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Chelsea have now placed Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong on their transfer shortlist, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Reece James’ injury issues

Graham Potter has been tasked with finding a replacement for Reece James in his first transfer window as Chelsea boss, with the right-back being ruled out for up to a month after he sustained an injury in his comeback match against AFC Bournemouth.

The 23-year-old missed out on representing England at the World Cup due to a knee injury which had kept him out of action since he played against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the beginning of October, and so the Blues are now targeting a right-back.

The Latest: Frimpong shortlisted

In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Jones claimed that Chelsea have identified a multitude of different transfer options, spanning several leagues, but Frimpong is the one that he has heard the most about:

“There are loads of options that I’m hearing about, literally from five different leagues across Europe that they have options in.

“The one I’ve probably heard the most about is Jeremie Frimpong. So, I think that’s probably one on the shortlist, but we’ll find out in a few days. We’ll get a better idea of who they’re zoning in on.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Neil Lennon hailed the 22-year-old as being ‘outstanding’ when he worked with him at Celtic, and he has since gone from strength to strength with Bayer Leverkusen, establishing himself as a key player for the German side.

This season, the Dutchman has weighed in with eight goal contributions in 21 appearances, a fantastic return for a full-back, even managing to score five Bundesliga goals, the second-highest amount totalled by any Leverkusen player.

The former Celtic man would not be a like-for-like replacement for James, who is more astute in his defensive duties, averaging 2.32 tackles per 90 over the past year compared to 1.68 from Frimpong, and that is a bonus for Potter, as he would have a new option who is better suited to games against different opponents.

Newcastle United’s hopes of ending their 54-year wait without silverware were dealt a hefty blow on Saturday evening, as Eddie Howe’s side crashed out of the FA Cup following defeat to League One outfit, Sheffield Wednesday.

Just a year on from having suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Cambridge United in the Third Round of the competition, the Magpies were again undone at the same stage by lower-league opposition yesterday, having suffered just their second defeat of the season in all competitions.

A deadly double from one-time Rangers man Josh Windass ultimately proved the difference for the Owls on the night, with a late strike from substitute Bruno Guimaraes ultimately proving a mere consolation for the Premier League high-flyers.

That surprise result may well have left Howe questioning his decision to rotate his charges for the clash, with a handful of the northeast side’s peripheral figures having failed to make their mark against Darren Moore’s men.

One such asset who endured a particularly grim outing was forgotten man, Jamal Lewis, with the Northern Ireland international having been hooked after 69 minutes on what was just his third appearance of the campaign thus far.

The once-promising left-back – who joined the club on a £15m deal back in the summer of 2020 – illustrated just why he has slipped down the pecking order in recent times, having looked particularly “rusty” prior to his withdrawal, according to journalist Craig Hope.

The 24-year-old was unable to make his mark in an attacking sense as he failed to provide a single cross nor provide any key passes from his left-sided berth, while also losing possession on 13 occasions from his 52 touches as a sign of his struggles.

Not only something of a liability going forward, the former Norwich City man also proved ineffective defensively after winning just 17% of his total duels, having made just a solitary tackle.

That limp showing saw the £38k-per-week dud record a match rating of just 5.6, as per Sofascore, with that figure by far the worst of any player for either side – further illustrating just how disappointing he was.

Having been a ‘bag of nerves’ – in the words of Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin – Lewis simply did little to warrant further game time in the second half of the campaign, with it unlikely that he will be involved in Tuesday’s pivotal, Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Leicester City.

With Dan Burn having nailed down the left-back berth in the Premier League – after starting 17 games in the top-flight this term – it is hard to see the former Carrow Road starlet forcing his way into contention, with yesterday’s meeting having been a rare chance to impress.

Amid reports that the Luton-born dud could be one of those moved on by the Tynesiders this month, it is not too hyperbolic to suggest that it could well have been Lewis’ last appearance for the club, with it hard to justify another run-out.

A player who is clearly not high on Howe’s priority list – having been left out of the Englishman’s Premier League squad for the second half of last season – it should well be time that the 5 foot 10 defender is finally moved on.

Aston Villa have now held talks with people close to the Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi over a potential return to the Premier League for the Frenchman.

What’s the latest?

Guendouzi has now been playing his football outside of England since 2020 having been loaned out to Hertha Berlin and Marseille before the Ligue 1 side made the deal permanent last summer.

However, it now appears a return to the Premier League could be on the cards for the 23-year-old with Unai Emery keen to bring the midfielder to Villa Park.

There have been reports suggesting the midfielder is still a big admirer of the Spanish manager who would be open to bringing in Guendouzi either this month or in the summer.

And speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the interest coming from Villa Park in the 23-year-old midfielder:

“It is true that Aston Villa want the player. They spoke to people close to the player. It is true, as we know, that Unai Emery is a big fan of Guendouzi so they have this great connection. This is why they had some contacts.

“As of now, Olympique Marseille have not received any official bid. So I was checking also a few minutes ago and Marseille are still waiting to see if Aston Villa will arrive with a big proposal. Villa are working on it.”

Reuniting with Emery

Emery and Guendouzi have previous. The former Arsenal men are familiar with one another following their time in north London where the midfielder played a significant role under Emery.

Across their time together at Arsenal, Guendouzi made 66 appearances under the Spaniard across all competitions before Emery was sacked in the late stages of 2019.

In comparison to Villa’s Boubacar Kamara, the Frenchman has provided Marseille with more goals and assists, passes per 90, shot-creating actions per 90, but does not stack up against his fellow countryman in terms of tackles per game (via Fbref).

But Guendouzi has played a big role at Marseille this season, the 23-year-old has made 23 appearances across all competitions already this season.

And on top of the goal and three assists he has provided in Ligue 1, Guendouzi also shone in their Champions League campaign which saw the Frenchman net two goals in the games against Sporting CP and Eintracht Frankfurt (via Transfermarkt).

So it will certainly be interesting to see whether Villa can prise Guendouzi away from Marseille given the player has been integral to Igor Tudor’s side thus far.

But there could naturally be the lure of playing in the Premier League following his time at Arsenal and who better to play under than the familiar face of his former manager?

West Ham have opened talks to sign a new target in Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque, according to journalist Venê Casagrande.

The Lowdown: Hammers make moves…

As manager David Moyes continues his battle for both Premier League survival and to save his job, there have been no shortage of transfer links as the January transfer deadline looms.

West Ham have just completed the signing of striker Danny Ings from Aston Villa after rapid movement in the last two days, giving Moyes a real boost in his search for more firepower.

The Hammers are also believed to chasing Lorient striker Terem Moffi, who has scored a brilliant 12 goals in 17 Ligue 1 starts this campaign.

The search for a central defender is also well and truly on with a few names already being offered to West Ham, according to insider ExWHUemployee.

The Latest: West Ham open Roque talks…

Now, as per reporter Casagrande, a Brazilian correspondent, West Ham are currently in ‘conversations’ with Athletico Paranaense over the signing of Roque.

The forward is currently playing at the South America Under-20 Championship in Colombia for his country but the east Londoners apparently want him on loan with an option to buy.

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Casagrande explained:

“West Ham are interested in Athletico’s Vitor Roque, who is currently playing in the South American Under-20 Championship in Colombia. The English team wants the attacker on loan and with a purchase obligation. Values come close to € 20 million between fixed and variable payments.”

The reporter also went on to state:

“Athletico would also keep a percentage of the future sale of striker Vitor Roque, as they did with Betis, from Spain, in the sale of left-back Abner. Conversations in progress.”

The Verdict: Steal…

Attempting to sign Roque under these conditions would be a real snip for West Ham going by the 17-year-old’s stunning reputation.

The attacker is seen as one of Brazil’s young jewels alongside the likes of Endrick, who has just signed for Real Madrid, and recent reports claim Roque has been attracting similar attention.

AS say Chelsea, PSG, Barcelona and Real have all been keeping tabs on the teenager, who is described as ‘brash’, ‘electric’ and ‘fighting’.

Clearly standing out as one of Brazil’s rising stars, he has also been likened to Endrick for his playing style, making this possible loan move a very attractive proposition.

Also called ‘very impressive’ by ESPN editor David Cartlidge, who has been blown away by his performances for the Brazil Under-20s in recent games, it’s clear why West Ham are attempting a move.

For all the talk of potential incomings at Newcastle United this month, it may also prove an opportune time for manager Eddie Howe to shift some of the ‘deadwood’ from his squad, with there undoubtedly a handful of fringe assets that could be on their way before the end of the window.

One of those that is seemingly surplus to requirements is diminutive winger, Ryan Fraser, with Football Insider naming the 28-year-old as one of four players that could be allowed to depart St James’ Park in the coming weeks.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has now corroborated that claim by revealing on Monday that the Scotland international “can leave” the club before the deadline, with the former Bournemouth man viewed as one of the more “sellable assets” that Howe is looking to move on.

The suggestion is that the 26-cap dud had been keen to move on over the summer only for the northeast side’s failure to land a new winger having put paid to an exit, albeit with Fraser having since gone on to start just three league games this season.

A loan or permanent exit is now seemingly on the cards, with the 5 foot 4 speedster having not featured since October, having also failed to provide a single goal involvement all season.

The struggling asset has been a rather underwhelming addition since signing from the Cherries on a free transfer back in 2020, with his injury-hit stint at St James’ Park seeing him score just three goals and provide only six assists in 59 games in total.

As such, it does appear that a departure this month would be the best scenario for all parties, with that exit set to be hastened if the Tynesiders are able to secure a notable replacement to bolster the attacking ranks.

According to 90min, one man who could well be a target for Newcastle is Brighton and Hove Albion star, Solly March, with both Howe and sporting director Dan Ashworth said to be “admirers” of the 28-year-old, as per journalist Graeme Bailey.

Although the report outlines that the Seagulls are looking to tie the winger down to a new deal, the Englishman is currently facing an uncertain future with only 18 months remaining on his existing contract.

The 5 foot 11 dynamo has warranted such interest as a result of his sparkling form under Roberto De Zerbi this season, having scored four goals and provided four assists in 18 league appearances thus far, including six goal involvements in his last four league games.

The Eastbourne native was particularly impressive in the recent, crushing victory over Liverpool at the Amex, scoring twice and registering one assist in that 3-0 triumph, while also providing four key passes to illustrate his creative brilliance.

That “exceptional” performance, in the words of journalist Ryan Taylor, has epitomised the remarkable hot streak that March is enjoying of late, with the £40k-per-week man also now comparing favourably to his European peers, as he ranks in the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 4% for progressive passes received and the top 15% for dribbles completed.

Those standout statistics would appear to indicate the devastating impact that the one-time Lewes man is having in the final third at present, with that coming in stark contrast to Fraser who ranks in the bottom 23%, the bottom 18% and the bottom 1% for those same three metrics, respectively.

That would indicate that Howe could secure a notable improvement if he is to ditch the Scotsman in favour of the Brighton hotshot in the near future.

Pundit and former striker Frank McAvennie believes Thomas Tuchel would be interested in the Tottenham Hotspur job if the role became available amid speculation linking him with Spurs and the uncertainty over Antonio Conte’s future.

The Lowdown: Tuchel at Spurs chatter

According to Sky in Italy, there is a ‘feeling’ that Antonio Conte could leave the club this summer when his deal expires.

Meanwhile, a recent report has claimed that former Chelsea boss Tuchel, who has been hailed as ‘unbelievable’, would be interested in taking over.

Following his appointment last season, Conte has been at the helm as Tottenham’s boss for 64 games, winning 35 times and losing on 19 occasions. And despite securing Champions League qualification last term, the Lilywhites are currently six points off the pace and have only won once in the league since the turn of the year.

The Latest: No sense in Tuchel appointment

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie said that while Tuchel may well be interested in succeeding Conte, the fact he is out of a job at present makes it no surprise he is being linked as rumours surround the Italian.

He stated: “I think Thomas Tuchel would be up for any job because he is unemployed at the moment.

“I thought he did well at Chelsea. He won trophies, he did well and spent money, then they sacked him. It does not make any sense to me.

“He is a good manager. I hate talking about people when they are still in a job and Conte is still there.

“It will be Conte’s decision, but I do not think he is safe. Conte calling them out might just be the trigger for that.”

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The Verdict: A potential Pochettino return

We believe that should Conte part ways with Spurs this summer, as a familiar face could well make a return in the form of Mauricio Pochettino.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has claimed recently that the Argentinian is on the list of potential candidates to be the next Tottenham manager.

Pochettino has made it no secret that he would be open to a return to Spurs in the future, and with him out of a job and Conte potentially out of the door this summer, the stars may have aligned perfectly.

There’s no doubt he was a success during his time there, achieving top-three finishes in three straight Premier League campaigns and taking them to a Champions League final in the 2018/19 season.

Given Spurs’ current position in the league, perhaps Daniel Levy will want to bring back Pochettino to ensure Spurs can get themselves firmly back in the running for top-four finishes on a consistent basis from next season onwards.

Alternatively, he could turn to a Champions League winner in Tuchel, so if the German is indeed interested, it does appear as though Spurs would be able to bring in a high-calibre replacement as and when Conte departs.

Tottenham Hotspur will allow Harvey White to depart on loan before the transfer deadline, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: White’s career so far

The 21-year-old has made just one appearance for Spurs in the Premier League this season, appearing off the bench for four minutes, and he is at the stage where he should be starting to push for a place in the first team.

The youngster previously played for Portsmouth on loan during the 2020/21 season, but that is his only prolonged taste of senior football, and Spurs are now eager for him to have another spell somewhere else where he would get regular game-time.

The Latest: White allowed to leave

According to Football Insider, Spurs have told the midfielder that he is free to complete a loan move before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, amid interest from Championship and League One clubs.

Blackpool had made an enquiry about the starlet but they are now believed to be out the race as they are prioritising a defensive signing, so it is unclear where he may end up.

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The Verdict: Right call

If the youngster is ever going to stake a claim for a starting berth at Spurs, Antonio Conte needs to ensure that White has experience in men’s football rather than just youth games, and the aim should be to find him a move as soon as possible.

Hailed as a ‘brilliant player in the making’ by journalist Ben Haines, the left-footed midfielder has been showing some promising signs in Premier League 2, with five goals and six assists in 18 outings at that level last season.

However, he is unlikely to get any game-time in the Tottenham first team at present, considering that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been fantastic this season in boasting the squad’s second-highest Sofascore performance rating, and a loan departure is the right move for White at this stage.

Journalist James Copley doesn’t believe Sunderland will be bringing in a free-agent striker anytime soon.

The Lowdown: Sunderland light at striker

Sunderland only managed to bring in youngster Joe Gelhardt on loan during the January transfer window to address their striker woes, having lost Ellis Simms to Everton and Ross Stewart going down with a season-ending injury.

That could well prove to be a costly decision, especially given the Black Cats are just two points outside the play-offs as things stand, so they have a great chance of securing back-to-back promotions.

Copley took to Twitter on deadline day to vent his disappointment over the club’s lack of ability or willingness to recruit another striker before the transfer window slammed shut and he certainly doesn’t expect them to move in the free agency market.

The Latest: Free agents not likely to arrive

Despite Sunderland’s lack of options at striker, Copley admitted on The Roar podcast that he isn’t thrilled by the options on the free-agent market, and therefore can’t see any of them joining the Black Cats.

He said: “After the deadline, you sort of look at the free-agent market and you start trawling lists of players: Mexicans, and 32-year-old Germans, and Russians and all that sort of stuff.

“From what we know about the club and how they operate, I can’t see that as a market they would explore.”

The Verdict: Mowbray been left very short

Tony Mowbray is very unlikely to be pleased with how the club have handled the striker situation as he’s lost his top scorer to a long-term injury and hasn’t been able to replace him.

While bringing in Gelhardt was something of a coup for Sunderland given his pedigree and talent – he has already registered nine goal involvements for Leeds United – the 20-year-old now has a heap of pressure to hit the ground running.

Even if Gelhardt does that this weekend against Millwall, he then has to keep that up until the end of the season, and considering he’s never started more than five games in a league campaign before, he could very easily burn out in a few months’ time.

Glasgow Rangers were not busy in the January transfer window as Ross Wilson and Michael Beale made minor adjustments to the squad instead of a complete overhaul.

Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin, from Norwich and Standard Liege respectively, both came in on permanent deals to bolster the head coach’s options in the middle of the park.

However, they were also linked with a move to add another talented young player to improve the team’s long-term prospects. During the January window, it was reported that the Light Blues were interested in a deal to bring Romanian attacking midfielder Alexi Pitu to Ibrox.

The report claimed that a number of Premier League and European clubs, alongside Rangers, were keen on landing the talented dynamo before the market closed.

However, Ligue 2 outfit Bordeaux ended up winning the race for his signature for a fee in the region of €1m (£900k), with the gem penning a four-and-a-half-year deal with the French side.

Beale and Wilson missed out on the opportunity to sign Ianis Hagi 2.0 for the Light Blues as they were unable to snap Pitu up ahead of the second-division team in France.

The now-Bordeaux dynamo played with Hagi at Farul Constanta when they were both in the very early stages of their respective careers and coincidentally they play in similar positions on the pitch.

Both players are versatile midfielders whose most-played positions are left-wing, right-wing, and in the number ten role, which shows that they can interchange across the three behind a central striker.

Prior to Pitu’s move away from Romania in January, FCSB owner Gigi Becali claimed that the gem has “exploded” this season and his statistics back that up.

The midfielder, who talent scout Jacek Kulig described as a “playmaker”, failed to score a single goal and provided five assists in 32 league appearances for Farul in the 2021/22 campaign.

This term, Pitu scored five goals and assisted five for his teammates in 20 SuperLiga matches for Farul, which shows that the 20-year-old has taken a lead forward in his development and is now capable of making big contributions at the top end of the pitch.

Hagi went through a similar growth during his early years at Ibrox as the Romania international went from scoring three times and providing two assists in all competitions in 2019/20 to plundering eight goals and 15 assists for the Light Blues in 2020/21.

Therefore, Rangers could have signed their next version of the 24-year-old talent by bringing Pitu in as, like his compatriot, the maestro is a versatile midfield player who has shown that he has the quality to deliver regular goal contributions.

Beale and Wilson may now be hoping that they do not look back on their decision, or failure, to not snap him up ahead of Bordeaux with regret if the youngster goes on to achieve great things in France.

Newcastle United defender Javier Manquillo has been ruled out for ‘three to four weeks’ with injury, according to journalist Jordan Cronin.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The Premier League right-back was missing from the matchday squad for the 2-1 Carabao Cup second-leg victory over Southampton in midweek, with no reason for his absence having been given prior to the highly-anticipated semi-final fixture.

Eddie Howe revealed post-match that the Spaniard would be facing a spell on the sidelines after sustaining an injury in training, and the 28-year-old’s problem has now been specified following a fresh update on his situation.

The Latest: Manquillo fitness update

Taking to Twitter, Cronin relayed an update from Howe’s Friday press conference revealing that Manquillo has been back in his homeland to receive treatment, whilst stating the timeframe he’s expected to be out for. He wrote:

“Javier Manquillo is currently in Spain getting injections in his knee.

“The full-back is set to be out for “three to four weeks.”

The boss further said:

“He’s just got a ball on the end of his foot, which has twisted his knee slightly. It’s a strange mechanism.

“He’s been away in Spain and had a couple of injections. I think he’s back here tomorrow and we hope from there we can build him up quite quickly.”

The Verdict: Boost for Howe?

News that Howe expects the 28-year-old to built back up ‘quite quickly’ come as a boost, if all goes to plan.

Manquillo has only made three appearances across all competitions this season having been in and out of the squad, but looking at his previous numbers, it will be a boost for Howe to have him back at his disposal.

The Chinchon native averaged 2.1 tackles and registered two assists and one goal in 15 top-flight starts during the 2021/22 campaign, highlighting his ability to impact the game at both ends of the pitch (WhoScored).

Manquillo has also been labelled a ‘terrific’ player by former Magpies manager Steve Bruce, and whether he’s starting every week or not, with the hectic fixture schedule, is a hugely useful option to have in the building at St. James’ Park.