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Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic has received interest from Italy but reports of a move to Chelsea are wide of the mark, according to an update from reliable journalist Mark Hendry.

The Lowdown: Juranovic linked with move away

The 27-year-old enjoyed a highly impressive 2022 World Cup with Croatia, finishing third in the tournament and standing out as one of the best players in his position.

Juranovic has since been linked with a move to Chelsea a number of times, with the Blues seemingly seeing him as a strong option to bolster their squad depth after Reece James suffered another knee injury.

Now, a new update has emerged – one that goes against the recent rumours.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Writing on Twitter, Hendry claimed that Chelsea have actually not yet shown interest in Juranovic, with a move to Serie A potentially on the cards instead:

“Celtic have not had any approach from Chelsea for Josip Juranovic. Reports of a £13m bid is wide of the mark. There has been interest from Italy but nothing from Stamford Bridge, at least not yet.”

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The Verdict: Matter of time?

At this point, it would be a surprise if Juranovic was still a Celtic player next month, with a move elsewhere feeling far more likely after his performances in Qatar.

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It could even be argued that his focus has dipped for the Hoops, having been criticised by Ally McCoist for some poor defending in the 2-2 draw against Rangers on Monday.

Should Juranovic move on, it is vital that Celtic receive as much money as possible for his services, using the money wisely to make Ange Postecoglou’s squad even more formidable.

Chelsea have been handed a potential green light in their dogged pursuit of AC Milan’s Rafael Leao following the news the forward has decided against renewing his contract with the Italian champions. 

What’s the word?

Having held weighted interest in the Portuguese phenom for some time now, Chelsea might just now have the opportunity to instigate a transfer this winter, with Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg taking to Twitter to state that the 23-year-old is against a renewal of contract in Italy. 

Plettenberg said: “At this stage he doesn’t want to extend beyond 2024. Not confident with the offer. Chelsea, City, Real in. CFC held talks about him in Qatar. Milan refused Chelsea’s offer (€70m). They want €150m. The amount of the release clause.”

With Corriere Della Sera (via Sport Witness) recently stating that I Rossoneri were holding out for £86m, there is a marked increase in valuation now the club are resigned to selling their prized asset.

Next Salah

Since signing for the prominent Italian outfit from LOSC Lille for £30m in 2019, Leao has been a revelation, plundering 34 goals and 30 assists from 135 outings, winning the 2021/22 Serie A in the process. 

This season alone, the “superstar” as he has become known, has netted seven goals and assisted nine across just 20 appearances, and he is well on the way to recognition as one of the best forwards in the business. 

With such a monumental signing, a shifting of the tectonic plates that underpin Stamford Bridge, perhaps, Chelsea boss Graham Potter could have his very own Mohamed Salah at his disposal. 

Salah has been a signing of the highest calibre at Anfield, a symbolic changing of the rusty old guard and a spearhead for the immensely successful period under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage. 

Scoring 170 goals and assisting 68 across just 275 fixtures for the Reds, predominantly from the right flank, the 2021/22 PFA Men’s Player of the Year has basked in a career littered in silverware and accolades on Merseyside.

The £129m-valued Leao would do well to take a leaf from his book, and combine his prowess in front of goal with a winning mentality that can catapult him towards prominence. 

And with both players often placed out wide, with devastating finishing and intrinsic movement made for the football pitch, Leao can certainly emulate the Egyptian’s triumphant career.

As per FBref, the 16-cap star, who has been dubbed “sensational” by Andrew Gibney, is the second most comparable player to Salah as per the website’s ‘similar players’ model.

Indeed, they rank the Portuguese within the top 15% for goals and the top 9% for assists when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this past year.

And his ranking within the top 6% for dribbles completed, and 14% for touches in the attacking penalty box bears a further semblance to Salah, and should Chelsea sign they might just have their very own world-class star to push the club towards success. 

Everton have not had the start to their Premier League campaign that Frank Lampard would have been hoping for after surviving relegation only in their penultimate game of last season.

The Toffees are currently 17th after losing four of their last five league games ahead of the World Cup break which has now left them one point clear of the relegation zone and the Everton manager will be scrambling for solutions to improve his side when they return to action after Christmas.

Everton suffered the worst injury record in the entire Premier League last season and the team is yet again struggling with a similar situation this time around with a number of key players picking up fitness problems over the campaign so far.

Currently, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Garner, Tom Davies, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andros Townsend are out of action, with not only the attacking threat weakened but a number of midfielders, in particular, picking up issues.

As a result, Lampard will be hoping that he can add quality depth to his squad in the January transfer window which will open just a few days after the Premier League resumes.

One midfielder who has been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Serbia and Torino ace Sasa Lukic and could be just the profile of player needed to inject some quality into the centre of the pitch.

Over 12 Serie A appearances, the 26-year-old ace has scored two goals and created two big chances, demonstrating his efficiency in the final third. He has tallied up an 89% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.4 tackles and winning 3.2 duels per game, proving that he is a solid all-round threat in his central role.

The midfielder, who could cost €15m (£12.8m), has been the recipient of high praise for his performances in the Italian side with former Torino team-mate Gleison Bremer commenting:

“I know some players from Serie A, such as Saša Lukić, I was with him in Turin, he’s an excellent midfielder.”

In fact, Lampard could land his very own Koke with the Atletico Madrid star named as the third most comparable positional peer to Lukic according to FBref.

The Spanish and Serbian midfielders have shared many similarities in their output this season so far including goal contributions (2 v 2), pass completion (86.3% v 82.1%), tackles won (12 v 13) and clearances (9 v 9).

That shows that they are both aggressive central fixtures for their team with an element of composure sprinkled into their passing play.

Lukic is currently representing his national team at the World Cup in Qatar and the powers at Goodison Park will surely be keeping a close eye on the player’s progress during the prestigious international tournament with Serbia set to take on Cameroon this morning.

Crystal Palace made the bold decision in the summer to release Cheick Kouyate and Patrick Vieira may be regretting that call after the 32-year-old’s impressive start at the 2022 World Cup.

The experienced midfielder started for Senegal in their Group A opener against the Netherlands and played a huge part in the African side frustrating the Oranje on Monday afternoon.

It was only when Kouyate was replaced through injury that Louis van Gaal’s side would be able to find the breakthrough, with late goals from Cody Gakpo and Davy Klaassen earning them a 2-0 win.

The former West Ham man was one of Senegal’s best players in Qatar, earning a strong 7.1/10 rating from SofaScore for his performance, with only Ismaila Sarr and Youssouf Sabaly (both 7.2) rated higher.

During his time on the pitch, the versatile star would complete 18/21 of his passes, including one key pass, in what was an assured midfield display.

His physicality also came to the fore against a technically-gifted Netherlands midfield, as he won 50% of his duels and completed his one dribble attempt.

He was also a key reason for the scores being level when he was forced off after an unfortunate injury, as he contributed four clearances and two interceptions, with no player on the pitch completing more interceptions.

Considering Palace’s lack of defensive options in midfield, with namesake Cheick Doucoure often the only natural midfielder in Vieira’s recent starting lineups, the French manager may be regretting the experienced Kouyate depart.

During his time at Selhurst Park, the Senegal international would make 141 appearances, in which he contributed three goals and five assists, which included 27 appearances in the Premier League last season.

Scott Dann was full of praise for Kouyate after a strong performance against Southampton in 2020, saying:

“He [Kouyate] is a top player; he can play midfield and he showed what he is capable of in the back four. He’s been playing like that since the end of last season.”

It is no surprise that the 32-year-old has been a regular with Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest since his Palace departure and after his superb start to the World Cup, Vieira may well be ruing his decision to let him leave on a free transfer.

Celtic have been left to reflect on what might have been following another frustrating evening in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with the Old Firm outfit having secured their place at the bottom of Group F after being held to a 1-1 draw by Shakhtar Donetsk.

With progression to even the Europa League knockout stages now off the table, it has been proven something of an underwhelming return to life in Europe’s premier competition for Ange Postecoglou’s side, with just two points from their five group games thus far.

The Hoops’ continental journey to date has been a story of missed chances and errant finishing on the whole, with that meeting with Igor Jovicevic’s outfit having been no different as the hosts were once again profligate at Parkhead.

One notable villain on the night was that of striker Kyogo Furuhashi, with the Japanese international continuing his barren run in the competition after notably squandering a guilt-edged chance in the second half, having produced a weak effort straight into the arms of opposition ‘keeper, Anatoliy Trubin.

That has ensured that the former Vissel Kobe man now has just two goals to his name in all competitions since his blistering hat-trick against Dundee United back in August, having been unable to maintain his breathless start to the season in which he netted six goals in his first five league games.

The 27-year-old’s struggles have, however, opened the door for fellow striker Giorgos Giakoumakis to take on a more prominent role in the side of late, with the Greek marksman stealing the headlines having been partnered alongside Kyogo in attack against the Ukrainian outfit.

On what was just his second start in Europe this season, the physical brute more than took his chance having clinically fired home late in the first half, ensuring his record now stands at 20 goals in just 21 starts for the club since his £2.5m arrival last summer.

The 11-cap menace – who scored 17 goals in just 29 games last term – has had to bide his time this season for a regular starting berth, although is beginning to showcase his ruthless finishing prowess.

The £3.6m-rated man – who had scored four goals in his last three Scottish Premiership games heading into last night’s clash – once again “proved his worth” to his manager against Shakhtar – according to Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry – with his match rating of 8.0, as per SofaScore, the highest of any player for either side.

Journalist Josh Bunting has now suggested that the Bhoys “need to start” the £8.2k-per-week powerhouse as the “main man” in attack moving forward, with Giakoumakis arguably the “best finisher” at Postecoglou’s disposal.

The former Yokohama boss may now need to put his faith in the striker and keep him at the forefront of his side in the coming games, with the former VVV-Venlo man beginning to showcase the prolific form he demonstrated in Holland, having scored 26 Eredivisie goals during the 2020/21 campaign.

With a trip to Livingston to come on Sunday, Giakoumakis no doubt deserves to keep his starting berth.

Arsenal have started this season with a bang, losing just two matches in all competitions and occupying top spot in the Premier League table for most of the campaign so far.

However, Mikel Arteta has overseen a draw against Southampton and a defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League in the club’s previous two matches over the last week.

Today’s clash against Nottingham Forest will be a wonderful opportunity to bring back that winning feeling and continue to build momentum ahead of the mid-season hiatus for the World Cup.

There were only a few players who performed to the standards that Arteta has set at Arsenal this season during the defeat to PSV.

Fabio Vieira was one, and the Spaniard should be ready to unleash the 22-year-old against the team who are bottom of the league table.

The £45k-per-week talent received a SofaScore rating of 7.4/10 for his performance against the Eredivisie side, the highest out of the Arsenal starting XI.

Taking his place on the right of a three-man attack, Vieira displayed his abilities and made two key passes, having 56 touches of the ball during the match and succeeding with his only dribble attempt, showcasing his creative ability.

He won 100% of his duels during the encounter, displaying his strength in one-on-one battles, and this is an excellent trait to have.

It was an impressive performance by the youngster despite the team failing to pull their weight overall, and he could certainly command a place in the starting XI for today’s match.

He has started just once in the Premier League this season, scoring against Brentford, while he has averaged 0.5 key passes per game. If he gets a chance in the starting XI today, Vieira could grasp it with both hands.

Former England midfielder Joe Cole has been impressed by the Portuguese gem, praising his “absolute velvet left foot” after starring against Bodo/Glimt earlier this month.

Although it has been two matches without a victory for Arsenal, Arteta shouldn’t be feeling the pressure, but a solid performance against Forest is required to regain some confidence.

The 40-year-old will likely make a host of changes for this match, although keeping Vieira in the starting XI might be a wise decision.

Following a successful transfer window that saw Aston Villa sign players in the calibre of Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos, and Philippe Coutinho, much was expected of Steven Gerrard’s side this season.

It hasn’t quite worked out this way, however, with just two Premier League wins from seven matches, European football drifts further away with every bad performance.

Despite strengthening the core of his squad, Gerrard may have some regrets about the transfer window. The need for another striker was a priority and with Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins scoring just three goals between them so far, it might be a decision that will haunt him.

One thing is for certain, not making a more concrete effort to bring in midfielder Yves Bissouma from Brighton and Hove Albion might prove to be one of the biggest things they rue this summer.

Bissouma is better than Douglas Luiz

Villa had been linked with the midfielder since the start of the year and even made a bid of £25m for the player in January, which was rejected by Brighton.

Despite signing Kamara in the summer, Gerrard still wanted to add Bissouma to his squad, with 90min claiming that talks were ongoing.

A few weeks later, the Mali international signed for Tottenham Hotspur in a £25m deal, and not acting quicker to sign the player will still irk Gerrard, especially as he is an upgrade on Luiz, someone who will be out of contract next year.

Last season, Bissouma completed 89.7% of his passes compared to 83.3% for Luiz, while also succeeding with over 70% of his attempted dribbles which was much better than the Brazilian (42.9%), showing that the Spurs player is more comfortable in possession with the ball and his passing ability can be relied upon to start attacks.

Defensively, the 26-year-old proved why the likes of Villa and Spurs were looking to sign him, winning more tackles (50 to 43), completing a higher percentage of pressures (35.9% to 29.8%) and making nearly double the number of clearances (51 to 29) than Luiz throughout the campaign.

At £25m, Gerrard may well have landed himself a bargain, especially with the player being described as a “Rolls Royce” by former presenter Leon Mann. His qualities and attributes may have helped tighten up a Villa side who have conceded 11 goals in all competitions this season.

It will be a case of what might have been for the 42-year-old, especially if Bissouma showcases his talents in the Champions League with Spurs.

Medical expert Ben Dinnery has revealed Antonio Conte’s unique stance on Tottenham Hotspur’s injuries.

The Lowdown: Conte’s comments

On Wednesday, Spurs winger Lucas Moura missed his team’s Champions League clash against Marseille due to an inflamed tendon. Ahead of the match, Conte spoke of the Brazilian’s absence, drawing similarities to his own playing career.

As quoted by football.london, the Italian claimed: “About Lucas, he has this inflammation in his tendon. I hope to recover him very soon, because for sure when I was a player, I had a lot of pain in my tendon. You know very well tendon inflammation doesn’t finish in only one week, two weeks”.

The Latest: Dinnery’s claim

Dinnery believes that Conte’s own injury experiences will make him much more understanding of his players’ issues, compared with other Premier League managers.

Speaking with Football Insider, the medical expert claimed: “It certainly helps in understanding the mindset and pressure placed on players to return quickly.

“Those mental feelings around being withdrawn from the squad and not involved with team-building exercises, it helps to understand those.

“Things have moved on a lot since Conte’s playing days. We are also talking about different countries and leagues. With that comes different pressures. But it certainly helps to have an understanding.

“A lot of it comes down to the player and how they deal with the situation. With this, we were only talking about a short-term absence from the side. He won’t be too concerned.”

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The Verdict: Relief for Moura

Tottenham are hard at work preparing for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash against Sporting Lisbon, which will see Lilywhites centre-back Eric Dier take on his boyhood club.

The Portuguese outfit will be coming into the game on a high, having beaten Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in a dominant victory last Wednesday.

As previously mentioned by Conte, Moura will understandably be unavailable for the fixture due to his inflamed tendon, although he is back on the training pitch fighting to get fit.

To Moura, he has his manager’s sympathies – much to his relief.

Everton remain winless in the Premier League at present and it’s not just problems on the pitch plaguing their season so far with speculation surrounding Anthony Gordon’s future, but Farhad Moshiri could have the perfect solution lined up.

What’s the latest?

According to The Guardian’s sport writer Ed Aarons, Everton are “showing interest” in Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron.

Aarons tweeted:

“Everton are showing an interest in Miguel Almiron. The Paraguay forward will only be allowed to leave Newcastle on a permanent deal.”

Gordon replacement

If it wasn’t enough of a troubling start for Frank Lampard, it has now been reported that Gordon wants to make the move to Chelsea who have been in a back and forth with Everton to secure the player’s signature for weeks.

The boyhood Evertonian has broken through the youth academy to become a key player in the first team over the last few seasons, however, with the club’s financial troubles mounting a £60m bid for Gordon could be hard to pass up.

As a result, the signing of Almiron could not only be the perfect solution to replace the young winger’s position in the team but would also come at the right price with the Paraguayan dynamo valued at £15m by his current club.

Gordon is the seventh most comparable player to the Magpies forward over the last 12 months according to FBref, and it comes as no surprise as the pair possess some similar attributes when looking closer at their output over last season.

The two forwards came close in their shots per 90 minutes (1.68 v 1.73), goal creating actions per 90 (0.26 v 0.20) and pressure success rate (25.2% v 25.8%), however Almiron did outperform Gordon considerably with his pass completion rate (80.4% v 66.7%).

More recently, the 27-year-old dynamo stole the show at St James’ Park last weekend against Premier League champions Manchester City where he scored the 28th minute equaliser that set up Newcastle for a shock 3-3 draw against their opponents.

His positive impact on the team led to piles of praise from manager Eddie Howe, who hailed Almiron “magnificent” in his post-match press conference on Sunday evening (via Chronicle Live):

“I think the three games he’s had he’s been magnificent for us. On and off the ball I think he’s been very, very solid.”

With that being said, the signing of Almiron could be a golden opportunity for Everton to let go of Gordon and deploy a player who is clearly capable of being influential, something Lampard will be desperate for in his pursuit to deliver Everton’s first win of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele is ‘pushing for a definitive sale’ and is even willing to take strong action, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Out of favour…

The Frenchman is one of a few Spurs players currently out-of-favour at N17 alongside the likes of Harry Winks, Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso as manager Antonio Conte revamps his Premier League squad.

Ndombele is not in the coach’s plans this season and it is believed that Serie A giants Napoli have expressed serious interest in securing his services.

The future of Tottenham’s club record signing could not look any further away from north London at this stage with Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport sharing news on the player’s personal stance.

The Latest: Ndombele ‘pushing’ to leave permanently…

They claim, via Sport Witness, that Ndombele is ‘pushing for a definitive sale’ rather than a loan deal with an option or obligation to buy.

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Indeed, it is believed the 25-year-old is also willing to take strong action to push through a move – specifically by taking a pay cut and reducing his salary to make it happen.

Napoli are listed as a suitor specifically as their midfield star Fabian Ruiz finalises a move to Paris-Saint Germain.

The Verdict: Cut losses…

Bar some bright flashes of form under ex-Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, Ndombele has been unable to display his real ability on a regular basis with concerns surrounding his attitude and application.

He certainly has talent – West Ham star Declan Rice has backed the former Lyon star as a ‘top player’ and ‘street footballer on the pitch’ despite his uncertain future and lack of game time under Conte – but patience must be wearing thin at Hotspur Way.

Whether his exit be permanent or on a temporary deal, Ndombele leaving really does seem best for all parties at this point.