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West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski should be dropped after his performance against Arsenal on Monday night, according to journalist Tommy Wathen.

The Lowdown: West Ham outplayed

The Irons succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at Premier League leaders Arsenal, despite Said Benrahma opening the scoring with a penalty in the first half.

Their opponents’ attacking prowess proved to be too much for the Hammers to handle in the second half, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah scoring to secure the three points.

With 67% possession, more shots on target and more big chances created, the Gunners deserved their victory, but it still will have been disappointing for David Moyes to see Fabianski far too easily beaten at his near post for the home side’s second goal.

The Latest: Wathen calls for goalkeeping change

Taking to Twitter after witnessing that error from the 37-year-old, Wathen called for the Polish goalkeeper to be dropped in place of current backup option Alphonse Areola.

The reporter admitted: “Also, as much as I love him as a GK, it’s time for Fabianski and Areola to swap in the pecking order.”

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The Verdict: Must do better

Arsenal have proven themselves as real contenders for the Premier League title this season, so you cannot afford to make mistakes like the one from the 57-cap Poland international if you expect to get anything against Mikel Arteta’s side.

Fabianski gave the ball away 16 times in the match, more than any other West Ham player and 12 times more than his opposite number Aaron Ramsdale, a sign that the veteran was also wasteful in possession alongside his costly error for Martinelli’s goal.

The Irons stopper did have some good moments, winning four of the five duels that he contested while also making a save from inside the box, but he will need to cut out the silly mistakes when West Ham take on Brentford this Friday.

Indeed, with Areola conceding only nine goals from his 11 appearances this term and keeping five clean sheets, he has shown that he’d be more than capable of stepping in for Fabianski.

Chelsea have endured a topsy-turvy ride this season, and currently perch outside the Premier League top-four after 15 matches, despite a convincing victory over AFC Bournemouth this week.

What’s the word?

With owner Todd Boehly assuming the ownership role from Roman Abramovich earlier this year, funds were injected into the outfit over the summer, but the new era has not quite taken flight, with the Blues losing four out of five matches in the weeks preceding the World Cup in Qatar. 

Romano tweeted:

“Negotiations are progressing to final stages for Benoit Badiashile to join Chelsea, expectation is for the deal to be completed soon for €35/40m (£31/35m) fee.

“There’s an agreement in principle on personal terms with Badiashile, he’s now keen on the move as reported yesterday.”

With a deal ostensibly closing on completion, boss Graham Potter will be eager to slot him straight into the fold, ready to exhibit his refined attributes from the core of Chelsea’s team. 

Rudiger replacement 

With the player eager to move to Stamford Bridge and Chelsea displaying determination to get a deal over the line, the cogs are well-placed to welcome one of Europe’s most vibrant and dynamic centre-backs to the Premier League.

Badiashile is the quintessential modern defender, boasting an imposing physicality and an innate ball-playing ability that will allow his team to have faith in forward transitions being instigated with swift precision from the defensive third.

Making 135 appearances for Monaco since ascending from the youth ranks, the 21-year-old already holds a wealth of experience that belies his tender age.

And having played 11 times in the league this term, Badiashile’s two goals further allude to the all-encompassing aura of his presence, with a regular direct goal threat from the defence a fine tool to wield when seeking success.

With the recent departure of Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer to Real Madrid, Chelsea moved to replace their exemplary defender this summer by signing Wesley Fofana for an initial £70m and Kalidou Koulibaly for £33m – the former has spent much of the campaign injured and the 31-year-old Koulibaly has not reached the heights he did for Napoli.

Rudiger himself boasted plenty of offensive threat and passing pedigree, ranking in the top 4% for goals scored and 7% for attempted passes when compared to positional peers over the past year.

But with the signing of the £35.3m-rated Badiashile, Potter might finally be able to get the Bridge rocking, instilling authority and assurance; a centrepiece to the club’s prospective good fortunes over the coming years. 

As per FBref, the Frenchman ranks within the top 7% of defenders for progressive passes this past year, also within the top 8% for rate of goals – this indeed illustrates the skill set he would bring, going in tandem with Potter’s own fluid philosophy. 

Once lauded as “tenacious” and “complete” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Badiashile would certainly bring a dogged attitude to the side, who could mould him to their own creation over the next several years, ultimately unleashing one of the game’s best defenders around.

West Brom are reportedly interested in signing Huddersfield Town midfielder Jon Russell this month and he could form a fantastic partnership with Okay Yokuslu.

According to reports from Alan Nixon in December, Carlos Corberan is keen to reunite with the 22-year-old at the Hawthorns, having given the young midfielder his first taste of senior football at Huddersfield during his spell with the Terriers.

The Jamaican midfielder would score twice in 22 appearances under the Spanish manager at the John Smith’s Stadium, playing a significant role in their run to the Championship playoff final last season.

However, he has lost his regular place in the starting side so far this campaign, with his last appearance coming in early October, so it is no surprise that rumours of a potential exit are rife.

If Corberan could help Russell rediscover his best form, which saw him average an impressive 6.87 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Championship last term, he could be an excellent addition to the Baggies’ midfield.

The young midfielder’s contract is also set to expire at the end of the current campaign, which means that any January deal could prove to be a bargain for Corberan as he looks to continue West Brom’s resurgence in the Championship, with promotion certainly on the cards if they can maintain their current form.

Former Huddersfield assistant manager Danny Schofield was full of praise for Russell after he starred in an FA Cup win against Barnsley last season.

He said: “From day one when Jon stepped in the building we knew we had somebody who has got a special talent.

“He’s got real ability with the ball, very composed in central areas and I thought he had a really good game.”

Russell is not only an excellent midfielder in possession, as he also offers a big physical threat in the middle of the park, standing at an impressive 6 foot 4.

The prospect of having the 22-year-old alongside the similarly imposing Yokuslu, who stands at 6 foot 3 will equally delight Corberan and terrify opposition managers, as the Baggies continue to dominate and fly up the table.

The Turkish midfielder is West Brom’s top-ranked player this season according to WhoScored and leads the way for tackles per game, while Russell was ranked top for interceptions per game in Huddersfield’s squad last season, which suggests that they could form an incredible ball-winning partnership at the Hawthorns.

Therefore, Corberan should definitely try and bring Russell to West Brom this month.

Sheffield Wednesday defender Mark McGuinness being recalled by Cardiff City would be a ‘huge blow’, according to journalist Dom Howson.

The Lowdown: Return on the cards?

The Republic of Ireland youth international arrived at the Hillsborough Stadium over the summer after putting pen to paper on a season-long loan from the Bluebirds.

Darren Moore quickly made the centre-back a regular feature in League One, but after an impressive start to the season, recent reports have suggested that the Welsh outfit are set to recall the 22-year-old before the end of the window.

The Latest: Howson’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Howson was gutted to hear the news that McGuinness could potentially depart, though insisted that finding a suitable successor has to be high on the club’s priority list. He wrote:

“McGuinness leaving is a huge blow. #SWFC have to bring in two centre-backs this month to ensure they have got enough cover at the back for the rest of the season.

“I’m sure DM and the recruitment team will have been working hard behind the scenes to line up a MM replacement.”

The Verdict: Setback for Moore

McGuinness has been integral at the heart of Wednesday’s defence this campaign so it would be a huge setback for Moore to lose him in the weeks ahead.

The Owls star currently averages 5.4 aerial wins and 3.1 clearances per league game and is an absolute rock standing at 6 foot 3 (WhoScored).

The Yorkshire side won’t want to let the Slough-born talent leave, but it’s important that they do make a couple of new signings in case he is set to return to the Championship.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Flamengo youngster Matheus Franca and are looking at the Brazilian market, journalist Ryan Taylor has claimed.

The Lowdown: Franca an exciting prospect

The 18-year-old has burst onto the scene at Flamengo, already racking up 26 appearances for the Brazilian giants and scoring seven goals for good measure.

Franca, who plays mostly as an attacking midfielder or second striker, has been linked with a move to Newcastle already this month, as Eddie Howe looks to bring in both young talent for the future and established stars for the here and now.

The teenager’s current deal doesn’t expire until 2027, but it looks as though Magpies are serious about making a deal happen anyway.

The Latest: Newcastle eyeing move

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor said that Franca is definitely a target for Newcastle, who could also look at other players currently plying their trade in Brazil:

“You look at Newcastle’s team, and although they’ve been exceptional already this season you look at that [midfield] as an area that could be upgraded.

“I know there has been interest in Matheus Franca and Newcastle are looking at that Brazilian market as one where there could be opportunities. That’s down to Dan Ashworth.”

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The Verdict: One for the future

While Franca is clearly a big talent with a bright future – he won six caps for Brazil’s Under-16s – he would be more of a long-term acquisition than anything.

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He is still extremely young and has no experience of playing in Europe, so he would need to be eased in by Howe, maturing alongside older teammates and not being thrown in at the deep end.

The fact that Franca is believed to be on Real Madrid and Manchester City’s radar says a lot about his potential, though, and the attacker has been hailed as a ‘great finisher’ by coach Fabio Matias.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is still very much on the radar of Bayern Munich ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

The England captain is now playing into the final 18 months of his contract in north London following months of speculation in 2021 about a potential move away to Manchester City.

Some reports, including from reliable journalist David Ornstein, have suggested the Lilywhites will pick up transfer talks following the conclusion of the January window.

However, Spurs insider Paul O’Keefe has claimed on Twitter the striker is not engaging in talks over a potential new deal and Daniel levy would not stand in his way if he was to request a move this summer.

And now, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has declared Bayern’s interest in the possibility of landing Kane in the summer:

“We’re reporting that Bayern Munich still hold interest. They haven’t found that Lewandowski replacement yet. You know, it’s less than 12 months until he can sign a pre-contract with Bayern Munich on a possible Bosman [free transfer] if he wished.

“It’s really interesting this situation but we can confirm Bayern still think in an ideal world they would sign Harry Kane this summer.”

Huge months ahead for Spurs

Tottenham’s form this season has been turbulent, to say the least, with the last few months not going in their favour and seeing them drop out of the top four.

However, the form of Kane has not dipped in the slightest with the 29-year-old remaining the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer this season with an impressive return of 15 goals from 19 games.

And it does feel as if the coming months for Spurs could be huge for their future given their manager, Antonio Conte’s, time in north London is also not set in stone for the years to come.

Kane is now nearing the age of 30-years-old and it does feel as if this upcoming deal could potentially be the final big one of his career.

And despite nearly being 30, the England captain still finds himself chasing that allusive piece of silverware.

Considering Bayern have won the Bundesliga for the last 10 campaigns and are already sitting top of the table this season with a four-point cushion, it would be a fair presumption that a move to Munich would likely satisfy his trophy needs.

However, we do wonder if Spurs winning a trophy this season could possibly put that need to win his first trophy to bed and see him sign a new deal at Spurs.

Currently, Tottenham only remain in the Champions League and FA Cup – with the Premier League title seemingly out of reach – so we do wonder if winning either of those could play a big part in his future.

But it would certainly be interesting to see if – at the age of 30 – Kane would be willing to try a new country and potentially leave behind Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goal record if Bayern were to come knocking.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Declan Rice over the last few months and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s pursuit of the player in 2023.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in signing the West Ham United midfielder.

Solhekol claimed, via Sky Sports Transfer Centre:

“Lots of clubs are interested in signing him, for instance, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool as well.

“So, there could well be a bidding war for him if West Ham do decide to sell him.

“We know a lot of clubs are looking for a central midfielder. He’s young, he’s the captain of West Ham and a regular starter for England as well. There will be a lot of clubs interested in him.

“He brings a lot to the table but the price is going to be at least £80m, £90m or £100m. I think West Ham would be looking for something like £100m for Rice.”

Klopp needs him

There is no doubt that Liverpool are in desperate need of a refresh in the centre of the pitch with a number of players either coming to the end of their contracts or reaching the latter stages of their career.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all set for an Anfield exit at the end of the season, whilst captain Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are both well into their 30s and will likely start to be phased out to make way for the future at the club next season.

As a result, the signing of Declan Rice could be a hugely worthwhile investment despite his expensive price tag as the 24-year-old England international is proving to be one of the hottest young midfield prospects in the Premier League and could offer Liverpool many years of quality in the centre of the pitch.

Over 19 Premier League appearances, Rice has scored one goal, registered two assists and tallied up an incredibly impressive 90% pass completion rate.

He is a well-rounded football, averaging 1.5 interceptions, 2.4 tackles, 1.2 clearances and playing 1.3 key passes per game, displaying that he is not only defensively solid but also a progressive presence that can make an impact in the final third too.

The Reds have been struggling to dominate their opponents in the middle third over their first 18 top-flight outings this season so far with lacklustre and tired displays from the midfield personnel which has seen the team outrun in many of their clashes, with the Premier League reporting that Liverpool were the sixth worst for distance covered in km (1537.6) ahead of the World Cup break.

The Hammers star – who was hailed a “force of nature” by journalist Rob Blanchette – could improve this significantly if the club can secure his signature as Rice recorded the second-best distance covered in the entire Premier League over the same period of time.

With that being said, it is clear that Jurgen Klopp needs a player like Rice to come in and bring the Liverpool midfield back to life, so it will be interesting if the powers at Anfield are willing to meet the transfer valuation West Ham are demanding as the situation is getting desperate at the club in terms of the need for change.

Journalist Phil Smith believes that Sunderland still hold a keen interest in young striker Joe Gelhardt.

The Lowdown: Mowbray wants more attacking options

It has been widely reported that Sunderland are in the market for a new striker this month having lost Ellis Simms when his loan deal was unexpectedly cut short earlier this month.

While Simms, who scored seven goals in the first half of the season for Sunderland, could indeed still end up back on Wearside this month himself if Everton are able to recruit a new forward, Sunderland are seemingly keeping their options open.

They are said to be one of several Championship clubs now looking to bring in Leeds United youngster Gelhardt on a temporary basis until the end of the season, with the striker yet to start a league game this term.

The Latest: Sunderland still keen on Gelhardt

Despite strong reported interest from Wigan Athletic, Smith has suggested on The Sunderland Echo YouTube channel that the Black Cats remain interested in bringing the talented forward to Wearside.

He said: “One of the players that they like – for obvious reasons, he’s one of the most talented young strikers in the country – is Joe Gelhardt.

“Now, Gelhardt, we all thought was going to Wigan and may still go to Wigan on loan. It’s a club that he loves; he came through the academy there before he was sold when the club went into administration.

“So I think the expectation is that he will still go back to Wigan, but Sunderland are one of a few clubs who are still very much in the race, and obviously what Sunderland can offer Leeds is a pressurised environment and a team playing really well, and that could be really beneficial to Gelhardt’s development.”

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The Verdict: Black Cats keen for more firepower

It would be a great piece of business for Sunderland to bring in a young player with Premier League experience – much like they did over the summer with Amad Diallo – as it would immediately ease the pressure on Ross Stewart.

The pressure may well already be starting to get to the Sunderland striker in terms of goals and having to lead the line effectively every single week after missing his penalty against Middlesbrough last weekend – but he fortunately managed to net the rebound.

Given that a deal that would see Gelhardt join Wigan on loan appears to be moving very slowly, Sunderland could do a lot worse than showing him what’s happening at the Stadium of Light and how Mowbray is currently developing a number of young players to try to turn his head and get him in a red and white shirt.

Tottenham Hotspur return to action today but face a stern test on the road against playoff-chasing Preston North End in the FA Cup.

The Championship outfit currently sits firmly in mid-table but are but a string of victories away from third place, such is the tightness of the division.

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte’s side are struggling for consistency, and are yet to record back-to-back league victories since early October.

Therefore, this denotes a potential banana skin for the Lilywhites to navigate.

To do so, the Italian will be keen to allow some of his strongest players to start the game in an effort to cruise in front before removing them from play.

With Harry Kane reportedly suffering from illness that could see him ruled out, they will need someone to lead the line to great effect or at least supplement the struggling Englishman.

There can arguably be no other option than to recall Richarlison, who has struggled for starts this season since his summer move.

He still boasts five goal contributions across 18 appearances in all competitions, which is an admirable return just begging to be improved upon.

Although the signing of Arnaut Danjuma might overshadow most things around the game, it is likely to be the Brazilian who will steal the show if anyone.

Last season for Everton he was a hero in their moment of need, digging in against all the odds to score the goals needed to secure survival.

His ten goals and five assists for an abysmal Toffees showcased his qualities, spurring the north London outfit to unload £60m on the 25-year-old.

Frank Lampard himself admitted that it was tough to replace a player of his qualities, labelling him “unique” in his skillset. It is just this set of skills that could be so instrumental today in helping them progress in a competition that would be so important for them to win.

Conte himself doubled down on this tough mindset, claiming: “Feel his personality, he’s a warrior, a fighter. We need this type of player.”

The £90k-per-week marksman must call upon his goalscoring talents once again now, performing when the chips are potentially down to drag his team through into the next round of the hat.

Everton reportedly made a ‘late loan offer’ for winger Ismaila Sarr, which was rejected by Watford.

The Lowdown: No incomings

Despite the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United, Everton were the only club in the Premier League not to make a single signing in the January transfer window.

They nearly signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal, but Tottenham Hotspur hijacked their deal, ultimately leaving them with nothing.

The Latest: Sarr offer

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday night, The Athletic journalist Adam Leventhal revealed that the Goodison Park outfit made a ‘late loan offer’ to try and sign Sarr, but it was rejected by Watford:

“#EFC made late loan offer for #WatfordFC’s Ismaila Sarr. Has been rejected. Proposal was loan fee plus obligation to buy if Everton stayed up plus bonuses.”

Expanding in his corresponding article for The Athletic, Leventhal added that they wanted to pay £2m to loan Sarr for the rest of the campaign, in a deal that included an obligation to buy for £30m if they avoided relegation, and a £4m appearance bonus.

The Verdict: Poor offer

Watford were never going to allow one of their best performers in Sarr leave on loan so late in the window, and so the Merseyside club should have offered a permanent deal.

They had £45m to spend following the sale of Gordon, and even reportedly submitted a bid of the same amount to try and sign Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. The Toffees had the money there, and should have made the Hornets an offer that they could not refuse for Sarr.

Hailed as a ‘scary’ talent and a ‘freak’ of nature by his former team-mate Ben Foster, the winger has scored seven goals and made a further four assists in the Championship so far this season, and in his previous campaign in the division, he notched up a tally of 13 goals and ten assists (Transfermarkt).

Sarr can clearly play at a higher level in the Premier League, and the Blues should have done more to sign him for Sean Dyche.