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Arsenal are ‘set to return’ with an improved offer to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo before January 31, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Caicedo bid rejected…

Reports emerged of a £60 million bid for the Ecuador international on Friday morning, but as quickly as that news came out, updates then came to light of the offer being swiftly rejected.

Mikel Arteta’s side are keen to add a new midfielder to their ranks as the Premier League title-chasers lock horns with Man City.

Arsenal arguably lack alternatives to the likes of Thomas Partey in front of their back four, and if the Ghanaian were to succumb to injury, it would spell real trouble for Arteta.

The Latest: Arsenal ‘set to return’ with improved Caicedo bid…

The north Londoners, according to an update by The Daily Mail, are ‘set to return’ with an improved offer for Caicedo before January 31.

It’s added that a bid of around £80m may tempt Brighton into selling, but Arsenal could be helped by Caicedo’s personal stance.

The 21-year-old is allegedly ‘desperate to force through a move’ to either Arsenal or signing competitors Chelsea.

The possibility of Caicedo handing in a transfer request also isn’t ruled out.

The Verdict: Go back in?

£80m is a very steep fee for someone who has played just two seasons of top flight football but Caicedo has attracted interest from huge clubs in the past.

Man United were among those eyeing a move for the South American before he chose to join Brighton and he has since not looked back.

Caicedo has become a mainstay for the Seagulls, starting 18 league games this season whilst averaging more tackles and interceptions per 90 this season than any Brighton regular with over three starts (WhoScored).

He’s also featured for his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, further adding to his credentials as a player gaining more and more experience on football’s biggest stages.

Called a ‘big player’ for Brighton by manager Roberto De Zerbi, the tough-tackling midfielder could come as the perfect alternative to Partey with the only obstacle being his side.

It appears Brighton are set to dig their heels in over letting Caicedo go this month but his quality indicates that Arsenal’s persistence could pay off.

Transfer expert Dean Jones has claimed that Aston Villa have an ‘edge’ over Bournemouth in the race to sign Juventus central midfielder Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Contact made

It has recently been reported that Villa have ‘made contact’ over the potential signing of McKennie, but CalcioMercato have stated that Bournemouth are also keen to bring the him to the Premier League.

Villa are also ‘closing in’ on the signing of Real Betis left-back Alex Moreno, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, and McKennie could be next through the doors at Villa Park.

The Latest: Villa have ‘edge’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that Villa have an ‘edge’ over Bournemouth in the race for McKennie, as he is likely to have higher expectations if he moved to Unai Emery’s side:

“Weston McKennie is one of the more interesting names that’s going to appear in headlines over the course of this month because Juventus are open-minded about losing him.

“It would have to be on their terms, and even if you were looking to do a loan on this one, you would probably have to put an obligation in place and look to spend almost £20 million.

“I do think that Aston Villa would have an edge over Bournemouth in terms of a transfer like this because I think we have to understand that McKennie has very high expectations of where his career can get to.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Villa should seriously be considering accelerating a move for McKennie given the competition that they are likely to face for his signature.

Hailed as a ‘monster’ in the air by football writer Wes Tucker, and a ‘pressing machine’ by journalist Chris Smith, the six-foot-one colossus ranks in the 90th percentile for non-penalty goals, 89th for touches, 87th for progressive passes received and 81st for blocks per game for all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBRef), and at 24 years of age, has not yet reached his full potential.

Lauded for a ‘sensational’ performance for the USA against England at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, McKennie has shown on numerous occasions that he can perform on the big stage, and so it would be a real coup for Villa if they were able to sign him.

Manchester United have joined the race to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Felix’s Atletico career

Felix arrived at Atletico from Benfica in July 2019 with a huge £113m price tag to live up to, and while he has performed well, with an average match rating of 7.15 in La Liga last season being the highest figure of any player for his side, he now looks set to leave the club in January.

Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Marin pointed towards a difficult relationship with manager Diego Simeone as one of the factors in what appears to be an imminent departure, and United could now capitalise on that and bring him to Old Trafford in January.

The Latest: Premier League move?

According to The Daily Record, the Portugal international’s current club are prepared to let him leave in January, as long as a potential suitor stumps up a £8m loan fee, with Arsenal current leading the way, but United also interested in signing him as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

There would be no contractual obligation to buy the player outright, but the Financial Fair Play costs of his contract must also be covered in full by his new club.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Given that Erik ten Hag would not be obligated to sign the 23-year-old if he does not perform well enough at Old Trafford, it is a signing that would be a low-risk option for the United manager this January.

The £260,000-per-week maestro has been lauded as ‘world-class’ by Miguel Angel Marin, and he has displayed this level of talent, at times, with Atletico, bagging eight goals and four assists in 24 La Liga appearances last season, a goal contribution every other game.

While this record is perhaps not befitting of the £113m fee the La Liga club initially spent on him, he clearly still has bags of ability, and a proven history of being able to perform at the top level.

At 23, he is also still at a young enough age to develop a lot further, so ten Hag should enter negotiations swiftly before a move to Arsenal is completed.

Chelsea have emerged as frontrunners to sign AC Milan star Rafael Leao, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Leao shines…

The Portugal international forward, who featured for his nation at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been the subject of intense interest from Premier League clubs heading into January.

Leao is said to be a target for the likes of Man City amid his brilliant form for Milan in Serie A, where he has bagged six goals and four assists in 12 league starts this season (WhoScored).

The 23-year-old is also their best-performing player by average match rating, leaving little wonder Chelsea boss Graham Potter is reportedly keeping tabs.

The Latest: Jones shares promising Leao to Chelsea update…

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Jones claims there is a real hope at Stamford Bridge they can sign Leao and Potter’s side are the main frontrunners.

He explained:

“Chelsea have great interest in Leao and there is some hope over landing him, especially after he briefly followed them on social media the other day!

“But Milan are so desperate not to lose him right now because replacing him will be hard.

“Chelsea are the frontrunners, though, if this opens up. We will have to see how this goes over the next couple of weeks.”

The Verdict: Real talent…

The Serie A star could well be one to watch heading into January and Chelsea owner Todd Boehly seems set to back Potter in the transfer market.

Called ‘absolutely unplayable’ by members of the media, Leao could undoubtedly strengthen the west London side in their bid to become a real top flight force again.

Aston Villa may only have four players at the World Cup in Qatar but new manager Unai Emery is sure to be keeping a close eye on them all.

On Tuesday night, Matty Cash starred for Poland in their 0-0 draw with Mexico and after Argentina’s shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, Group C has been blown wide open.

“He’s been a fantastic signing for Villa but the way he has improved and his mentality are a testament to him,” lauded BBC Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand, who also suggested that the Slough-born gem would earn the club hefty profit in the future.

But another display would have surely caught the Spaniard’s eye this week as the rarely-utilised Leander Dendoncker put in an outstanding defensive and all-round performance for Belgium as they narrowly edged past Canada in Group F.

The 27-year-old powerhouse joined Villa Park from Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on deadline day in a reported £13m deal but has found regular game time hard to come by, despite his versatility and their centre-back troubles since Diego Carlos was struck by a long-term injury.

Indeed, Dendoncker has only been able to register three starts in the Premier League and was dropped to the bench for Villa’s final domestic game before the break, even though he looked the part in defensive midfield for Emery during his first game in charge – a 3-1 win over Manchester United.

And the £90k-per-week colossus was a towering monster at the back for Roberto Martinez’s Red Devils. Despite being the clear favourites for the encounter, Belgium were under the cosh for the majority of the game, with Les Rogues registering a whopping 21 shots to Belgium’s nine (via FBref).

Canada missed a penalty early in the first half and just couldn’t find a way past a resolute back three, in which the Villa man featured, before Michy Batshuayi netted the game’s only goal right before half-time.

A lot of the Red Devils’ play began with Dendoncker as he recorded the second-most touches of any player on the pitch (88) and enjoyed an impressive 96.1% passing accuracy, which was the best of any Belgium star. That also included three progressive passes – as many as Eden Hazard and more than Youri Tielemans – so he evidently had a big influence in getting the ball forward up the pitch.

Elsewhere, he managed a 100% tackle success rate against dribbles, had two interceptions and tackles, three blocks and also notched four clearances, as per FBref, proving to be an absolute rock against Canada’s barrage of counter-attacks.

Dendoncker, who has previously been dubbed a “machine” and “a real selfless player” by journalist Joe Edwards, clearly proved his immense worth to Emery and his coaching staff with an eye-catching display in Qatar.

If he keeps that up, then the Belgian titan ought to be in the starting lineup to face Liverpool on Boxing Day.

AND in other news, Emery must forget about “incredibly underrated” Villa target after World Cup stinker…

Former Premier League striker and Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Newcastle United in their pursuit of Villarreal winger Nicolas Jackson.

The Lowdown: Newcastle interest

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park outfit are just one of a number of clubs in the Premier League eyeing a potential move for Jackson in the January transfer window.

They have been following his progress in recent months, but will face competition from both Everton and Aston Villa for his signature, as well as FC Barcelona.

Jackson’s contract at Villarreal runs out in the summer, meaning that he could be sold for a cut-price in January, at the risk of the Yellow Submarine losing him on a free transfer.

The Latest: Campbell backs move

Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell has claimed that adding a player of Jackson’s ‘quality’ in January ‘would be great’ for Eddie Howe’s side, as it would strengthen their chances of finishing in the top four come the end of the season:

“Newcastle could be big players in the market place come January.

“Now they find themselves in the top four, this is the time to strengthen. That would be the right way to think.

“Adding a player of quality to your squad like Nicholas Jackson would be great. It would be a smart move. It is essential to add goals to your squad and he would do that.

“I’m sure he will be one of many names floating around. Newcastle have been taking their time with transfers. The key is to get it right.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Jackson would certainly give Howe another quality option in his forward line, should the Magpies be able to get a deal done.

Capable of playing on the wing, the 21-year-old has also impressed in a centre-forward position, as he has not missed a single match yet so far this term, scoring three goals and making two assists (Transfermarkt).

Lauded as a player with ‘bags of potential‘ by journalist Ashley Preece, Jackson received his first call-up to the Senegal national team in September, and was an unused substitute in international friendlies against Bolivia and Iran (Transfermarkt).

He will be hoping to get his first caps during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, so the Toon Army should be looking to keep tabs on his performances throughout the tournament.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is still under ‘massive pressure’ despite signing a new contract, according to former BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Cooper’s new contract

The Tricky Trees recorded a shock 1-0 victory over Liverpool last weekend, but are still currently sitting at rock bottom of the Premier League, level on points with Wolves and Leeds in the relegation places.

The Welsh boss had been facing calls to be sacked amid the club’s disappointing start to the season, but was instead backed with a new contract until 2025 for his efforts in getting them promoted in the first place.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan, a former top flight striker, claimed that Forest made too many new signings in the summer and instead should have tried to make last season’s loan deals permanent.

“I think there’s still massive pressure on Cooper. He’s got to make big decisions with all these new players at the club.

“He’s got to find a system that works.

“But I think ultimately Forest have got to put all their trust in Cooper. It’s been a whirlwind start to the season, bringing in 22 players – which is probably too many.

“They’ve gone all out because they had that scared feeling about stepping up to the Premier League.

“I think if they could go back in time they’d probably go out and get some of the loan players that got them into the Premier League in the first place.”

The Verdict: Right man for the job

Forest need to start picking up more points if they want to get themselves out of the danger zone and into a more comfortable position, but Cooper is still the right man for the job.

The 42-year-old has won 30 and drawn 14 of his 58 matches in charge at the City Ground, and averages 1.79 points per match (Transfermarkt).

The Reds have done well to reduce the deficit and catch up with their rivals at the bottom, and only one win is needed to climb out of the bottom three and up the table.

West Bromwich Albion continued their winless run today as they could only grind out a 0-0 bore draw against Luton Town.

Steve Bruce employed a tactical tweak by opting for a three-at-the-back system, with Conor Townsend and Matt Phillips as the wing-backs.

This seems to have worked defensively, as they limited the Hatters to just three shots on target. However, it left Albion similarly toothless up front, as they could only mustered the same amount.

The 61-year-old will certainly feel the pressure mounting now, as this result marked a ninth game without a win for the Baggies.

Whilst neither of the aforementioned wing-backs played particularly well, with the former only mustering a 6.5 average SofaScore rating, it was Phillips who was truly terrible today.

Admittedly playing slightly out of position, he showed just how out of his depth he was in a full-back role with a torrid defensive display and an impotent attacking output.

The Scotsman played 86 minutes today and managed to lose possession an astounding 27 times. This can be traced back partly to his two unsuccessful dribble attempts and 25% crossing accuracy, showing how wasteful he was with the ball.

As mentioned already, his defensive display was not much better. He did not make a single tackle or clearance all day, with his only real contribution being his three interceptions.

Townsend also managed no tackles or clearances, but at least he was less wasteful in possession, losing the ball just 19 times by comparison.

Despite the clean sheet, Bruce must see after this performance that he clearly does not have the personnel for a wing-back formation. However, the results of late might mean that he will have few matches left to make such tweaks.

Albion still sits two points adrift of safety in the relegation zone, with Huddersfield Town below them possessing two games in hand as well.

Things are looking bleak for West Brom and Bruce, who may part ways sooner rather than later in an attempt to stop this rut.

The manager can blame both of his wing-backs for a lack of attacking threat today which could have won them the game, with Phillips particularly wasteful and ineffective.

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray is doing a ‘fine, fine job’ at the club, according to sports journalist and Mackems fan Josh Bunting. 

The lowdown

The Championship club were left ‘extremely disappointed’ by the abrupt departure of Alex Neil in the early weeks of the season as he took the vacant manager’s job at Stoke.

However, the Black Cats moved swiftly to appoint his replacement in Mowbray, who was out of work after leaving Blackburn Rovers at the end of the 2021/22 season.

On Saturday, Sunderland twice came from a goal down to earn a point away to Watford, with Jewison Bennette netting the second equaliser in the 87th minute.

The latest

Bunting took to Twitter to offer his reaction to footage of Mowbray’s post-match interview at Vicarage Road after it was shared by Sunderland’s official Twitter channel.

He called the 58-year-old ‘a great pair of hands’ who had lifted the mood and the performance levels at the Stadium of Light since he took over.

He wrote: “I can’t say it enough, I love this man. He’s kicked us on and yes it won’t always be good but he’s a great pair of his hands to have at this football club.

“The games he’s been in is the best we’ve played all season as a unit. He’s doing a fine, fine job at this football club.”

The verdict

Sunderland are going well in the Championship, having only been promoted in League One this year, and Mowbray is a big part of that, taking seven points from a possible 12 so far.

Since he took over, he has overseen comfortable 3-0 victories against Rotherham and Reading, as well as the fightback against Watford. The only blemish so far is a 1-0 defeat away to local rivals Middlesbrough, but the Black Cats still sit in the play-off places after 10 games.

The quality of football on his watch has also been championed, with Sky Sports marvelling at a potential ‘goal of the season’ against Reading last week after an impressive team move, so it’s little wonder that Bunting has been so glowing in his praise for Mowbray.

Glasgow Rangers chief Ross Wilson could be set for a busy end to the summer transfer window as the deadline arrives next week.

90min reported over the weekend that Ligue 1 outfit Nice are preparing an offer to tempt the club into parting ways with Glen Kamara, with a number of Premier League clubs also said to be keeping tabs on the Finland international.

FFC published an article in reaction to this news explaining why Gio van Bronckhorst must sanction an exit for the midfielder.

This, however, would leave a gap in the squad and the Light Blues must launch a swoop to sign Billy Gilmour on loan to allow them to cash in on Kamara.

Ex-Gers man Barry Ferguson recently suggested that the Chelsea gem – who has been linked with a return to Ibrox this summer – would be a good signing for the club.

The £43k-per-week Scotland international, who once claimed that he could nutmeg a mermaid, has not been handed a squad number by the Blues.

This shows that he is not part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans, which could open the door to an exit before the end of the window.

Gilmour’s ability on the ball has been hailed in the past, with ex-Gers man Graeme Souness saying: “He doesn’t give the ball away. He’s got that fantastic habit for a midfield player of passing the ball to the same colour shirt. He keeps the ball in tight spaces and kept Scotland ticking over.

“He’s a fabulous little football player and when you factor in that last season he only made five starts in the Premier League for Chelsea, he’s not played a lot of football and he came into what was a hothouse of a game – high tempo, loads of pressing – and he managed to stay there.”

The defensive side of the game, however, is where selling Kamara to bring Gilmour in could make a lot of sense for the club.

Rangers’ pressing played a huge role in their 3-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise as they made a defensive action every 2.2 opposition passes in the opening 15 minutes, which is a record under van Bronckhorst.

This shows that the Dutchman wants his team to press high early on in matches to disrupt the other team and this is a style that suits Gilmour more than Kamara.

The former has averaged a whopping 24.56 pressures per 90 over the last 365 days, whilst the latter has averaged 13.10 per 90 in the same time. This suggests that the Scottish gem would be a major upgrade in terms of what he would offer out of possession, in line with how the manager wants his team to work off the ball, as he presses far more frequently.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst must push for the Gers to rescue Gilmour from Chelsea, which would then allow them to sell Kamara to Nice.