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Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has confirmed Spurs are seeking an attacking reinforcement in the January transfer window after the latest injury blow to Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Kulusevski misses out

Antonio Conte is already without his main source of attacking depth after Richarlison picked up an injury in Qatar with Brazil, and his squad took another huge hit against Aston Villa as Kulusevski missed out despite being pictured arriving at the stadium.

The Sweden star will have a scan on a ‘slight muscle injury’ and the hope is he will only miss the clash with the Villans, but fans must be concerned about the lack of weapons at the manager’s disposal.

Gold, who was at the stadium to provide fans with all the latest on Sunday’s proceedings, has provided a positive update in that regard.

The Latest: Spurs “looking”

Writing on the football.london match-day blog (13:34) after the line-ups were announced, the reliable reporter confirmed the Lilywhites are “looking” for a new forward player.

“It’s a blow for Antonio Conte to lose such a key player again in Dejan Kulusevski and although Bryan Gil gets his long awaited chance to start a Premier League match, that bench shows the problems the Spurs boss faces.

“It is a bench without any natural attacking options with wing-back Ryan Sessegnon the only player known for playing further up the pitch, but there is no striker option there for Conte to call upon.

“With Lucas Moura and Richarlison out injured, that bench shows exactly why Tottenham are looking for a new attacking player and why they need at least one.”

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The Verdict: Should be two…

You only have to look at one of Tottenham’s top four rivals to see what quality attacking depth looks like. Liverpool were hit hard by the injuries to Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, so they moved quickly to lock up a January deal for PSV star Cody Gakpo.

Meanwhile, the Lilywhites appear to have sat on their hands watching Conte’s squad grow thinner and thinner, and one has to ask whether one signing will even be enough.

As Gold points out, the manager doesn’t have a recognised number nine to call from on his bench, meaning the goalscoring onus is almost entirely on Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

If Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici are serious about matching their manager’s ambitions this season, they need to get moving in the market, and fast.

Everton have been linked with Villarreal winger Nicolas Jackson recently and the Senegal international could prove to be Frank Lampard’s own version of Neymar at Goodison Park.

According to TEAMtalk, Everton, Aston Villa, Southampton and Bournemouth are all plotting moves for the 21-year-old this month after a series of impressive displays for the Yellow Submarine in La Liga.

The report claims that the Toffees have a long-standing interest in the versatile forward and considered a move for him last summer but with Lampard now desperate for attacking reinforcements at Goodison Park, a transfer this month could certainly be on the cards.

Despite being just 21, Jackson has 33 first-team appearances to his name with Villarreal in which he has contributed three goals and four assists, so he could certainly add some attacking quality to Lampard’s squad for the rest of the season.

Considering Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon lead the way for Everton in the Premier League so far this term, with just three goals to their name, it seems clear that attacking additions are needed if the Merseyside outfit are to pull away from any relegation battle, with the drop looming after Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat at home to Brighton.

Supporters at Everton have been subject to disappointing football for a number of years now and they need a player who is capable of getting fans on their feet, and considering Jackson’s similarity to PSG and Brazil sensation Neymar – as per talent scout Jacek Kulig – he could certainly provide some excitement in the final third.

The 31-year-old sensation boasts an incredible 11 goals and ten assists in 15 league appearances for the Ligue 1 side so far this campaign and is widely regarded as one of the most talented players of this generation. Thus, a player considered similar to him would certainly be a worthwhile addition at Goodison Park.

As per FBref, the Senegalese youngster scores impressively for dribbles, progressive passes played and progressive passes received when compared to other forwards across Europe’s top leagues. That fact lends itself well to the Neymar comparisons and suggests that he is capable of making a big difference in the final third with his ability on the ball.

Lampard is no doubt keen for new signings this month and considering Jackson was described as having “bags of potential” by Birmingham Live journalist Ashley Preece, he could be a great signing from both a short and long-term perspective for the Toffees.

Tottenham Hotspur have recently held talks with Qatar Sports Investments over a potential minority investment in the north London club. But this is not the first conversation between the two parties.

What’s the latest?

Over the weekend, it was reported by journalist Ben Jacobs that the Spurs chairman Daniel Levy met with Nasser Al-Khelaifi over potential investment in Spurs.

It is believed QSI have an interest in expanding their portfolio into the Premier League and have identified Spurs as a potential opportunity to acquire a minority share of the club.

However, speaking on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel, Jacobs has claimed this is not the first meeting Levy has held with Al-Khelaifi over this topic:

“The two men [Levy & Al-Khelaifi] have a strong relationship. And although it might be logical to assume that every time they’ve met, they will cover a broad array of topics. This last meeting, and it’s not the first time over the course of the last two months was specifically about possible investment, as we understand it at CBS.”

“So where we’re at at the moment is that Daniel Levy has actually been in Qatar recently and held more than one meeting with Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

“Possible investment has been discussed. The understanding of the QSI end from talking to sources is that Levy might be persuaded to sell as much as a 30% stake in the football club. But QSI’s strategy will be a little bit lower than that.”

Positive early signs

ENIC have now held majority ownership of Spurs for over two decades now and although the club has enjoyed some relative success of late, their ownership has only produced one trophy.

Qatar saw the footballing world look on at their country over the back end of 2022 with the Middle East country holding the World Cup.

However, now the tournament has packed up and moved out of Qatar, Jacobs has suggested QSI are looking to expand their reach into the Premier League.

It is certainly interesting to hear this is not the first time Levy has met with the Qatari-based party with Spurs previously linked with potential external investment.

But with Jacobs claiming Levy has recently flown over to Qatar to hold multiple discussions with Al-Khelaifi, it would suggest the Spurs chairman is at least open to hearing what QSI have to offer.

And Jacobs’ suggestion that Levy could be persuaded to open up what is a relatively closed shop at Spurs will likely provide some Spurs fans with some optimism.

Currently, ENIC are believed to own circa 87.5% of the club following the summer’s proposed £150m investment into the club from ENIC.

But it seems as if QSI could be looking to acquire up to a 30% stake in Spurs if the talks are to progress between the two parties over a potential investment opportunity in north London.

Journalist Ryan Taylor has claimed that Wolves will now likely miss out on a January move for Aaron Wan-Bissaka despite recent transfer links.

What’s the word?

The Manchester United defender has been linked with a possible move to Molineux this winter and exit talk has surrounded the player for some time due to his stagnating career.

However, the 25-year-old has suddenly breathed new life into his time with the Red Devils and issued a reminder of his quality with a superb performance over the weekend in the Manchester derby.

Consequently, it now looks as though Wan-Bissaka may be staying with United for the remained of the season after all. Taylor suggested as much when speaking on YouTube recently.

The journalist explained: “A right-back is also of interest to Wolves, not least Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’s the top target.

“But I envisage him staying at Manchester United now. He’s having a real run of games in the side with Diogo Dalot experiencing injury problems since the World Cup – and look at the run United are on, it speaks for itself, really.

“Wan-Bissaka has shown a great attitude to hang in there and basically take his chance when he’s got it, he’s playing really well.”

Transfer options

With Wolves struggling down towards the bottom end of the Premier League – currently just two points and two places above the relegation zone – it’s no shock that they are looking to add quality to their ranks in the market.

In fact, they’ve already made some notable moves this winter, bringing in the likes of Mario Lemina and Matheus Cunha, while Pablo Sarabia of PSG is very close to joining too.

Despite all that, with Taylor stating the club are definitely in the market for a right-back too, it will come as a big blow if they are to miss out on Wan-Bissaka. Indeed, his recent form suggests he would have been a fine addition to the Wolves team.

Dawson, on the other hand, seems very open to the move for the reasons stated above. What’s more, with his contract set to expire this summer, he should come fairly cheap.

Liverpool could unearth their next Giorginio Wijnaldum in the mould of Valencia’s Yunus Musah.

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old USMNT international has been linked with a move to Anfield over recent months, with manager Jurgen Klopp intrigued by his dynamic skill set.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the young Valencia midfielder – who boasts a release clause of £90m – could be the midfield presence to reignite the spark that has been missing within the Reds’ midfield.

O’Rourke said: “He’s a box-to-box midfielder and Liverpool haven’t really replaced Wijnaldum since he left the club. I think they’ve signed one midfielder in the last four and a half years.

“So someone like Yunus Musah, who’s a young player and does play at the highest level in Spain, as well as on the international stage, is somebody they would definitely think could be an improvement for them.”

Gini 2.0

Having spent his formative years within Arsenal’s Hale End youth academy, impressing after making 18 appearances with the U18 side, registering five goals and three assists, Musah decided to make the switch to the Spanish La Liga in search of a foundation to kickstart his career.

This season, despite his tender age, Musah has been an ever-present in the Valencia set-up, having made 15 appearances and served two assists, and has been nurturing an all-encompassing toolkit that is earning the plaudits for his work.

As per FBref, the industrious pro ranks within the top 6% of midfielders for dribbles completed, the top 11% for progressive passes received, and the top 21% for touches in the attacking penalty area, indicating a vibrant, ubiquitous presence within his outfit on the pitch.

Indeed, much like Wijnaldum, Musah is the “real deal”, as praised by Ives Galarcep, and could bring life and energy back to a team that has lost the intensity levels that have gone in tandem with the philosophy under the enigmatic German manager.

Wijnaldum, a supreme passer of the ball and relentless recycler of possession, has left gulf within the very core of the Merseyside outfit after joining Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in 2021.

Having made 237 appearances, scoring 22 goals and serving 16 assists, the Dutch phenom was integral in winning the Premier League and Champions League, among other honours.

As per Sofascore, Musah recorded an average rating of 6.75 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, starting all four matches as the USA clinched qualification to the knockout phase, notably drawing 0-0 in the group stage against England in a match that the nation will feel could’ve resulted in victory.

Musah’s average passing accuracy of 87% across the campaign, along with the 2.0 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 1.0 possession wins per match, were integral within the endeavours, and an encapsulation of the robust presence he brings in Wijnaldum-esque fashion.

Hailed as the “connector” by national team head coach Gregg Berhalter, Musah is steadily earning his place as a glistening gem on the European scene, and with a move to Liverpool, under Klopp, he could ascend to the next level.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino could be a possible candidate to replace Antonio Conte, should the Italian leave north London, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Tuchel keen

Reports in recent days have suggested that former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel would be open to talking to Spurs. Despite his connections to Stamford Bridge, the German would be interested in taking over, if the club decided to part ways with Conte.

Spurs fell to another Premier League defeat on Thursday evening, letting a two-goal lead slip at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City, leaving them five points off the top four.

The Latest: Jacobs’ post

Jacobs took to Twitter on Thursday lunchtime to share what he’s been ‘told’ on speculation surrounding Tuchel.

The journalist said that ‘Tuchel is not Tottenham’s priority’ if Conte leaves, adding that ‘there will be other candidates’, including Pochettino.

‘Told Thomas Tuchel is not Tottenham’s priority if Antonio Conte departs. There will be other candidates, including Mauricio Pochettino, ahead of Tuchel for consideration should Conte exit.’

The Verdict: Possible?

Pochettino has been out of work since July after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, so a move could be relatively straightforward, provided the Argentine is keen on a return to north London.

He enjoyed some success during his five-year stay at the club, averaging 1.84 points per game and taking Spurs to the Champions League final back in 2019.

The attacking 4-3-3 style manager added silverware to his managerial CV with PSG, so could feel he may well be the man to end Spurs’ 15-year wait for a trophy, providing the club and Conte decide to go their separate ways.

Tottenham Hotspur are keeping a close eye on Piero Hincapie ahead of a potential swoop this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sport BILD’s head of football, Christian Falk, who recently provided an update on Spurs’ interest in the Bayer Leverkusen central defender to GIVEMESPORT.

“Tottenham still has it’s eye on him, already in the summer, but also Arsenal again and Chelsea are visiting what is happening with him,” he said.

With a left-sided defender seemingly high on the priorities list for the Lilywhites at the end of the season, as per Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, it seems that the Ecuador international would cost in excess of €40m (£35m), via transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Conte’s next Bastoni?

Spurs could definitely do with some defensive reinforcements in 2023, with inconsistencies and poor performances creeping back in under manager Antonio Conte, having suffered clear-cut defeats to arch-rivals Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa since the turn of the year.

Hincapie would be a long-term project for the Italian – or whoever is in the dugout come next season – as he’s still very raw at just 21 years of age.

The modern-day centre-back is a ball-playing option but despite being a “tremendous young player,” he does “make mistakes” in the form of rash decision-making and the odd wayward pass – in the words of German football commentator Kevin Hatchard on Sky Sports.

That said, Conte has had some pretty good success with developing inexperienced defenders, such is the case at his former club Inter Milan, where he relied upon Alessandro Bastoni.

The Italian colossus came close to joining his former manager in north London in the past, so perhaps he could unearth his next top defensive prospect in Hincapie, given the two are comparable players, per FBref’s statistical profile model.

Just like Bastoni, the Educadorian excels with the ball at his feet – ranking inside the top 4% of his positional peers across the top-five European leagues for successful dribbles (0.59), as well as the top 12% for tackles (2.20) per 90, too.

WhoScored also list passing as a strong attribute for both Hincapie and Bastoni.

It’s why he has been dubbed as a “prodigy” in the past by Jose de Jesus Ortiz, whilst talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded him as a “complete and dominant” centre-back, one who is also capable of playing at left-back.

Under Conte, the 21-year-old gem could hone in on his obvious potential and blossom from an inconsistent, error-prone youngster into an absolute monster at the back.

The Spurs boss won the Serie A title with the youth of Bastoni regularly featuring in his backline, so if sporting director Fabio Paratici can lure Hincapie to N17, then this masterclass could well be repeated.

AND in other news, Forget Perisic: Spurs’ 13-pass passenger was “toothless” once again vs Fulham…

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is a target for Inter Milan as they look to replace Milan Skriniar, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Inter’s conundrum

Inter could be set for a hectic end to the January transfer window with centre-back Skriniar penning a pre-contract deal with Paris Saint Germain, however, the two clubs are in talks to make his switch imminent.

If that deal were to happen this month, then the Nerazzurri could be keen to add a centre-back as his replacement with the 27-year-old featuring in all but one of Inter’s games this season, only missing the latest outing against Cremonese with suspension.

This has led them to the door of Lindelof but with United so far failing to be big players in the window with Wout Weghorst and Jack Butland on loans the only first-team business concluded by the Premier League side a deal may not be easy.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed the interest in the Sweden international but admitted a deal may be tough with United not keen on losing the centre-back, he said:

(2:25) “We have to mention Manchester United because they have received one new proposal and it’s from Inter because Inter are preparing some potential options in case Skriniar will go to PSG immediately.”

“Victor Lindelof is one of the players they have in the list, Atletico Madrid asked for Lindelof earlier in January, Manchester United said no, Inter are now trying for Lindelof too.

“Inter want Lindelof, Manchester United and especially Erik ten Hag want to keep the player so let’s see how this conversation will go but it’s not easy for Inter because Ten Hag wants to keep the player.”

The Verdict: Tough deal to make

With how United have dealt in the transfer window so far, it would be surprising to see Ten Hag approve a transfer that sees a squad player leave ahead of a busy period for the club.

The 28-year-old has found himself way down the pecking order at Old Trafford with only 14 appearances coming all season, just six of those in the league.

But with United’s frantic schedule of eight games to come in 26 days, Ten Hag isn’t in the position to be surrendering squad depth with the Red Devils still competing in all four competitions.

Harry Maguire was also blocked from leaving the club this month following interest from Aston Villa with the Dutchman keen to maintain defensive cover, the same approach will likely be taken with the interest in Lindelof.

Everton are ‘interested’ in completing a deal for Union Berlin forward Sheraldo Becker this summer, according to journalist Christian Falk.

The Lowdown: Looking to the future

The Toffees failed to make a single signing in January and so can now only target the free agent market until the summer, but Sean Dyche already appears to be planning for his first full window in charge.

The Suriname international’s contract with Urs Fischer’s side isn’t set to expire until 2025, but after being a standout performer throughout the first half of the 2022/23 season, has caught the eye of two clubs in particular from the Premier League.

The Latest: Everton eyeing Becker

According to Falk (via CaughtOffside), Everton, alongside top-flight rivals West Ham, are both considering a move for Becker later in the year, with a mystery bid having already been submitted by one of the two sides shortly before the deadline. He said:

“Both West Ham and Everton are interested in Sheraldo Becker. We’ve just had it confirmed that Union received a concrete offer on Monday, though it’s not immediately clear which of the two submitted it.

“Union, however, now have a chance to potentially secure Champions League football next year and they’re still in the cup, so that’s why they were reluctant to sell Sheraldo.

“But in the summer they know they could lose him. He’s got a contract that runs until 2025. I could imagine seeing him switch to the Premier League in the summer.”

The Verdict: Ideal candidate

Becker has been described as a ‘clinical’ and ‘creative’ attacker by journalist Josh Bunting, and he could be the ideal reinforcement that Everton have been missing so far this season.

According to WhoScored, the winger really stands out among Union’s best players – having attempted more shots at goal and key passes per 90 than any player in their squad.

The Amsterdam native already has eight goals and seven assists to his name across all competitions this term and has the versatility to play as a second striker as well as at centre-forward (Transfermarkt).

The Union Berlin star also ranks in the 96th percentile for most progressive carries per 90 minutes, highlighting his desire to get forward, which is exactly what the Merseyside outfit need in the final third.

The United Stand’s Mark Goldbridge has torn into Manchester United’s approach to transfers, labelling it ’embarrassing’ and ‘frustrating’.

The Lowdown: Deadline day activity

On deadline day, Erik ten Hag’s side sprung into action and signed Marcel Sabitzer on loan until the end of the season from Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich.

The Austrian was the third loan signing made by the Premier League club last month, with the Red Devils also bringing in Wout Weghorst and Jack Butland.

Five players were loaned out over the course of January by United, while Martin Dubravka returned to Newcastle United after a brief spell on loan at Old Trafford.

The Latest: Goldbridge slams transfer approach

Speaking on The United Stand, Goldbridge was left frustrated by the late moves for players in the last two windows. He believes the club could bring in quality players if they really wanted to.

He stated: “It just shows you what United can do when they can be [bothered]. All this window, it’s been embarrassing.

“We get to the last few hours and ‘oh, Sabitzer’s here’. The same thing happened last year in the summer transfer window: an embarrassing summer chasing Frenkie de Jong and [Adrien] Rabiot, and then in the final two weeks, ‘oh, £150m, let’s get Antony and Casemiro’.

“It’s so frustrating and it just shows you we have got the pull and we can bring good players in – Casemiro, Antony and Sabitzer,

“But the theme is desperately doing it late in a window. Imagine what we could do if we just were treated like a football club, because we can bring quality in.”

The Verdict: New owners needed

We believe that Ten Hag is doing a fantastic job at Manchester United, and under new ownership, they could really be pushing to be title contenders in the near future.

Dutch pundit Hugo Borst admitted that he was wrong to criticise Ten Hag for joining the Red Devils when writing for Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad (via The Daily Express).

He wrote: “Confession: it was me who lectured Ten Hag back in August, more pedantic than cocky. Feel free to say it was reckless. Shameful. Laughable.”

If the Dutchman was able to have a board who have a clear strategy and avoid leaving it late to sign players, we believe they could be title challengers alongside the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal.

Currently, the club are doing very well in the league and Ten Hag and his players certainly deserve immense credit for that.

In our view, it’s the spontaneous nature of the Man United hierarchy that is holding them back from reaching their true potential, as Ten Hag has clearly done well with what he inherited at Old Trafford – which goes some way to backing up Goldbridge’s point.