclear as to who else could come in and help guide the team amidst the very real threat of relegation.On top of that, not long after Selles arrived as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s assistant in the summer, certain squad members were already keen for him to become the club’s manager (via The Athletic). While in the same article, a dressing-room source noted: “He has the ability to make players run through brick walls for him.”While Selles doesn’t have experience on his side – having never managed a senior team in his coaching career before – he is at least well-known and evidently well-liked within the club already.Taking it all into account, perhaps he is the best man for the job right now.

Tottenham Hotspur have quite an impressive academy set-up, with several players transitioning from young hopefuls to first-team stars over the years, and the north London hotbed is capable of producing many more talents in the near future…

Who is Spurs youngster Kallum Cesay?

Ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Chelsea, several U23 starlets were involved in the senior training session at Hotspur Way, one of which being versatile gem Kallum Cesay, according to football.london.

He was one of four academy prospects to receive a high-five from striker Harry Kane, who is no doubt the shining example of the path to stardom that they could take at the club.

Primarily a right-back, Cesay is also capable of playing in defensive and central midfield, which could surely be a valuable asset to manager Antonio Conte or whoever is in charge heading into next season.

The 20-year-old has also featured for his national side, Sierra Leone, at senior level and scored a match-winning brace on his debut to beat the Republic of Congo 2-1 in March 2021.

How is Cesay getting on at Hotspur Way?

Standing at 6 foot 2, the youngster is quite the composing figure, which leads to some belief that his future may well lie as an anchorman or ball-winning midfielder, rather than out on the flanks.

Last season, he racked up 22 appearances for Spurs’ U21 side in the Premier League 2 and has since maintained his place in Wayne Burnett’s side by featuring in 17 games across the same competition, as well as the EFL Trophy.

An outing against Brighton and Hove Albion’s youth side earlier this month even saw Cesay provide an assist from defensive midfield, which further highlights his multi-faceted game.

Whilst Kane is the pinnacle of success for any Spurs youngster, a player like the versatile 20-year-old could well follow in the footsteps of Oliver Skipp as someone that has been in and out of the side for the last few years, even going out on loan to Norwich City in 2020/21.

The 22-year-old is a fine case of what could happen if you’ve got the quality and show some loyalty in the progression system around N17.

Cesay’s ability to play in a multitude of positions will certainly aid his case, especially with Conte currently light on midfield options, owing to long-term injuries to Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma, whilst the wing-back roles have always been contentious since the Italian took the helm.

The Newham-born prodigy has previously been lauded as a “really promising prospect” whose “prospects and development have gone through the roof” by Football Insider’s John Wenham.

As such, it could be Cesay who could emerge as the next Skipp at Tottenham, with signs of him being in first-team training a very positive step in him doing so.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing 6 ft 4 “monster” in Spurs summer swoop, he’s a bargain Son successor…

Arsenal confirmed the signing of Jorginho from Chelsea on deadline day and his arrival could see Edu heal Mikel Arteta’s heartbreak from 2020.

The Italian midfielder made the switch across London on a deal until the summer of 2024, with an option for a further year, which sees the Gunners bolster their options in the middle of the park ahead of a crucial second half of the campaign.

Although he has made a combined 18 appearances in the Premier League this season under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, his contract was set to expire in the summer of 2023, so Arsenal’s £12m offer was clearly deemed too good to turn down.

While Arteta is unlikely to break up the trio of Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, adding someone of Jorginho’s experience could be vital for squad depth, especially if one of the starting three picks up an injury.

The Spanish manager has long been in the market for a deep-lying playmaker of Jorginho’s mould, with the Gunners seeing a move for Thiago Alcantara fail in 2020, as he joined Liverpool instead.

He has gone on to make 92 appearances for the Reds, contributing three goals and six assists, establishing himself as a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s side at Anfield.

According to FBref, the former Bayern Munich man is the fourth-most similar player to Jorginho when compared to other midfielders across Europe’s top leagues.

This season has seen the two maestros record extremely similar stats with regard to expected goals and assists per 90 (0.14 vs 0.12), final third passes (87 vs 86) and passes that led to a shot (29 vs 27).

WhoScored also suggests that both Jorginho and Thiago excel at passing, while they both also like to tackle, so they are clearly similar types of midfielders.

Although Jorginho is 31, so may be considered a short-term signing, it could prove to be a bargain for Arteta if he can live up to his “world-class” credentials, in the words of former Liverpool man Jose Enrique.

Therefore, with Arsenal having arguably lacked a pass-master in defensive midfield under Arteta’s reign, the Spaniard will no doubt be delighted that after missing out on Thiago three years ago the Gunners have put to bed that heartbreak by signing a similar player in Jorginho.

Everton are believed to have been given the green light from their expected new manager, Sean Dyche, to make a late move for the Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres.

What’s the latest?

The Toffees are expected to announce Dyche as their new manager soon following Frank Lampard’s departure from Goodison Park last week.

And this comes amid the final hours of the January transfer window with the Merseyside club still searching for their first arrival of the month.

Everton’s struggles up top are there for everyone to see and with Tuesday’s deadline on the horizon, it seems as if Dyche may have already identified a potential option to bolster his side.

Writing in his latest column for GiveMeSport, insider Dean Jones has suggested the Swedish striker could be a player who they could look to bring in:

“Dyche is believed to be onside with the idea of an £18million offer for Viktor Gyokeres of Coventry City but other options were still being discussed, as of Saturday night,” said Jones.

Much-needed reinforcement

It has been a struggle for the Toffees so far this season with their main striker, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, having only provided a return of just one goal in his 10 league appearances.

This comes following a difficult start to his season through injury which saw him miss the first eight games through a knee issue (via Transfermarkt).

And these struggles up top were highlighted when they were forced to recall striker Ellis Simms from his loan with Sunderland in which he has since played just 15 minutes of league action.

But in Gyokeres, the expected new Everton manager could be bringing in one of the Championship’s most-potent strikers with 12 goals to his name thus far.

The 24-year-old – who’s been hailed as “unplayable” by his teammate Maxime Biamou – has made 28 appearances in the second tier this season and has impressed with a rich vein of form in front of goal as well as provided Coventry with four assists.

And it appears this form has attracted the attention of the Premier League strugglers, Everton, who feel as if he could be the man to potentially turn around their season.

The signs so far this season will provide Everton fans with little optimism for the remainder of the campaign, however, a new lease of energy up top could potentially provide the Toffees with enough to climb out of the drop zone over the coming months.

Manchester United could reportedly be considering a move to sign Cameroon striker, Vincent Aboubakar, this month, as Erik ten Hag continues his search for a short-term, centre-forward recruit.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the 30-year-old is one player who has been ‘mentioned’ with regards to a possible switch to Old Trafford, with the experienced marksman among a list of names who United could explore in the coming weeks.

The report suggests that the Red Devils are prioritising low-cost deals as they look to strengthen their attacking ranks before the end of the window, with Ten Hag having stated earlier this week that there is a “need” to bring a new centre-forward to the club.

Aboubakar could well prove an attainable target having seen his starting role threatened at current club Al Nassr by the arrival of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese veteran the man that United are looking to replace following his somewhat acrimonious exit from the Theatre of Dreams back in November.

Ighalo 2.0

The signing of the former Porto ace could well have its benefits due to his impressive goal record, having scored 138 club career goals to date across spells in France, Turkey, Portugal and Saudi Arabia, while also netting 35 times in 92 games at international level.

The “dangerous” menace – as described by broadcaster Thomas Mlambo – notably put himself firmly on the map after netting twice for his country at the World Cup in Qatar, including an exquisite chip in the thrilling, 3-3 draw with Serbia.

Despite that goalscoring prowess, there will be no doubt concerns that the signing of the one-time Lorient man could well mirror the previous, shock capture of Nigerian international, Odion Ighalo, with the latter man having also been a short-term, January acquisition back in 2020.

Like Aboubakar, the former Watford man had also been plying his trade away from Europe’s top five leagues out in China at the time of his acquisition, hence the bemusement at the Premier League side’s decision to add the left-field choice to their forward line.

The Lagos-born machine – who was also 30 at the time of his move to Manchester – hardly disgraced himself in a red jersey with five goals in 23 appearances, although never looked of the quality required having failed to score in the league for the club.

As it proved, the current Al-Hilal man lasted just 12 months before making his return to parent club Shanghai Shenhua, with it hard to shake off the feeling that the loan swoop had merely been a sign of “desperation” for United, as per pundit Eni Aluko.

The hope will be that the club do not make what does appear another ‘desperate’ act with the signing of Aboubakar, with such a move unlikely to aid in the quest for silverware and Champions League qualification.

Recent reports have suggested that Manchester City are plotting an eye-watering swoop for World Cup breakthrough star Josko Gvardiol but Pep Guardiola may be better off putting his faith in academy graduate Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Foot Mercato have claimed that City have submitted a bid of around £85m for the 20-year-old centre-back, who was crucial as Croatia finished third at the World Cup in Qatar.

While he is undoubtedly a hugely impressive young centre-back, it would be another example of City spending big money rather than giving opportunities to promising youngsters, and Harwood-Bellis has shown with his performances on loan at Burnley this season that he could have a future at the Etihad.

The Englishman linked up with City legend Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor and has been a mainstay in their side at centre-back so far this campaign, with an immediate return to the top tier certainly looking on the cards for the Clarets.

Harwood-Bellis is the only player in Kompany’s squad to have started all 24 games in the Championship and it is easy to see why, with WhoScored rating him as the second-best performer in the squad.

Playing such a crucial role in a title challenge will surely give the 20-year-old vital experience that could help him make it at City in the future, as it will show whether or not he has the ability to consistently perform in a side who are always expected to win.

Kompany is certainly a big fan of the Englishman and will no doubt be in regular contact with his old club about the youngster’s progress, so it would not be a surprise to see him make it at the Etihad in the future, if the Belgian manager’s comments are anything to go by.

He said: “I’ve known Taylor [Harwood-Bellis] for a long time so what everyone can see on the ball or what everyone can see when he goes into his challenges, I think his biggest quality, that is perhaps more difficult to see on the eye, is his leadership and his incredible drive and high standards.

“These kinds of players you can almost be certain are going to improve. Usually, when a talent goes wrong it’s because there’s something mentally not right. With him, he’s got that more than anyone else. Wherever he is now, in two or three years’ time he will be a lot better.”This certainly bodes well for his future at City and if he isn’t given more opportunities next season on the back of such an impressive campaign with Burnley, then the club may regret losing him in the future.Therefore, Guardiola should forget about spending big money on Gvardiol and instead look at giving a chance to one of City’s most exciting homegrown talents.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle for the signature of Lecce breakout star Joan Gonzalez, according to a new report from Italy.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target midfielder

Antonio Conte has his sights on a couple of new additions in January, with journalist Alasdair Gold recently telling his YouTube channel:

“There’s lots of little tweaks they can make; an attacking midfielder, a central defender. I think all of those things are going to have to be looked at, and any other kind of opportunities that arise as well.”

Tottenham have previously been linked with the likes of Sofyan Amrabat and James Maddison to bolster their midfield ranks, but an exciting young talent could now be heading to Hotspur Way.

The Latest: Gonzalez in Conte’s sights

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Lecce value their box-to-box midfielder at around £13m after his sensational start to the season, and Spurs could face competition from the likes of Everton and London rivals West Ham for his signature.

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It is detailed that the 20-year-old has been a “revelation” in the Serie A this season, and so interest from abroad is also present, in the form of German giants Borussia Dortmund, with his current club willing to complete a deal.

The Verdict: Amrabat alternative?

Given that the starlet is still relatively unproven, competing in the Serie A for the first time this season, a move would be a gamble, but it is one that could pay off for Conte, based on his recent performances.

The 6 foot 2 central-midfielder has weighed in with a goal and two assists in 15 league outings, but in truth, he seems more suited to a defensive role, which could make him a cheaper alternative to Amrabat, who would set Tottenham back around £34m.

Over the past year, Gonzalez has used his height to his advantage by averaging 1.62 aerials won per 90, placing him in the 84th percentile compared to his positional peers, while also making 1.62 clearances per match in the same period. To put those figures into perspective, they are both far higher than those registered by Amrabat (0.41 and 0.58).

While it would be a risk signing the former Barcelona youth player, he is showing very promising signs with Lecce, so he could be an astute piece of business for Conte, and on the cheaper side compared to other players linked to this role.

West Ham United could be set to call time on one of their stars, as a renowned journalist gives his take…

What’s the latest?

As per Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth, the out-of-favour Vladimir Coufal could now be set to move on, having seen his chances dwindle at the London Stadium.

This comes after journalist Marlon Irlbacher noted that the full-back had undergone “positive talks” with German club Bayer Leverkusen.

Sheth then said to GIVEMESPORT:

“If you look at the stats, seven Premier League starts this season, the likes of Ben Johnson have started ahead of him at right-back, but I think more significantly, when Nayef Aguerd was injured at centre-back in pre-season, West Ham United brought in Thilo Kehrer.

“I think he was predominantly brought in as a central defender, but what has transpired is he’s ended up playing right-back. If that’s not a message to Vladimir Coufal that he’s not part of the plans, I don’t know what is.”

Must cash in

Having entered into the third season of his £35k-per-week deal in east London, it seems that he has overrun his expiry date in David Moyes’ eyes.

Despite having played 87 times for the Hammers, this season has seen him feature less and less, with the bulk of his consistent play time coming with the youngsters in their Europa Conference League matches.

He has completed 90 minutes just six times in the Premier League, and with no goal contributions across all competitions this summer, he truly has disappointed.

It seems like the Czech Republic international has really regressed in recent years, especially since his seven-assist debut campaign.

Perhaps given his age, the 30-year-old has finally seen time catch up with him – no longer can he offer the dynamism he was lauded for, and with that, he has also been more prone to mistakes.

Journalist Alan Rzepa even claimed that he had “been shocking since coming back” at the back end of last year.

As Sheth said, the likes of Johnson and Kehrer being preferred over him is a damning assessment of his new role within the squad.

Perhaps he might make the decision himself to exit east London, having left a fine legacy during his short stay. Moyes could also seek to cash in with the interested parties, shipping off a man who no longer seems to be in his plans.

Newcastle United squeezed their way into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup following a nervy victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening, with the Magpies overcoming an underwhelming 90-minute display to clinch progression via the dreaded penalty shootout.

Following a rather drab affair at St James’ Park, Eddie Howe’s side were left thanking the quality of first-choice stopper Nick Pope for helping to seal their place in the next round, with the Englishman having produced three spot-kick saves to deny the Eagles.

The former Burnley man was undoubtedly the shining light for the hosts as they laboured to victory, with the decision to keep the 30-year-old in the sticks ahead of deputy Karl Darlow seemingly paying off.

The ten-cap colossus’ overall performance was also no doubt impressive, notably recording a 100% pass accuracy rate from his 38 touches and completing all four of his long balls, while his 8.8 match rating, as per SofaScore, was by far the highest of any player on the day.

Such heroics have simply been no surprise for those on Tyneside such has been the 6 foot 3 titan’s impact at the club thus far, having proven something of a bargain by PIF after being snapped up from Turf Moor over the summer for a reported fee of just £10m.

While no doubt aided by a strong defensive unit, the one-time Charlton Athletic brute has already kept six clean sheets from 14 Premier League games so far this season, conceding just 11 goals in that time – the best record in the division.

That form has unsurprisingly seen the Soham-born ‘keeper enjoy a rise in value of late, with the player now reportedly worth in the region of £25m, according to Football Transfers.

Not that Howe and co will be looking to move on the “dominant” 6 foot 3 gem – as described by journalist Josh Bunting – any time soon in order to make a profit, it is simply a marker of how Pope has been “such a good investment” for the northeast side, as per Bunting.

After the frustration last term regarding the inability to settle on a first-choice pick – with the aforementioned Darlow, as well as Freddie Woodman and Martin Dubravka all enjoying a run in the side – it is no doubt now a real bonus to have an undisputed number one in Newcastle’s ranks.

If Howe’s men are to have any chance of securing a top-four berth or ending their lengthy trophy drought, then keeping the “absolute monster” – as per former manager David Flitcroft – injury-free will seemingly be a must.