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Wolves winger Adama Traore is likely to seal an exit from Molineux in the January transfer window, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Traore set to join Spurs

The 25-year-old’s Wanderers career looks set to have reached its conclusion, with various reports in recent days claiming that a move to Spurs is on the cards.

Antonio Conte sees Traore as a strong option to bring in and add quality to his squad, while Bruno Lage seems relatively content to allow the winger to leave.

The January window is not too far away from closing, though, so both clubs will need to act fast.

The Latest: Spiers expects move to happen

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Spiers was in little doubt that a move would still happen, delivering a telling six-word verdict.

When asked by a Wolves fan for an update on Traore’s future, the journalist replied: “Still talking, still likely to go.”

The Verdict: Get it sorted

In the interest of Wolves, Spurs and Traore himself, it is important that the deal is sorted as soon as possible now, with deadline day approaching next Monday.

Wanderers will need a little time to potentially sign a replacement for the Spaniard, or else Lage could risk having a lack of attacking options between now and the end of the season.

Granted, Pedro Neto will be back soon after a long-term injury absence but he can’t be expected to hit the ground running immediately after being sidelined for so long, so the Old Gold may need to strengthen their wide attacking ranks in the next six days while they still can.

In other news, Wolves have suffered a potential blow in their quest to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton can finally axe Salomon Rondon by signing Southampton striker Armando Broja.

What’s the story?

According to TEAMtalk, the Toffees have joined the race to sign the young Premier League sensation, with the likes of Leeds and Wolves also being equally impressed with the centre-forward.

Forget Salomon Rondon

While Rafael Benitez may no longer be at the club any more, a number of his summer signings still are, and perhaps none have been as disappointing as Salomon Rondon.

The Venezuela international has struggled for goals and assists since arriving at Goodison Park, with his only strike coming against Crystal Palace back in December – that’s a record of just one goal and no assists in 15 games in all competitions this season.

It’s no surprise then that he has come in for some criticism, with former Everton man Michael Ball slamming him for not offering something more as the central striker.

He said: “I’ve given Salomon Rondon the benefit of the doubt because he’s been playing catch-up fitness wise and has been playing in a lesser league but he’s got to do something.

“You’ve got to make your mark in the game. We’ve had lots of different types of strikers at Everton, some would run the channels and make it difficult while others like Duncan Ferguson and Paul Rideout wouldn’t, but they would dominate the centre-half and bring others into play so you can keep possession.

“Rondon is not giving us that outlet at all. I didn’t see our striker create one chance. He didn’t do anything.”

In Broja, Everton could find a number nine who would allow them to axe Rondon from the team.

Speaking after the Saints beat Brentford 4-1 earlier this season, the Albanian’s manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “He’s a great threat. He didn’t have many poor games this season so today he showed again how dangerous he can be for the opponent and he’s very helpful for our game.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards, who said: “He’s fearless, he’s strong, he runs in behind, he can hold it up – just at the age of 20 as well. I’ve been really impressed with him.”

Broja has bagged seven goals in 21 games this season as he gets his first proper taste of Premier League football, and he looks to be taking to it like a duck to water.

Valued at £34m by CIES, the 20-year-old would certainly be a pricey acquisition, but one who could prove to be well worth the money for both the here-and-now and in the long run.

Meanwhile, Moshiri could make a surprise signing by landing this man…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Hoffenheim midfielder Florian Grillitsch…

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Magpies are in contention to land the beast on a free transfer at the end of the season

He Tweeted: “News Grillitsch: He joined the agency Stellar a few weeks ago. He wants to leave Hoffenheim in summer as a free agent. #ACMilan and #NUFC are candidates. But especially #Mourinho keeps an eye on him. #ASRoma inquired about him.”

Masterclass

PIF could seal a masterclass by completing this deal under the radar on deadline day by pinning him down to a pre-contract agreement.

The Magpies are poised to land Matt Targett and Dan Burn before the clock strikes midnight and securing a move for Grillitsch along with them could be one the fans are delighted with.

Whilst it will not have any bearing on the second half of the current Premier League season, it will mean that the club have a sensational signing in the bag heading into the summer window. The Austrian could be a sublime addition to the team and being able to sign him for nothing could be a phenomenal piece of business by the club.

In the Bundesliga this season, he has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.28. He has made a whopping 4.0 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst winning 64% of his individual duels for Hoffenheim. This shows that he is able to deliver consistently brilliant displays in the holding midfield role at the top level.

The £14.4m-rated beast averaged a score of 7.09 in the previous campaign, making 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 50% of his duels. This suggests that he is improving and on an upwards trend, which means that the Magpies could be getting a player who is going to develop over time and potentially increase his value on the pitch.

Therefore, bringing him to the club for £0 would be a masterclass from PIF, particularly if they are able to seal the deal on deadline day by pinning him to a pre-contract agreement.

AND in other news, “It’s understood”: Chris Waugh drops NUFC update as PIF now head for huge D-Day error…

Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a central defensive addition in the summer as they look to bolster Antonio Conte’s backline…

What’s the word?

Among their key targets is his former Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, according to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, who claims he is one of three options on the club’s radar ahead of next season.

RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol and coveted Lille star Sven Botman are the two other names mentioned.

The latter was recently Newcastle United’s no.1 target throughout the January window but the Saudi-backed outfit couldn’t convince the Ligue 1 side into a sale, whilst Bastoni played an integral role for Conte on their way to the Serie A title in 2020/21.

Imagine him and Cristian Romero

The 52-year-old head coach has brought his 3-4-3 formation to north London after he replaced Nuno Santo in November and has used a variety of options, though his first-choice back-three appears to be Eric Dier, full-back Ben Davies and Atalanta loanee Cristian Romero.

He returned to the side for the first time in several months this weekend, earning a start in their FA Cup victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.

It has become evident that the likes of Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga just aren’t fancied, thus there’s become a need for extra quality in the defensive department.

Conte’s familiarity with Bastoni would make him a perfect candidate to seamlessly slot straight in and the prospect of pairing the 22-year-old gem alongside Romero, 23,  for years to come is certainly mouthwatering.

The 6 foot 3 defender played 33 times in their title-winning campaign, where he averaged 1.2 interceptions and 1.1 tackles per game. He has since progressed under the new coaching team, managing an average of 1.5 tackles from 21 appearances this term, via WhoScored.

Such form and performances has led to some high praise indeed.

Top Bins Talk, who analyse the brightest talents across the footballing world, once described him as a “Rolls-Royce” of a defender with world-class potential, whilst talent scout Jacek Kulig claims he is a “complete, dominant and elegant” centre-back.

Bastoni has also earned comparisons to an Italian legend; one of his Euro 2020-winning teammates.

“He controls the opponent, space and with a refinement that has rarely been seen, reminds me of a young [Leonardo] Bonucci,” said Italian journalist Mario Sconcerti.

Valued at £54m by Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old Italian international wouldn’t come cheap but he would certainly be an addition that elevates Conte’s squad onto the next level and on the above evidence, he’d be a remarkable signing indeed.

AND in other news, Forget Harry Kane: £31.5m-rated Spurs “animal” with 97% pass accuracy stole the show vs Brighton…

Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka is undergoing treatment for angina on international duty. 

The lowdown

Dubravka, who was Slovakia’s goalkeeper at last summer’s European Championship, missed his nation’s 2-0 defeat against Norway in Oslo on Friday. Largely due to a lack of availability, he has only played one game for Stefan Tarkovic’s side since that tournament.

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The 33-year-old missed the start of the 2021/22 campaign with a foot injury but returned to the Newcastle side in late November and has held down his place ever since.

Ahead of their trip to Tottenham on Sunday, the Magpies are already without the likes of Callum Wilson and Kieran Trippier.

The latest

Slovakia head coach Tarkovic told futbalsfz.sk (via Caught Offside) that Dubravka had had to withdraw from the squad due to angina, a potentially serious heart conditions which restricts the flow of blood to the heart muscles.

The 49-year-old stated: “Martin Dubravka suspects angina. Our doctors started antibiotic treatment for him. He is in isolation and will definitely not be part of the team in Norway and Finland.”

The verdict

The £38,000-per-week goalkeeper could be a big miss for Newcastle if he faces a spell on the sidelines.

Without him, data from FBRef suggests that the Magpies would be around four goals worse off this season. That’s the fourth-best shot-stopping record in the Premier League, behind only Alisson, Jose Sa and David de Gea.

By contrast, deputy option Karl Darlow conceded 3.4 goals more than he ‘should’ have over the course of just eight matches earlier in the season. For context, the three ‘keepers below Darlow – Ben Foster, Emiliano Martinez and Illan Meslier, have played 18, 28 and 30 games respectively.

It therefore seems that the 31-year-old is a far less reliable option than Dubravka, and he might cost Newcastle points if he needs to be called upon in the Slovakian’s potential absence in upcoming fixtures.

In other news, Newcastle have agreed this deal for a rising starlet 

Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has been passed fit for his side’s Champions League clash with Benfica on Tuesday night, journalist Ian Doyle has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Liverpool face latest test

The Reds continue their quadruple charge with a trip to Portugal as they take on the Lisbon outfit in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

In truth, Jurgen Klopp’s men were handed a relatively kind draw in the grand scheme of things, with the Portuguese side surprise winners over Ajax in the last round.

Jones was a doubt for the game after he limped out of Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to Watford, but a positive update has now emerged.

The Latest: Jones passed fit

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Doyle confirmed via Klopp that the 21-year-old was in contention to start, having overcome his weekend problem.

The journalist tweeted: “Klopp on injuries: Full squad available for the game, absolutely. Curtis had a little swelling, disappeared overnight. Trent now, 4-5 days is ready as well.”

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The Verdict: Place on the bench

Prior to going off last weekend, Jones had disappointed against Watford, firing a couple of efforts wide of the target and struggling to get into the game, also losing possession 12 times.

For that reason, it would be a surprise if he starts tonight in what is another crucial match in Liverpool’s potentially legendary season, especially given his recent injury concern and his rarity of starts throughout the season in general.

Fabinho coming back into the number six role makes complete sense, while Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita could be the number eights, allowing Thiago to be managed carefully ahead of Sunday’s huge Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

In other news, a fresh update has emerged regarding Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool future. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are close to sealing a permanent move for impressive loanee Dejan Kulusevski…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who delivered an exciting claim to Twitter this weekend.

Spurs signed the Sweden international on an initial 18-month loan deal, costing a fee of £8.3m, on deadline day in January and they hold an option to buy for around £29.3m, per the BBC.

But sources have told the Italian journalist that it’s a “matter of time” before that happens. He tweeted:

“Dejan Kulusevski’s impact has been something incredible. Tottenham sources considers his permanent signing ‘matter of time’, €35m fee is not gonna be an issue.”

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Great news

The 21-year-old winger has enjoyed an electric start to life in north London since his move from Turin.

Indeed, he has already scored three goals and laid on six assists across 13 appearances, which includes three direct contributions in his last two outings as Spurs have put a top-four finish firmly in their control.

Alongside Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, the 6 foot 1 dynamo has formed a formidable and lethal frontline unit for manager Antonio Conte, so it’s no wonder he continues to get the nod over Ajax hero Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn, who has been in good form for the Netherlands recently.

He’s struck an instant chord with the fanbase, too.

“Gimme, gimme, gimme a ginger from Sweden, Number 21, His name is Kulusevski,” is something you’ll now hear ringing around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, so you’d imagine that many supporters will be delighted by this update from Romano.

Only Son (7.46) and Kane (7.41) have averaged a better seasonal rating than the Swede (7.29), as per WhoScored, whilst he ranks second for key passes (1.8 per game) and third for shots (1.8 per game).

Such form has seen football.london reporter Alasdair Gold describe it as “just ridiculous”, whilst former goalkeeper Paul Robinson claimed he looks a “real player” and one that fits Conte’s system “perfectly” to Football Insider.

Therefore, anyone associated to the club will be delighted to learn that a deal to keep him permanently is on the verge of being completed.

AND in other news, Forget Son: Spurs’ “ridiculous” £90m-rated machine who won 14 duels ran show at Villa…

Tanguy Ndombele is unlikely to feature again for Tottenham Hotspur and could even be shipped out on another loan, says Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Conte fuming

Spurs boss Antonio Conte was keen on a major revamp to his squad in January. Whilst this saw the deadline day incomings of Juventus pair Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, more players headed for the Lilywhites’ exit door.

This included Lo Celso, who joined Villarreal on a season-long loan. Since returning to Spain, the 26-year-old has gone on to make some impressive displays in both the Champions League and La Liga, having totalled 12 appearances.

Ndombele was another Lilywhites player who was shipped out in January; the Frenchman returned to his former club Lyon, also on a loan deal. Conte was left fuming with the 25 year-old and even made him train away from the group during their short time together, so a winter exit appeared to be the only option for Tottenham’s record signing.

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The Latest: Gold’s verdict…

In a QnA session for football.london, Gold was questioned over whether the pair have futures with the north London club:

“I think it would be tough now for both players to feature under Conte. Lo Celso should have suitors this summer as he has impressed in the Champions League against some big sides, but Ndombele could be harder to get the kind of money for that Spurs will want in return for their club record signing. Another loan might be the only way forward as he just doesn’t seem to be a Conte player.”

The Verdict: Unlikely to return

Whilst Lo Celso could perhaps come back to N17 having had a fresh run-of-form with the La Liga side, Ndombele, called ‘underrated’ by Martin Keown, has struggled to impress since making his return in the French league, starting only six games and ranking as their tenth-best player.

As a result, it is far more likely that Conte decides to keep Lo Celso, rather than Ndombele, to add depth to the midfield. However, if a large offer is made for the Argentina international, the Italian manager would seemingly be unlikely to step in his way.

On the other hand, Spurs will struggle to recoup the £55m they paid for their record signing. Therefore, moving him on in the summer without suffering a huge financial loss, will prove to be far more difficult than selling his midfield counterpart.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Paratici suffers blow in Josko Gvardiol pursuit

According to a report from FCInterNews, Liverpool are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos. 

The lowdown: Liverpool snub

Previously, Jurgen Klopp attempted to bring the attack-minded Spaniard to Anfield but Ceballos rejected the move in favour of a link-up with now Villarreal boss and compatriot Unai Emery.

The 25-year-old spent the 2019/2020 and 2020/21 campaigns on loan at Arsenal, making 77 appearances for the north London club.

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Ceballos has since returned to Spain but has found life difficult under Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu.

Out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt), this upcoming summer transfer market could be a pivotal one, as the La Liga giants are running out of time to cash in for a fee.

The latest: Reds are interested

As per the report from FCInterNews, Liverpool are once again keen on the Spanish international, but it’s Inter Milan who are leading the way.

Valencia and Sevilla are also mentioned as suitors whilst the Reds are said to be ‘monitoring the situation’ of the man described as ‘very clever’ by Arsenal legend Robin van Persie following a dramatic late winner against Sheffield United in an FA Cup quarter-final.

It’s claimed that the interest from all parties is at an early stage and no potential fee has been mentioned for the 11-cap Spain ace.

The verdict: Shrewd move

Predominantly a central midfielder, Ceballos offers supreme versatility with the ability to play in a variety of defensive and attacking positions and would therefore be a welcome addition to Klopp’s squad.

Already boasting an impressive trophy cabinet containing a UEFA Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and a European Under-21 Championship, the former Real Betis man has the required elite level experience to fit seamlessly into the Anfield ranks.

Underpinning a decline since returning to Spain, having once been valued at £40.5million, the now £13.5million valued star has made just 12 outings across all competitions this season and a summer departure seems inevitable.

If that does indeed come to fruition, Liverpool and new sporting director Julian Ward should be attentive to the possibility of landing a bargain deal.

Sunderland extended their unbeaten run in League One to 10 matches as they held Plymouth to a 0-0 draw away from home on Monday.

They had the chance to move above Steven Schumacher’s side with a win but failed to make the breakthrough in an attritional match as they played for the second time in four days.

Neither side came particularly close to scoring as both goalkeepers enjoyed relatively simple afternoons with both attacks failing to catch fire.

The result leaves Sunderland sixth in the table as it stands and six points off the automatic promotion places, with it now being almost mathematically impossible for them to finish in the top two.

Nathan Broadhead was the brightest spark in the final third for Alex Neil’s side. The Welshman, as per SofaScore, completed four of his six dribbles, won seven individual duels and managed one shot on target as he showed flashes of quality throughout the game.

However, his striking partner flopped badly against Plymouth. Ross Stewart continued his struggles in front of goal as he was unable to showcase his true ability in the match.

The £2.7k-per-week gem has now gone nine games without a goal from open play in League One and eight games without a goal by any means.

In possession, he failed to make the most of the opportunities that came his way. Elliot Embleton clipped a sublime ball over the top to him in the first-half and his poor control meant that the goalkeeper was able to take it off his feet before he could shoot.

As per SofaScore, he only had 27 touches of the ball – fewer than shot-stopper Anthony Patterson (36) – and he only completed 55% of his attempted passes. He was also unable to complete any dribbles and did not manage a single shot on target.

Off the ball, he was a lightweight for Sunderland. As per SofaScore, he lost seven of his eight duels (87.5%) and committed five fouls. This shows that he was outmuscled and outpaced out of possession as Plymouth’s defenders got the better of him in the majority of their battles, which meant that he did not provide a focal point at the top end of the pitch.

It was a disappointing display for the Scot and his form is beginning to falter at the worst possible time with games running out and the Black Cats chasing a play-off spot. Hopefully, he can get back to his best sooner rather than later…

AND in other news, Neil must avoid disaster on £1.4k-p/w “young Paul Gascoigne”, he’s SAFC’s biggest hope…