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Southampton are tracking Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild needed?

Reports throughout the January transfer window indicated Che Adams could exit St Mary’s, with Everton named as potential suitors late in the window, following links to Leeds United last summer.

Given that Southampton are currently in a perilous position in the Premier League, sitting four points from safety after a 1-0 defeat at Elland Road on Saturday, a summer rebuild may be needed, with James Ward-Prowse also tipped for a potential exit.

The Latest: Miovski profiled

According to a report from The Scottish Sun (via Football Scotland), the Saints are tracking Miovski ahead of a potential summer move, after his impressive form in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

The Premier League outfit have already sent club officials on a scouting mission to assess the striker, watching him in Aberdeen’s 4-0 thrashing at Celtic Park, in which he was substituted at half-time.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The North Macedonia international did not put in his best performance against the reigning Scottish champions, but he has otherwise been in electric form so far this season, netting 17 goals in 32 matches in all competitions.

With a tally of 15 in the Scottish Premiership, the 23-year-old poses the third-best scoring record in the division, averaging a goal every 143 minutes and a 32% conversion rate.

Southampton did strengthen in attacking areas during the January transfer window, but Paul Onuachu and Mislav Orsic have not impressed, both failing to score since their arrival at St Mary’s, with Orsic yet to rise to the tempo of the Premier League.

As such, bringing in a new striker makes sense regardless of what league the Saints are in next season, and Miovski, who has been hailed ‘outstanding’ by the media, is certainly a good one to keep an eye on.

Leeds United will find it difficult to keep ahold of their goalkeeper Illan Meslier with a number of clubs keeping tabs on the player including Manchester United.

How many years has Meslier got left on his contract?

The youngster still has over three years remaining on his deal with the Yorkshire club who find themselves struggling towards the bottom of the table.

In that sense, the Whites do sit in a strong position over Meslier’s future with the player having a lot of years remaining on his contract with the club.

However, given their struggles, it is no guarantee they will be playing Premier League football next season which could prove a huge issue in the Frenchman’s future.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested the likes of Manchester United are keeping an eye on the goalkeeper’s situation at Elland Road:

“I’m sure Leeds won’t want to lose Meslier but they’ll find it pretty hard to keep them if they do suffer relegation as well.

“But yeah, he looks a top keeper, as I said, makes a lot of good saves as well. And I think he’s only gonna get better with age as well. So yeah, I’m sure Manchester United as well as several clubs are probably keeping tabs on him.”

Will Meslier leave Leeds?

The remainder of the 2022/23 campaign could prove crucial in regard to the future of the young Frenchman who will have big aspirations for his future.

Meslier will surely have his eyes on making progress in his national side following Hugo Lloris’ retirement from international football.

And whether he is able to do so at Leeds United could be a serious question that he has to ask himself over the coming months.

Didier Deschamps has other senior options to choose from, however, the 22-year-old will have hopes of breaking through the U21s and into the first team soon.

There have been reports in the past suggesting the likes of Tottenham Hotspur had identified Meslier as a potential option to replace Lloris in the long term.

So it does seem as if there are some big Premier League clubs who feel as if he is a goalkeeper who could provide them with a solid long-term option.

But when he is playing for a side who have conceded the fourth most goals in the Premier League and are facing relegation, the Frenchman may feel he has to go elsewhere to show his ability.

There are a number of big Premier League sides believed to be evaluating their goalkeeper situation ahead of the summer transfer window so it will be interesting to see whether Meslier could seek a move in the coming months.

Sunderland turn their attention away from Championship action this evening as they host Fulham at the Stadium of Light in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The two sides held each other to a 1-1 draw in the initial tie at Craven Cottage and will now fight for a place in the fifth round in this replay on Wearside.

Tony Mowbray’s side come into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Millwall away from home in the Championship and may look to rotate his team for this cup clash, ahead of another league fixture at home at the weekend.

One player who must be unleashed for his full debut in a Black Cats shirt is January signing Pierre Ekwah, who arrived on a permanent deal from Premier League side West Ham United.

The 21-year-old central midfielder has made late cameo appearances off the bench in the team’s last two competitive outings but this replay offers the manager an opportunity to start the Frenchman for the first time, providing him with a chance to shine.

With captain Corry Evans out for the rest of the season due to an injury, Mowbray’s options in the middle of the park could need to be managed carefully to avoid burnout and bringing Ekwah in would allow Edouard Michut to rest ahead of the weekend’s clash with Reading.

In his two outings as a substitute so far, the former Hammers gem has shown signs of promise by winning 100% of his duels and making three interceptions, one clearance, and one tackle combined.

Speaking to The Chronicle ahead of the January move, journalist Jonty Colman hailed the youngster: “Pierre Ekwah is an all-action midfielder who has good ability in various areas, such as work-rate, defending and getting forward to contribute with attacks.

“He is one of the more senior players in a largely young West Ham Under-21s side, with the majority of the older players currently out on loan, or moving on to new clubs, such as Aji Alese.”

Earlier this season, the battler backed up Colman’s claim in the EFL Trophy for West Ham’s U21s as the gem averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across three appearances – making two tackles and interceptions and two key passes per game.

These statistics show that the 21-year-old is an ‘all-action’ midfielder who can make key contributions at both ends of the pitch, by winning the ball back for his side and then using his quality in possession to create chances for his teammates.

Mowbray must now unleash Ekwah from the start tonight, offering the gem a chance to shine for the first time at Sunderland, to see if he can live up to the hype and put himself in contention for a regular role in the side in the second half of the campaign.

Everton have been seeking out attacking reinforcements all January to no avail, as they remain without a single signing despite sitting joint-bottom of the table.

It is a stance that will frustrate Evertonians, who have already seen their frustrations boil over into protests aimed towards a board that has spent over £500m since Farhad Moshiri’s acquisition of the club.

Whilst rival fans will question the bemoaning fans as they have overseen this investment, it is clear that this money has been severely squandered, and as such, they boast a playing squad that are poised to endure their second relegation battle in as many seasons.

It is clear what the solution is to avoid this current one, and yet Frank Lampard and Kevin Thelwell continue to deliberate over deals. 

This resulted in going into last week’s game against Southampton without any additions, where they were beaten by the team propping up the table. They seem set to repeat this feat against West Ham United this weekend.

Through some rumours though, it is clear that the scouting team have some idea of the profile needed at Goodison Park, as links have emerged touting German striker Niclas Fullkrug with a move to Merseyside.

The 6 foot 2 titan is a forward that enjoys using his physicality to bully centre-backs but marries this with a clinical nature when the chances arrive.

As such, he boasts ten goals this season in the Bundesliga alongside two assists in just 14 games.

His tally in the league is still above the combined goalscoring exploits of Demarai Gray, Dwight McNeil, Anthony Gordon and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

His arrival would be a hugely welcome one, especially after his antics in Qatar which saw him lauded as a “World Cup hero” by The Athletic.

The 29-year-old scored twice in three games, attaining a 7.17 rating despite his side’s early exit from the competition.

With his raw power and proficiency the German draws striking similarities with Romelu Lukaku, who was a big favourite at Goodison Park for these reasons.

The Belgian scored 87 goals in just 166 games for the Toffees, becoming their all-time top scorer in the Premier League too.

He stood at a similar height of 6 foot 3, but admittedly had a turn of pace that his potential successor lacks.

In his final season for the Blues before his big-money move to Manchester United, he would record a 7.35 average rating, winning 3.7 aerials per game as he scored 25 times.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin had offset his absence before his injury woes, but Fullkrug ranks in the top 5% for aerials won when compared with other strikers around Europe.

He would, therefore, thrive off any kind of delivery, as he uses his immense physique to force the ball into the net.

Having proven his lethal touch too in recent years, he has all the core attributes to finally offer a replacement for Lukaku that could steer them to safety.

Everton’s season has been nothing short of disastrous, with the Toffees once again poised to struggle at the foot of the table.

Despite this, and their current position of joint-bottom, the hierarchy are yet to put their hands in their pockets to try and pay their way out of this mess. It is clearly a squad lacking the quality to stay up, and yet with nearly a third of a window done, there has been little indication of any concrete rumours.

As the division’s second-lowest scorers, up front is the role that certainly needs filling.

Despite that, one of Frank Lampard’s reported targets Danny Ings seems set to now move to relegation rival West Ham United, further adding insult to injury.

They need someone through the door immediately, if at the very least to offer Dominic Calvert-Lewin some much-needed competition for his striker spot.

An alternative that they now seem to be scrambling for is Lyon forward Moussa Dembele, who saw rumours emerge about his future in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

The Frenchman has just six months left on his £69k-per-week deal, and as such has caught the eye as a potential cut-price option for the financially restricted Blues.

It must be said that, should they complete this deal, it would represent an immense coup for a club currently in disarray despite his poor form this season.

With just two goals to his name this season, it may seem like the 26-year-old is hardly the answer to their long-standing issues in front of goal.

However, he has proven on numerous occasions throughout his career that he can be a clinical asset when called upon, as last season he bagged 21 times in Ligue 1 whilst delivering four assists.

This marks an improvement Calvert-Lewin’s best goal tally in the Premier League of 16, which he would hope to recapture should his fitness prevail once more.

Because of this impressive scoring run, Dembele actually ranks in the top 5% for non-penalty goals when compared to other strikers in Europe’s top five leagues.

What stands as a further testament to his ability is the wide array of talent he is likened to on FBref’s ‘similar players’ model. The list boasts Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, Victor Osimhen and Olivier Giroud.

With quality to rival many of these, the former Celtic man certainly would provide a fine alternative to the English striker currently starting at Goodison Park. 

Brendan Rodgers once lauded all the qualities that would surely make him a success in England, as he claimed: “Moussa was everything with his power and pace.” The now-Leicester City boss continued: “His opponent at centre-back was strong but Moussa is so powerful with ability, touch and work rate.”

He would push Calvert-Lewin to his limits, likely usurping him if his quality shines through, but hopefully inspiring a fire in the English forward’s belly to rediscover himself.

That said, the deal would spur at least one of them to get the goals that will secure safety.

Everton are reportedly set to hijack a deal for Dinamo Zagreb winger Mislav Orsic and the Croatia international could be the ideal signing for Frank Lampard at Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

According to Croatian journalist Izak Ante Sucic, Southampton’s deal for the 30-year-old is now off after a second bid was deemed far too low, with Everton now ready to ‘hijack’ the deal.

Nottingham Forest are also credited with an interest in Orsic, which suggests that a number of relegation-threatened teams in the top flight see him as a potential saviour in the second half of the season.

Despite spending the vast majority of his career playing in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, Orsic is well-known to a lot of English football fans for his goals in European competition against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in recent seasons, with the wide man scoring a memorable hat-trick to knock Spurs out of the Europa League in 2021.

He also scored a beautiful goal for Croatia in their World Cup third-place playoff game against Morocco recently, which may have been enough to convince a number of Premier League managers that he is capable of cutting it in the top flight.

Exactly what Lampard needs?

Everton find themselves in a desperate situation this season, with a lack of quality in the final third once again seeing them occupy a place at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon are the current joint-top scorers with just three to their name in the top flight, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Neal Maupay have both struggled in front of goal for the Toffees.

While it is difficult to judge the Croatian top flight at the same quality as the Premier League, Orsic has shown during his time with Zagreb that he is an extremely reliable option in front of goal, contributing 91 goals and 40 assists in 214 appearances for the Blues.

The aforementioned Sucic has been full of praise for Orsic in the past, when he was heavily linked with a move to Burnley last season before a deal collapsed at the last minute.

He said: “If they are trying to sign a good player who is capable of producing one piece of magic to do the crucial thing in a game, then he is the one.”

Moments of magic are exactly what Lampard needs to keep his job at Goodison Park right now, so the former Chelsea man should do everything in his power to bring in Orsic this month. He could just be the man that keeps the Merseyside outfit in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur have now lodged a £13m bid for Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target Malinovskyi

CalcioMercato recently reported that Tottenham would be able to sign Malinovskyi if they stumped up around £13m in January, with the Ukrainian deemed expendable by Atalanta.

It has been a deal long in the making, with Italian outlet Il Giorno detailing that a deal was in the works at the beginning of November, via Daily Express, and it now appears to be reaching a more advanced stage, with Spurs tabling a formal offer…

The Latest: Bid lodged

According to Corriere di Bergamo, via Sport Witness, Antonio Conte personally told Fabio Paratici that he wanted the 29-year-old back in the summer, but a deal was unable to be struck with the Serie A side.

Now, the Tottenham transfer chiefs have tabled a £13m offer, but this may not be enough, with the report going on to state that this will need to be increased ‘a little’ if Atalanta are to give the green light to the £19k-per-week earner’s sale.

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The Verdict: Make it happen

Of the Ukraine maestro’s 14 Serie A appearances this season, nine have been from off the bench, so he is clearly out of favour with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, meaning it is unlikely to take much more money to tempt his current employers into a sale.

Tottenham would still be getting a fantastic, forward-thinking player for a fraction of his true worth, with 0.41 assists per 90 minutes over the past year ranking the attacking midfielder in the 92nd percentile compared to his positional peers.

Football writer Carlo Garganese has also lauded Malinovskyi as ‘unreal’, specifically for his long-range shooting, while he is also in the 96th percentile for progressive passes, highlighting a willingness to get on the ball and make things happen for his team.

Even if Tottenham have to raise their transfer offer a little bit higher, having a player at the level of the man with 74 professional goals at club level would pay dividends in their bid to secure Champions League football for a second straight season.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in a move for Chelsea winger, Christian Pulisic, with the United States international having fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

What’s the word?

According to ESPN, the Red Devils are said to be ‘open’ to bringing the 24-year-old to Old Trafford on a loan deal, with the forward seemingly set to be ‘allowed to leave’ west London in the January transfer window.

The report suggests they are seeking a new attacking addition following the recent departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the American’s ability to feature all across the frontline seemingly an attractive prospect for Erik ten Hag’s side.

The 54-cap gem – who is also said to be attracting interest from both Arsenal and Newcastle United – was previously linked with a temporary switch to the Theatre of Dreams over the summer, as well as prior to his £58m move to England in 2019.

Ditch Sancho

As per the report above, new attacking additions are seemingly needed for Ten Hag and co amid what was a seemingly inevitable exit for the aforementioned Ronaldo, although the failings of other members of the forward line have also meant that further recruits are required.

£73m man Jadon Sancho, in particular, has continued to underwhelm in a United shirt since his move from Borussia Dortmund last summer, with the fleet-footed Englishman’s woes having been laid bare by omission from Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.

The 22-year-old has scored just eight goals and registered only four assists in 52 games for the club in all competitions to date, including a measly tally of just three goals and one assist under the new manager so far this term.

Having arrived amid high expectations after previously lighting up the Bundesliga – with 114 goal involvements to his name in 137 outings for the German side – the former Manchester City ace now appears something of a “flop”, in the words of journalist Jason Soutar, amid his current struggles.

As pundit Gabby Agbonlahor previously stated, the youngster is simply “not performing” at present, having seemingly lacked the confidence to take defenders on and try and beat his man.

The addition of his former Dortmund teammate, Pulisic, could well prove the final nail in the coffin as far as Sancho is concerned, with the Blues “magician” – as described by Al Butler – likely to be a direct rival to slot in on that left-wing berth.

The Hershey-born menace has also endured his struggles so far this term – with just three goals and assists to his name – although that tally has come despite being reduced to just five starts, highlighting that a more consistent run of games could prove fruitful.

The £150k-per-week man – who has 26 goals and 21 assists in 133 games for Chelsea – has been highlighting his undoubted quality for his country in Qatar, teeing up teammate Timothy Weah with a clever assist in the draw with Wales in his side’s opening game, before being awarded the Man of the Match award after starring against England.

Bringing in such a “massive talent” – as described by club legend Gary Neville (ITV Sport, 25/11/2022) – on a loan deal could well prove to be something of a low-risk option as far as Ten Hag is concerned, with Pulisic’s arrival potentially set to nudge the misfiring Sancho out the door.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Kim Min-jae recently…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb, Spurs are among the teams with ‘concrete interest’ in the Napoli centre-back heading into the January transfer window.

Although they face some pretty tough competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and a few others.

The South Korean – who is set to compete alongside Heung-min Son at the World Cup this week – is valued at around €50m (£43.5m) by the Serie A outfit and president Aurelio De Laurentiis will do everything he can to keep the 6 foot 3 titan at Gli Azzurri.

Imagine Min-jae and Romero

Min-jae could be one of the real surprises in Qatar over the next two or three weeks as his form in Italy has been really eye-catching.

Heading into the break, Napoli sit top of the table, ahead of the usual suspects – Juventus, Inter Milan, etc – and the Korean is Luciano Spalletti’s highest-rated centre-back (7.11) to have featured in ten or more matches, as per WhoScored.

Only one other ‘regular’ has a better passing success rate than Min-jae and he’s a defensive midfielder, whilst the former Jeonbuk Motors colossus leads the way for clearances (3.9) per game, and isn’t far behind for aerial duels won (3.6) or tackles (1.6) per game either.

A mix of brute strength and a deft touch, Min-jae could be an ideal fit in Antonio Conte’s back-three system over in the English capital, with passing, tackling and concentration three of his key attributes, as listed by WhoScored.

It’s perhaps little surprise to have seen the 44-cap international lauded as a “monster,” given such qualities. He has even been described as “an extraordinary defender” and “one of the best in the world” by teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

With Cristian Romero one of the first centre-backs named on the teamsheet – when fit – it would be perfect to partner him up with a talent like Min-jae heading into the new year, if not next season.

The pair could be a ruthless and formidable duo, alongside a less aggressive ball player such as Eric Dier or Clement Lenglet, and that’s exactly why sporting director Fabio Paratici should make his move after the World Cup, where the Korean sensation could well be one of the under-the-radar stars of the tournament as he looks to get past a giant in Portugal.

AND in other news, Spurs could sign Conte his “next Barella” in £26m swoop for “super talented” machine…

Journalist Adam Crafton has hinted that some Manchester United supporters were moaning at Harry Maguire during the first half against West Ham. 

The Lowdown: Back in the starting XI

Erik ten Hag brought the England defender back into his starting XI for the first time in the Premier League since the beginning of September, with the 29-year-old partnering Lisandro Martinez against the Hammers.

Maguire was making just his fourth league appearance of the campaign after missing recent weeks with a hamstring injury. Looking to impress Gareth Southgate with one eye on the World Cup, he played the entirety of the 1-0 win, but Crafton thinks that the ex-Leicester man may have annoyed some United supporters in the opening 45 minutes.

The Latest: Crafton’s post

Crafton, who was reporting from inside Old Trafford, took to Twitter during the first half prior to Marcus Rashford’s goal.

The reporter appeared to pose the question as to whether some United fans were ‘groaning’ at Maguire after he played a sidewards pass to Martinez.

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The Verdict: Frustration

Supporters of any club can get restless when their side takes their time in building an attack, so we’re sure that any moans would be pure frustration and not directly aimed at Maguire.

However, the 29-year-old was the home side’s worst-rated defender, as per SofaScore, ending with a match rating of 7.0/10 – slightly below United’s average of 7.16/10.

He failed to make a tackle or an interception, lost possession 10 times and was unsuccessful with four of his five attempted long balls.

However, it was a relatively solid display overall from Maguire, considering his lack of game-time in the Premier League, playing his part in a clean sheet and a victory for United.