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Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that Liverpool have not placed a bid for midfielder Moises Caicedo despite recent reports to the contrary.What’s the word?With the January transfer window now open, a number of Premier League teams are expected to use the next month to strengthen their squads for the remained of the season.In fact, the Reds have already dipped into the market to sign Dutch winger Cody Gakpo from PSV. And, according to Ecuadorian outlet Teradeportes (via football.london), Liverpool have also had a £62m bid for Brighton midfielder Caicedo rejected too.However, it seems as though that report might not be entirely accurate, depending on who you believe. Indeed, while talking on the Born And Red podcast, Jacobs said that no bid has been tabled as of yet.He said: “My understanding very early and from the word go has always been that Liverpool have not bid for Caicedo and I am confident in that position still having made a series of enquiries.”And the reason why they haven’t made a bid is because Brighton are under no obligation to sell, especially not mid-season.”New midfielder incoming?It certainly wouldn’t be a shock if the Reds were hoping to sign a new midfielder in the near future. After all, Jude Bellingham has long been touted as a possible target. On top of that, they have been said to ‘appreciate’ Argentina and Benfica star Enzo Fernandez.And so, it remains plausible that they would be keeping tabs on Caicedo but it sounds as if they aren’t quite prepared to make a concrete offer for the player just yet.The Brighton ace caught the eye at the World Cup with Qatar this winter and even earned the praise from Spain and Barcelona midfielder Pedri.Indeed, the Spaniard said: “The one I’ve seen who has most surprised me was the one from Ecuador, Moises Caicedo.“He’s very good, he’s top, I like him a lot.”

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Chelsea are on the verge of completing their third winter signing as Todd Boehly looks to make the requisite moves to return to prominence, despite the opening of the transfer market still over a week away. 

What’s the word?

Having reportedly all-but signed Christopher Nkunku in a lucrative £63m deal from RB Leipzig last week, and clinching a deal for David Datro Fofana from Molde, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has now tweeted that the Blues have won the race for touted starlet Andrey Santos, relaying the exclusive news from Brazilian reporter Lucas Pedrosa. 

He said: “Chelsea are now closing in on Andrey Santos deal. Brazilian midfielder born in 2004 is expected to join the club from Vasco da Gama — here we go soon!

“Personal terms are almost agreed, deal at final stages.”

Last month, French outlet Le10 Sport wrote that Chelsea boss Graham Potter was homing in on a €15m (£13m) deal for the 18-year-old, and now the club look set to secure their man, despite interest from the likes of FC Barcelona and Newcastle United to the signing. 

Ramires 2.0

The signing of Santos signifies a crystal-clear plan at Stamford Bridge, with an evident onus on targeting the globe’s most prodigious young stars and luring them to west London, opening the dam for a continual torrent of talent at Boehly’s disposal. 

Playing a crucial role in Vasco de Gama’s promotion-winning 2022 campaign in the Brazilian Serie B, Santos scored eight goals from 33 league appearances, playing a crucial part despite his inexperience.

And Sofascore recorded his performances at an impressive 7.13 in the division, where he averaged 1.4 shots per game and created four big chances, completing 78% of his passes from his all-encompassing midfield role.

From a defensive standpoint, Santos chipped in with 2.9 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per outing, winning 60% of his total duels and demonstrating an aptitude for rebuffing and quelling opposing forward surges. 

His dynamism from the heart of the team bears semblance to former Blues maestro Ramires, with Santos’ compatriot playing an important role for the club across his six-year spell in the Premier League.

Making 251 appearances for Chelsea, the 35-year-old Brazilian scored 34 goals and 25 assists and often proved to be a shining light for his side, a ubiquitous and effective presence. 

Winning the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup with the Blues, Ramires revelled in an illustrious career at Stamford Bridge, flourishing with his robust, tenacious approach.

And now Santos, who has earned the nickname “the Brazilian Busquets” offers all the attributes to flourish as a successful pivot in the Premier League, and now the pieces have indeed fallen into place for just that.

Brazilian icon Juninho once claimed that the teenage sensation is a “monster”, continuing to say: “Technically, he’s way above the others. He’s not going to be better than me, he’s going to be much better than me. He is a much more complete player. At 18, I didn’t play half as much as he does, I’m not ashamed to say that.”

With such high praise bolstered by a move to Chelsea, a promising future indeed lies ahead for his precocious youth, and he could soon prosper in blue colours.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the teams interested in a move for Croatia titan Josko Gvardiol…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, who claim that Lilywhites star Ivan Perisic is trying to convince his young compatriot that Spurs is the place to be, with manager Antonio Conte keen to secure his signature in 2023.

It’s thought that the north Londoners are after a new centre-back and that Gvardiol would be a big coup for the summer transfer window, though the 20-year-old gem is being courted by the majority of Europe’s top clubs.

The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke suggested in the summer that RB Leipzig’s asking price was in the region of £70m, so he won’t come cheap and will likely eclipse the club’s record signing of Richarlison (£60m).

A big Ben Davies upgrade

But that’s what sporting director Fabio Paratici must do as he could land Spurs a real piece of the future as at just 20, Gvardiol has all the attributes to forge a long and successful career in the game.

In his home country, he has earned comparisons to some of the great centre-backs to still be playing. “Since he was a child, he’s been built like a tank. He can go forward, he can jump, he can tackle – he can do everything you want,” once claimed Germania Sport assistant editor Izak Ante Sucic.

“In Croatia, we like to compare him to Virgil van Dijk, because he’s built that way. He’s one of his role models in football and he’s also mentioned Thiago Silva and Sergio Ramos.”

His domestic form for Leipzig over the last year – when comared to his positional peers across Europe’s elite divisions – certainly suggests that he could be the next to follow in their footsteps – per FBref, the Croatian colossus ranks within the top 1% for passes and dribbles completed, as well as the top 5% for progressive passes.

An evidently sound centre-back in the modern game, the left-footed Gvardiol could be a better and more long-term option than Conte’s current option in Ben Davies as the 20-year-old averages more tackles won, interceptions and blocks made per 90 – on top of leading the way in three key passing metrics (FBref).

The 6 foot 1 brute has continued his meteoric rise at the World Cup, excelling for the Vatreni. Across just two games, he has not missed a single minute and has mustered up 166 passes, five interceptions and hasn’t been dribbled past once and also according to Fabrizio Romano, he’s now set for a “big move in 2023.”

His mega performances in Qatar have even led talent scout Jacek Kulig to dub him “the Haaland of defenders”.

On the above evidence, Paratici and his staff could secure Spurs an extraordinary signing in the form of Gvardiol, who would hand Conte a massive upgrade at left centre-back and one perfect for his counter-attacking, out-from-the-back system.

£70m or more, Gvardiol is worth every penny.

AND in other news, “My understanding…” – Journalist claims Spurs “talked about” signing 51-cap “cannon” in summer…

West Bromwich Albion have seen themselves linked with few new players for the January transfer window, likely due to their financial issues that saw Steve Bruce hampered in the summer.

The ex-Baggies boss was afforded just £1.1m to spend, yet with a combination of shrewd business and free transfers managed to bring in eight new faces, however their form was so poor that he did not get to see out the season.

His replacement will now have to battle with the same issues, however having taken them on a three-game winning streak before the World Cup break, it seems that Carlos Corberan is having a better go at it than his predecessor.

Both seem to have suffered from a lack of goals however, which could soon be rectified by the return of Daryl Dike.

The 22-year-old marksman did not make it in time for a trip to Qatar with his nation, but had impressed previously with Barnsley and Orlando City.

At the former, he bagged nine times in just 22 appearances, whilst for the American outfit he had scored 19 times in 41 showings.

He had marked himself out as a consistent presence in front of the goal, making his injuries following last January’s transfer even more frustrating.

This season, his absence has likely led to one of the few rumours that have actually persisted, in Aston Villa youngster Cameron Archer.

The 20-year-old was linked all throughout the summer, but news has emerged over the week that suggests Sunderland could now be set to land him in January.

It would be a shame not to lure this young star to the Hawthorns, where he would surely strike up a fearsome partnership with the lethal American.

Having seen his chances limited this season, last campaign he proved his ability at all levels despite his youth.

After notching nine goals in eight appearances for the under-23s, he would also score four times in just two EFL Cup games for the senior squad before Preston North End would secure his services on loan.

His seven goals in 20 games would impress Ryan Lowe so much that he would lavish him with praise in the media: “Cameron has got an abundance of talent.

“His quality levels are fantastic, he’s bullish, strong, he can roll, he has got that little burst of pace too.”

To combine this with the goalscoring exploits of Dike, it could finally solve a long-standing problem for the Midlands outfit to build upon the already solid foundations Corberan has brought.

A frustrating injury development has emerged ahead of Celtic’s clash with Spanish giants Real Madrid in the Champions League tonight…

What’s the talk?

Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Cameron Carter-Vickers will be absent for their clash with the La Liga side away from home this evening.

Scottish Daily Mail reporter Stephen McGowan has relayed the manager’s update on the central defender. He Tweeted:

“Celtic flew to Madrid without injured defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, reports Ange Postecoglou.”

The nature and severity of the injury remain unknown at this moment in time but, for now, he joins Callum McGregor on the sidelines for this match.

Big blow for Postecoglou

Celtic are heading into the game without any chance of retaining a place in Europe as they are four points adrift of third place in their group, which means they cannot progress through to the knockout stages of the Europa League or the Champions League.

However, it would be nice for the club to end the group with a win, rather than being winless across their six matches in the competition, and that is why this injury setback is a big blow.

Carter-Vickers has started four of Celtic’s Champions League matches and shown glimpses of the form he displays week-in-week-out in the Premiership – completing 95% of his attempted passes and winning 63% of his individual duels.

The £20k-per-week earner has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.09 in the Scottish top-flight this term and won 66% of his battles, which shows that he is consistently putting in superb performances and dominating opposition attackers.

His 14 starts across the league and European competition also show that the “immense” defender – in the words of Chris Sutton – is a first-choice selection for Postecoglou at the back and the manager will surely be frustrated to lose such a key member of his team.

Club captain McGregor is a longer-term injury issue, as he is not projected to be back until January, and Carter-Vickers has been captaining the side during his absence.

This means that Celtic have lost a strong and consistent figure as well as their captain in recent weeks because of this latest setback. With that in mind, it’s certainly worrying for Postecoglou as, without the defender in their ranks, their chances of securing any sort of a result have grown even slimmer.

It could also be a huge setback for the Hoops if it turns out to be a long-term problem that causes him to miss multiple games, as the club would then have to cope without a crucial head domestically.

A worrying update has emerged on Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton ahead of the club’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday…

What’s the latest?

Magpies manager Eddie Howe has revealed that the Brazilian gem is a doubt for the match against Antonio Conte’s side after suffering an injury in the 1-0 win over Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the coach said:

“He had a knock to the side of his knee. We thought he could run it off but when he said he had to come off at half-time we knew there was potentially an issue there.

“We’re hopeful it’s not serious but at this moment it’s still slightly unclear.”

Gutting for Howe

The Toon head coach should be gutted by this update as it suggests that the former Hoffenheim man could be unavailable for selection on Sunday.

Allan Saint-Maximin has been ruled out of contention to feature in the match but this injury to Joelinton is more concerning as he has been a machine in the middle of the park this season, whereas the Frenchman has not started a league match since August.

The central midfielder, who initially joined the club as a striker in 2019, has been in fine form this season for the Toon. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.04 in 10 Premier League outings, after averaging a score of 6.79 in the top-fight last term.

Magpies teammate Kieran Trippier recently described him as an “absolute machine” and stated that he is the standout player in training for the Magpies, which provides an insight into how highly he is rated by his peers.

He has made 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game in the middle of the park, winning 6.6 individual duels per match. The gem has also created 1.1 chances and completed 1.7 dribbles per outing, which shows that he has the quality, and engine, to make a big impact at both ends of the pitch.

Joelinton can break up opposition attacks and provide a shield for the defence whilst then having the ability and drive to push forward with the ball to kickstart counters. This gives Sven Botman and Fabian Schar less to do at the back and allows the likes of Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron to enjoy more of the ball going forward.

Therefore, Howe will be gutted by this injury doubt and should now be hoping that the enforcer is able to recover in time for Tottenham. If he is not able to do so then the manager will be hoping that it is not a long-term issue for the club to deal with…

Manchester United have asked for information regarding Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez after his performance against Barcelona in the week.

The Lowdown: Goal and an assist

Martinez, who ex-Red Devils striker Romelu Lukaku has called a ‘beast’ previously, starred in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The 25-year-old helped Inter to draw 3-3 against Barcelona, scoring a fine goal and providing an assist. The Argentina international took his senior goal tally to 126 for club and country, and it looks as if his performance caught the eye of Old Trafford officials.

The Latest: Martinez transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an update from Gazzetta dello Sport regarding Martinez on Saturday. They claimed that United and PSG are at the front of the queue for the Argentine, with the Red Devils asking for ‘first-hand information’ on the forward.

The report adds that the Premier League giants have an ‘open channel’ to the player, with information possibly useful as Erik ten Hag continues to overhaul his forward line.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

The Red Devils may well be on the hunt for a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club as rumoured.

Therefore, Martinez – who has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country – could be a shrewd target.

He is primarily a centre-forward who can play in a deeper role if needed and appears to be approaching the prime years of his career at the age of 25.

United may well be keeping tabs on the player at the World Cup after their recent approach, so this could be one to watch heading into 2023.

A claim has emerged on Newcastle United and their chances of landing Moussa Diaby in the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the Magpies could have an edge on their potential opposition to the signing of the French winger in the winter market, due to the work they put in over the summer for the Bayer Leverkusen gem.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “There will undoubtedly be competition for Diaby, he is brilliant.

“Newcastle have put in the hard yards already though so they will hope that if they want to pick up again on that transfer, they would be ahead of anyone else.”

Imagine him & Alexander Isak

If Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth can take advantage of their headstart over the competition to land Diaby in January then he could form an exciting pairing with Isak at the top end of the pitch for the Magpies.

The Swedish striker, who joined the Toon from Real Sociedad last month, has enjoyed a solid start to life in the Premier League with two goals in three appearances thus far.

He arrived off the back of scoring 23 goals in La Liga between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns, which shows that he has the quality to score on a semi-regular basis at the top level.

Newcastle could get the best out of him by surrounding him with players who are capable of providing him with quality service week-in-week-out, in order to give him enough chances in front of goal to win crucial points for the club.

Diaby, who was reportedly valued at £55m by his club in the summer, could be that man as he has been in terrific form for Leverkusen since the start of last season.

Chronicle editor Aaron Stokes hailed the winger amid speculation that he could have been on his way to St. James’ Park, Tweeting: “Electrifying pace, good with both feet + fearless on the ball. A remarkable deal if they persuade Bayer to sell + the player to join.”

The speed demon created a whopping 15 ‘big chances’ in 32 Bundesliga matches last season and racked up 12 assists, whilst he has registered one assist and five ‘big chances’ created in seven outings in the German top-flight this term.

Meanwhile, Allan Saint-Maximin created the most ‘big chances’ for Newcastle in the Premier League last season as he amassed seven in 35 appearances.

This suggests that Diaby would offer a far greater level of quality in terms of the creativity he can provide out on the wing than Howe’s current options in the final third.

Therefore, his arrival could be a big boost for Isak as it could result in him receiving better chances in front of goal in the second half of the campaign, which is why the duo could be an exciting pair for the manager to deploy in matches.

Manchester United could look to Antoine Griezmann to replace Cristiano Ronaldo if the 37-year-old leaves Old Trafford in January, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Ronaldo pushed to leave the club during the summer transfer window so that he could play Champions League football, but his wish was not granted. The Portuguese has not been Erik ten Hag’s favoured option in the centre-forward position so far this season, starting just one Premier League game.

Griezmann is technically on loan at Atletico Madrid from Barcelona, but Diego Simeone’s side are obliged him to sign him permanently if he plays 50% of the matches for which he is available.

The latest

O’Rourke says that United will move for another forward if Ronaldo departs midway through the season, believing that Griezmann’s track record will appeal to the Old Trafford hierarchy.

He told GiveMeSport: “We don’t know what’s going to happen with Ronaldo, is he going to stay or go in January? I think if something like that was to happen, then Ten Hag would like to bring another forward in.

“I’m sure Griezmann, with his CV and calibre, and potential availability, could be a live target in January.”

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The verdict

Griezmann is at the centre of a remarkable situation right now, with Barcelona apparently concerned that Atletico are deliberately holding him back to avoid their £33.8m purchase obligation (via The Daily Mail).

Dermot Corrigan of The Athletic says that the situation is ‘becoming a joke’, and you wonder if the player will eventually lose patience and push for an exit route.

After all, the 31-year-old is a World Cup, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup winner who once top scored at the European Championships (Transfermarkt), so he may justifiably feel that he deserves better than to get sporadic game-time at Atletico.

France manager Didier Deschamps says that Griezmann’s ability to ‘think outside the box’ makes him ‘remarkable to watch’ and believes he’s ‘one of the greatest players of all time’.

With a career haul of 273 goals for club and country, United could do a lot worse than bringing in the Frenchman as Ronaldo’s successor.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to hand Harry Kane a new contract…

What’s the word?

That’s been reiterated by manager Antonio Conte, as relayed by the Evening Standard, who recently told reporters:

“I have to be honest with you: I don’t know, I don’t know about this situation, I don’t know the details, honestly, honestly. You know we are talking about an important player for Tottenham.

“The desire of everybody into the club is [for Kane] to continue with Tottenham, to sign a new contract. But if you ask me about the details, about information, I cannot answer you.”

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Standard Sport claimed in May that the England international was open to talks over an extension to his current £200k-per-week deal, whilst transfer guru Fabrizio Romano also suggested that Spurs were keen to tie him down and that Kane was “really happy with Conte and Paratici’s project at Spurs.”

Kane contract would be the best yet

It seems unlikely that this would be complete before Thursday’s transfer deadline, not that it needs to or should be done so quickly, so the Lilywhites’ best business yet could well come after the window shuts.

Kane is a standout star and undoubtedly an essential cog to everything that Conte wants to do at the club – ie. finally bring them the silverware that both the supporters, the striker and many more are so desperate for.

The 29-year-old talisman has been Spurs’ leading goalscorer in each of the last eight campaigns and is nailed on to repeat that feat for a ninth time this season.

One of, if not the, best academy talent to come through the system at Hotspur Way, Kane has hit at least 17 goals in every Premier League campaign since 2014, including a career-best return of 30 in 35 starts back in 2017/18.

Meanwhile, also via WhoScored, the Englishman has already delivered four goals from their opening four games, so he’s currently set to eclipse that by quite some margin in what would be his best-ever top-flight campaign.

That would be little surprise considering he’s got a Premier League and FA Cup-winning coach in Conte.

No fewer than seven fresh faces have come through the door in N17 this summer, including the £60m arrival of Richarlison from Everton but nothing would be as season-defining and spectacular as Kane committing his future to his boyhood club, particularly after last summer’s saga with Manchester City and lingering interest from Bayern Munich.

The free-scoring titan, who has been lauded as a “monster” by teammate Heung-min Son and is worth in excess of £100m, is Spurs’ star man and he must remain at the club if they are to end their trophy hoodoo.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal Conte’s dream signing with late Spurs bid for “unreal” £33m talent…